New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-09-23
Treason In the Paipits

In the pulpit OF Lafayette Presbyterian
Church, at the morning service. Sunday.
September 20. 1874. among other expressions
of the same tenor. Rev. DR.. Markham. the
pastor OF the congregation. said:
NV bretnren-I could no: come before
you to-day without speaking to you of the
afflicted ia. as people. during the past
week. Those who know NE would not
expect it. and would be disappointed it
were silent: and think my brethren know
me. A great grief is now npOn Us and is
weighing Us down. but am far
from being d;sheartened-1 am hopeful.
Many things cheer me and feel like an
other being to-day. The first thing which
stics my sou! is the wonderful success which
has attended our just and righteous cause.
In one short hour that socalied government
which had oppressed and ground US down.
and had tyrannized aud terrovized our peO'
pie and trampled 1uthlessly in the dust
under its merciiess and craven heels the
most sacred and the dearest rights of man;
a government which by its practices had
rendered the very name of liberty by
hour, say it fell: fell as the tree by the axe
of the sturdy woodman. even as the grain
before the reaper. Gods hand was in it.
He is just.
For two days choas reigned; but our
foes can point to no single act OF outrage
upon the rights of mau on our part: no
breach OF order; no semblance OF personal
violence or tyranny marred our victory;
and under the intense excitement and deep.
seated and determined feeling which pre-.
vailed On that glorious day, and in view OF
the many wrongs jnsultingly heaped upon
us from day to day by our merciless per.
secutors. / cali it simply wonderful. Not
only did we spare our vicious enemies. but
we protected them. Thank God for the
great virtue of forbearance He, in His intin.
tie wisdom. endowed us with; for. if ever .
sOrrOw-stricken people had just cause to
forget that virtue. ours was certainly that
people. The quality Of our mercy. however.
as might be expected, has been misrepre'
sented and m;sinterpreted by our implaca.
BILE and wicked foes. But nothing il past
thei: mendacity.
Had this action been taken by our out.
ragged people two years ago, that which we
have accomplished in an hour would not only
have found condemnation. but would have
been applauded by the people of the whole
country. We had tried petitions to Con.
gress and to the national executive; had
sent committees of our best citizens to the
national capital; had appealed to the peO.
pie at large: had tried moral suasion, pa.
tience. hoping against hope. fOrbearance;
the law: everything. but to no purpose.
We were doomed to bite the dust. The
hand OF our enemies was against US, dire.
fully determined to crush out the little
spark Of life yet lett in us.
A conflict was inevitable. A proud peo.
pie. smarting under continued and increas.
ing wrongs. were forced to assert their
manhood. which was at stake. the only
thing. except their lives. which was left.
and their lives were by no means secure:
and to-day no man can assert that this peO.
Dle acquiesced in the government which
has been forced upon us by national bay.
onets. No man can say that detestatlOn
does not rank!e in every manly heart. and
none can call US towards.
Who rose! The rabbie! Tho rash
Needless young men! Plunderers The
vicious: vindictive persons! BY no means:
The whole people rose. character. sab.
stance. standing. worth. respectabllity.
wealth. education. commerce. virtue, Chris.
tian!ty.
Brethren. there are many things which
give me hope for the blisetul future. not
ieas: among them being the conviction that
righteous God is with us in our struggle.
His grace sustains Inc. We have broken
the back Of oppression. destroyed detested
power. melted in the crucib.e Of public and
virtuous abhorrence their yenalitv. and
wiped out of existence in one short. glorious
hour their power for additional mischief.
and for everything. in fact. cave hatred.
The ragged edge of that we never can hope
to smooth. They will never again assert
their corruption and venality in our midst.
My heart, my friends. takes courage. God
is with us because ours is holy cause.
In conclusion. let me cay that The
assertions and very determined expires.
siOns Of those among US whom some. for.
sOOth, may term madmen as to the fate
awaiting our corrupt and oppressive rulers.
invites my sanction and appeal to me for
sympathy, causing my very heart to leap
with honest joy within my breast. "Resist-
ance to tyranny is obedience to Cod" "He
who would be free must himself strike the
blow" feel like a new man to-day. and
my inmost soul is lifted up with a confident
hope of the dawn of yet far brighter
future for poor, stricken. down-trodden
Louisiana. vengeance is mine. saith the
Lord" God be praised.