New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-24

oppression, the children OF the sun, what
ever may have been the wrongs and out
RACES imposed upon them or the proscrip-
tons and ostracisms endured, now stand
forth. ali over this broad domain, as a
people redeemed by the grace OF God. and
whose citizenship is sanctiied by the JUS.
tice of the nation. When the constitutional
amendment, forever abolishlng slavery,
becsme the organic law of the land, 1t set
aside every rule, reversed the practice,
superseded the usage, Cancelled the Ordln.
ances, and nullitied every decree, custom,
law or other authority. whether assumed or
vested, associated with or growing out Of
the system of negro servitude. Every i'm.
partial mind capable of legal interpretatio
frankly admits the justice OF my cOnstruc-
ton: but in order to place the status of the
freedmen, and those identified with them
by complexion, beyond all the courts Of
prejudice or sophistical arguments, they
were solemnly legislated into citizenship,
and the right Of suffrage was conferred by
constitutional authority.
When the Car of Russia thrilled human
itv ty his emancipation OF 23,ooO,00o OF
white serfs, who sustained tue same re!a.
tionship to yhe landed proprletors as DID
the slaves Of the South to the plantations
it did not require any other decree o.
legislation to establish their manhood or II
make their citizenship respected; but pot
ton of the people, in attempting to pei
petuate the supremacy OF color, obstruct
every law founded upon impartial justice
and resists every encrOachment upon th
shattered system of American oppression
Tho constitution of the nation and Stat
declare that all men shall enjoy civil right
in public places, and the statutes, enacted
in pursuance thereof, have confirmed thu
equality of manhood; but there are somt
m,schievous and ungodly persons who pre-
sumo to array themselves against the laws
and in defiance of their penalties insult anC
outrage their fellow-citizens because Goo
in his wisdom has darkened their brOws.
The negro, however humble in life, pay
ing for what he eats and wears, malntaInin!
himself by his industry is q material power
who contributes to the support OF the State
and the Development of its resources. He
ia taxed, in cOElmOD, in one form or the
other, to obtain the public revenues, and
is yshouldered with every burden which is
borne by any other citizen, under simllarl
circumstances. If he violates the law |
neither his condition nor his color would
excuse his folly nor mitigate his crime.
His property is subject to the same assess
ments, his liberty to the same restraints
and his person to the same provisions as
other men. He has the same hopes. aspira-
tions, am bition or arrangement OF mind as
other human beings, under similar clrcum.
stances, and when wrOnged or outraged,
the same animOsities pervade his heart, and
the same adherence controls his SOUL
Whatever may be the speculations concern.
ing his origin, his development Is regulated
by the same material agencies, his existenG
is governed by the same natural laws, ami
his death is compassed by the same IRE
sistible means as other mortals. God in hi
goodness and impartiality makes MAI
equal before the law OF nature, and unde
-, ,x,sr Nd ha
enjoys those blessings or incurs those penal
ties in proportion as he observes the cOndt
lions of life and health. When thu
windows OF Heaven recently opened owe
the valley of the Mississippi, and the rain
decended in fearful showers. swelling thu
rivers, rupturing the levees, overhowin!
the banks, and inundating theicountry, des
troying property and distributing the pee
pie, this devastating calamity, which
involved the sympathy of the nation
made no distinction on account Of
race or color. The same sun in
its beneficent influences around creation
imparts its blessings equally upon all
colors. The clouds which hang dow
darkly over the whites, also lower ther
displeasure upon the blacks. The shade
of night, whether coming up from hades
or rolling down from heaven, envelope al
alike in their obscurity. The zephyrs i'm
pregnated with the fragrance of flowers [
the winds, rushing with impetuosity; tk 7
seas, transported with passion; the lightK
ming, in its fOrked flashes, or the vividnes
OF its electric glow, bursting out from under
the clouds, and all other material elements
of the universe, apply equally and impair.
tally to all men, irrespective of color. BIZ
the laws of nature, the children of the sun
are the same in life, identical in death3
the bodies in the graves are subject to thu
same decOmpOsing influences aud DESTROYED
by the same insects; while their souls will
appear before the same God for judgment
who is no respector of persons.
Such considerations, if duly weighed,
would assist you to prompt and impair.
tial discharge of duty in this case, and the
result would go far toward impressing all
we'll disposed persons that the rights of all
men are alike sacred, and must be respect
ed. Any one undera government, who vic
lates the law and infringes upon the civil
rights OF another, whatever may be- his
condition or color, is public enemy, and
deserves, in the true interests of society,s
swift and just retribution. The admins
tratiOn of public justice, which respects no
preJudlces nor deters to any color; seeing
dressing the grievances of all; guickenN
by impartiality and inspired by the goldel
rule, would speedily conduce to the peace
contentment and prosperity of this nos
distracted State.
When man is wronged through the in.
huences which may be brought against hs
color, he not only becomes exasperated. but
all who are identified with him are embi
tered against the class which contributed
directly or indirectly to his injustice When
an individual opens business inviting Js
public to patronize him, he can not
without manifest injustice and disregari
OF every principle of religion and en-
lightened civilization accommodate one
complexion and refuse to serve another I
All places of public resort for which '
license is required are under public prote.
tl0n, ana the humblest man in the State
black or white, whether he possesses prop
erty or not. contributes in one torn or tie
other to that protection which is guarar
teed, and which, II necessary, is enforced 4
manhood and citizenship were the prir |
clples upon which this government We
founded. Mind was estimated as deserving
OF more recognition than property. TIL
genius of our institutions do not admit d |
the superiority of any class, nor invest am
color with exclusive privileges. Cast di:
tlnctions, growing out of an oligarchv, Of
fenslve to men, burdensOme to toll and re
straining to liberty, quickened the Pilgrim
Fathers to exDatriate themselves from their |
homes in the Old World, and found IN
America more perfect system of govern. |
ment which would recognize the equally
OF manhood. Through trials, tribulation
and blood, the monstrous system of negn
seryltude which had so long cursed tbs
land, and whose intamy is now universally
conceded, impeding its prosperity, unduly
exaiting one class and unjustly depressing
another, was overthrow after a prG.
1racted struggle in the councils Of
peace ana war. The revolutionary con.
met to resist class distinctions and
OBTAIN recognition of manhood was no.