The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-09-20

j
United States; for union Of love and honor
and distrust; and upon the peace and prosper
ity of each State must depend the peace and
prosperity of the whole country.
And if we are to continue to hold the proud
position of a frst-rank nation, it can certainly
be only as a firmly united people, whose hap.
Piness and glory are bound up in one common
| cause.
| Under the cruel bondage laid upon her since
the war Louisiana was fast losing all impor.
tance in the agricultural and commercial
world; and since her accession made Mr.. Liv.
| ingston exclaim: "This is the noblest work
of our lives !" surely her prosperity and hap
piness cannot be q matter of Indifference to
| the general government; and now that these
have been secured by one powerful and unan-
imous effort on her part, that paternal govern
ment should certainly rejoice in her rejocings
and ecourage her in the career upon which she
| has so grandly entered.
The present moment ia the Trst since the
time when Southern swords went back into
their scabbards that the people of Louisiana
have felt themselves members of free couu-
| try and equal sharers in the blessings guaraD-
teed by its constitution and with this reali-
with a thrill of just pride, warm gush of
fraternal love towards those other sovereign
States which form with her this mighty Union
Yes. To-day Louisiana is free, happy and
true to the principles of American liberty !;
and her prosperity and happiness must increase
or diminish in proportion to the sympathy and
encouragement shown her by the general gov
ernment, of which she forms SO fair a member.
To 60 back again to history, we find Mr..
Livingston also saying, upon the conclusion of
the treaty of cession: tThe instruments we
have just signed will cause no tears to be shed,
they prepare ages of happiness for innumera-
BILE generations of human creatures" And we
also feel that the deeds we signed on the 18th
September, 1874, will cause no future tears to
flow; and that they prepare the way for peace
and prosperity FOR untold generations yet to
be.
That tears have been shed, alas over the
bodies of our heroic dead, is not the fault of
Louisiana-a traitor-heart conveyed the trail
torous order, and the blood of our citizens lies
not at her door-but even through these bitter
tears there shines many ray of hope and holy
pride.
We saw father stand beside the coffin bed
of his only son, slain in the cause of the PEG
pies Rights; but while the tears fell as rain
look of perfect peace lit up his face, and the
sad lips seemed to say weep! yet rejoice
/ am berefs! yet am proud! Ny noble sac
rifce is my only son
"The life that rose on the lives that SET" is
our consolation for the past; and we can bear
the agony of our loss because of the strength
that springs from. the triumph of our gain
and as the dream of Monday grows into full
distinctness, and we realize how determined
purpose and an enduring hope, that lived 60
long in silence, almost in despair, brought at
last their full reward, without shame and
without reproach, we again repeat with exult-
ant pride, In the hands of men entirely great,
noble purpose conquers Fate!