New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-08
Address of w. Il. Phillips, at PlRquemfne,
IheryllIe Parish, July 4, 1874.

| Friends and Fellow -Citizens-Ninety-
eight wears ago to-day our fOrefathers, sitting
! in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, framed
| and signed the declaration of American
independence" the organic law by which
| this government has been in its governing
action. Since which time it has been the
! common custom of the American people to
i celebrate the fourth day of July; to absolve
| themselves, as it were, from all business
| other than to contemplate the wisdom,
| courage and patriotism of the founders OF
this great nation. My feeble intellect be-
comes paralyzed whenever l attempt to i'm
| agine, much less recite the blessings thus
secured to their descendants. 1t is enough
| to saw that the homage of forty millions or
more of people is annually paid at this dis
lance of time to their valOr, heroism and
| patriotism And that at all times whenever
| political revolutions threaten to enguif and
destroy our fair land; whenever the peace,
happiness and prosperity of our country is
| threatened.
Whenever the civil, political and equal
rights of all mankind are matters OF public
Observation-Disclosures, in fine, the lie OF
| this great nation is in jeopardy, then it is
| that every liberty loving and loyal heart on
/ this continent starts out on tour and
makes pilgrimage to the grave, the last
| earthly resting place of all its champions
| and defenders.
To attempt at this time and place to de-
! tail the history of the rise and progress OF
| this great nation or give biographical
| sketch of the lives and character Of the
brave hearted and noble men who labored
| for its advancement and the ameliOration of
their fellow men would, in my humble
| Judgment, be an improvident consumption
of time, inasmuch as the political welfare
and happiness of our people at home, Lou
isiana, stand in danger.
Every rejecting mind will at once under
| stand and recognize the fact that OF all
the clashing schemes and conflicting III
| terests that can agitate the mind of man,
nothing ia more prolific of discomfort. fear
| and anxiety, as when his home interests
are involved.
Such is the case of every suffragan in
this State to-day, You well remember that
in eyery election contest since the war,
our political opponents have not resorted
to reason, or depended upon the justice OF
their cause for success; but to the contrary
have menaced, threatened, inundated,
maltreated, ostracised. and otherwise
abused those who dared to oppose them.
| regret to say that the future looks dark
and Gloomy: for in the fall elections we
have the same unreasonable foe to contend
with. Already they are marshallng their
forces. and with an etfrontry truly aston
ishing declare their intention to carry the
election by fair or foul means IT we are
to believe the New Orleans Bulletin, lead
ing organ of the 'rule or ruin" party, 1t Is
reasonable to suppose that they medltate
| the cool and deliberate commission OF any
| and all acts of violence necessary to prevent
| Republicans from voting, and from exer-
cising choice in selecting those who make
and execute the laws under which they are
to live. That pure monitor. conscience,
would upbraid me should l neglect to
warn you that strenuous and lawless efforts
Will be made to defeat the will OF the peo-
pie November next.
Representatives of that party to which
| nave referred counsel an issue murderOus
to the people and alike destructive to all
the material, commercial and industrial in.
terests OF this State. To escape the wreck
OF fast sinking ship they seek to inau.
| gurate party on the basis of color alone
and daily advertise that such will be the
issue, and boldly predict war of races.
man is liable to prophesy what he most
wills, and with some consistency and ex.
pectation of seeing it verified, wher his
| personal influence and efforts can be used
to establish his veracity as prophet But
why Go they publish this fear of the worst
of all evils that could befall any land ! /
will tell YOU of their low cunning.
They have resolved that if they can bring
it about to do SO, and are only preparing
the Northern mind for the dread catas
trophe, and then will say in justification o.
the bloody work, didn't / tell you 60 NJ
man would be benefited by such Q condition
of things, not even the followers OF the Bute
tin, unless the theory be correct that in al
political revolutions bad and wicked mer
come up to the surface. Ia cred -.
Gentlemen, let me quiet your fears. Yea