New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-20
THE tn.rrANoOGA CONVENTION.

THE CHATTANOOGA CONVENTION.
Address 70 tbe People of the United
states.
The c8nveu zion of Southern Republicans
at Char ,lsu4. h>s completed its labors
and adiuurno,. On the last day the chair
man Of the co1,inittee on facts and statistics
made the following report:
Rooxs OF Committee ON FACTS AND STATISTICS,
October H. 1874 }
Hon. L. E. Parsons. President of the Convention:
Your committee on facts. and statistics
has the honor to report that, although this
committee met for tue first time this morn
ing and organized, yet the record presented
to it is of such a vOlumlnOus character, ana
the vast amount Of verbal statements pre-
sented, that it il utterly impossible for your
committee to make report that would De
satisfactory to your honorable body or to
the committee itself. Your committee.
therefore, is constrained to postpone
detailed reports of its workings until
such time as it may be able to ac.
complish its labors. The Importance OF
carefully collecting together true state
ment Of facts in regard to the numerous
outrages committed for the purposes OF legis-
latioh can not be overlooked, and in order
to present them to the people OF the cOun-
try undeniable in their character, time, pa
tience and labor are indispensably neces-
sary to consuMmate the ends sought to be
accomplished. 1t is necessary that pre-
else and careful compilation OF matter,
both oral and written, should be made, and
in order that that end ''u arrived at, 1ur'
tLer time is askei fcl - this committee,
and the commttes rh.,ugh it's chairman,
present the tollow.ns ra5oiutlon tor adoption
by this convention.
Respectfully sutir'ted.
IL. C. LEVERS, Chairman.
Resoircd, That tie committee on statis-
tics be and they are hereby continued with
full power to ac: after the adjournment OF
this convention, with the view of present.
ing to Congress such compilation of facts
relating to crimes in the reconstructed
States as have occurred since the recon
struction thereof. That said committee, by
| it's members in each State. ehall be re-
uuired to collect and make out reports,
with such details as can be collected, and
when SO collected and certified, shall be
| transmitted to the chairman Of the ex-
| ecutive committee at Washington city.
| That the various reports be 80 made by the
| first Msnday in December next.
After lively and quite lengthy discus
| sion the report was adopted.
The committee on resolutions reported:
The Republican party of the reconstructed
| Southern States, in convention assembled,
| do hereby make the following declaration
| OF principles:
WHEREAS, We recognize the equality OF
| all men before law, and hold that it is the
| duty Of the government in it's dealings with
the people to mete out equal and exact jus
! tice to all, Of whatever race, color or per
| suasiOn. religious or political, and
Whereas, The federal Congress has the
| updOubted power to enforce, by suitable
| Legislation, said rights; therefore be, it
ResolreG, That we reatfirm and lDdOrse
| the platform Of the National Republican
Convention adopted at Philadelphia in ls72 ,,
! in declaring that the equal civil and PolitI.
| cal rights OF all citizens SHOULD be enforced
| by appropriate State and federal Legislation
! 2. THAT we fully iBdorse the action of the
national administa tion in taking active
| measures to suppress Outrages, violence
| and intimidation, which exist in many OF
the Southern States, and in maintaining
law and order, and the rights of all classes,
and especially its action in suppressiDg tho
recent insurrection, and in upholding the
existing government in Louisiana, mas
fnuch as any other course of public policy
would have been destructive OF republican
institutions, and the adoption of prece-
dent dangerous to the rights of self govern
ment. which can only be executed under
the constitution and laws made in pur'
suance thereof.
3. That, in the name Of humanity, we de-
nOunce in the strongest terms the perpe-
traitors of the numerous murders, assas-
snatiOns and other Outrages IN portions OF
the reconstructed States. upon citizens
| whose only otfense was firm attachment
| to and support of the Republican party and
the principles of equality and civil law:
and we arraign the Democratic party OF
the South, who have fostered the existence
of the Ku-Klux, White League and other
| rebelIious organizations, by whom these
outrases have in the main been committed.
before the bar Of the nation as directly re-
sp0nsible for these murders, and for the
fact that, as general thing, the perpetra-
tors have thus far gone unwhipped OF JUS.
tice, And we fully indorse the action OF
the administration in its endeavOr to prose
cute these offenders in the federal courts
whenever and wherever said offenses are
therein cognizable.
4. That It is the deliberate opinion of this
convention that whenever State gOverIl'
ment is Overthrown by revolutionary meas.
ures. and efforts made to inaugurate another,
that prompt and efficient action should be
had by Congress to give to every State the
republican tOrm Of government guaranteed
by .:c constitution Of the United States.
j 1ha: we earnestly appeal to all citizens
/ Of the United States, whatever their polite
ca: associations may be. who revere the
sacred majesty Of the law and the dignity
of the nation. to aid us in an bonest effort
to restore. tranquility to our people. to in'
vite Immigration to our States, and to de-
yel6p the material interests OF the whole
country.
6. That we unquaiifedlv denource the
recent attempt in some Of the Southern
States to organize political parties on what
is known as :he ''race issue;' that we are
opposed to all political organizations having
for their object the arraying of one class of
our citizens against another. and chat we
call upon all good citizens throughout the
South to aid US in our efforts to cultivate
and perpesuate friendly relations between
the races.
:. That the opening Of our great rivers
and water courses. especially the mouth OF
the Mississippi aud the navigable streams
of fhe. South. All the maintenance of the
naval stations On the Southern coast being
of the utmoe, Importance to the welfare OF
our country. We ask that such appropria'
tjops may be made from time to time by
the general government as vii! accomplish
this result.
8. That az a general diffusion Of knowl.
edge is the best safeguard Of liberty. and
the surest guarantee Of the perpetulty Of
free government, that We hereby earns st'y
request and urge Congress to appropriate
the public lands, or the proceeds of the sale
thereof. to the cause Of education. and that
the same be applied to the maintenance and
support of the public schools in the several
States IN the ratio of illiteracy. ..
=. That We earnestly urge upon the Ke'
publican party in the South and the admin.
:s.ration at Washington the Imperative
necessity of selecting none but honest. faith.
;ul and capable men for office. and we
recommend the national administration to