New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-25

| desth-untimely and most Unfortunate to
his family and to his country, though he
passed away NEST peacefully and full of
the ripeness of years, honored and &C.
spected by all his country, but more es-
pecially by those who knew bin best.
who knew him but to love him.
There is spurious Southern chivalfy'
which sometimes allude to contemptuous-
| ly, because it is contemptuous. There is
another type or phase, however, to which
always allude, not only with respect, but
with admiration bordering on veneratiOn.
| OF this latter such men as John LangdOn
| Lewis stood at the head; and besides, am
a Southern man myself. 40 the manor
born" and stand second to pOne in yindi.
eating the true honor and glory, not only OF
my section, but of my whole Countrywide
great and glorious American Union, seach-
| ing as it now does from the restless Atlantic
| on the east to the golden shores of the Paci-
fic Oh the vest, and from the frozen pole Oh
| the north to che coral strands OF che South
erp Gulf-upon whose broad and glorious
surface, thanks be to God: no slave can
any more tread his weary and bleeding feet:
for whenever he shall in tho future place
his feet upon this territory, he 10 from that
glad moment . freeman! And who. with .
heart or soul. would not honor, love and
glory in such . country: It there DO any
such one among US.
go marx him weii.'
When the Constitutional Convention of
ls67-65 passed = new constitution OF the
State under the congressional reconstruc.
ton measures. and it was formally submit
ted to the people for ratification or rejec
ton, with Gull State, congressional and
parish ticket, then commenced the tug Of
war for the loyal a1en of the State-I mean
those who favored reconstruction under the
measures Of Congress. The opposition,
which had up 60 that time. .fretted and trit-
tered its strength away in harmless threats
and vacant "damns," now commenced TO
meet the issue in dead and deadly earnest,
It was political life and death struggle
with those who opposed negro suffrage, and
who had in the past ruled the country more
by dint of assumed prestige than by any
real or genuine superiority. They thought
they saw-and they did see-the sceptre de-
parting from Judah, and the knees Of the
former law-givers of the land shaking,
because of the death of their great Shiloah,
the slavery god. l say they thought they
saw this, and it was 80; and hence their de-
termination and efforts were terrible, even
unto death, combining much of the TO
nance of politics in the back woods.
1t were useless to allude infinitely and in
detail to the various candidates for State,
district and parish Offices, coupled with this
great contest for the ratification or rejec-
ton of the new State constitution; but l
will make some brief references of this sort.
H. c. Warmoth was the Republican nOm
inee tor Governor, with Oscar j. Dunn for
Lieutenant Governor
j. G. Taliaferro was the Independent Re-
publican candidate for Governor, with
F. Z. Dumas for Lieutenant Governor.
This ticket was supported by all the
element in opposition to the reconstruction
measures and to the ratification of the State
constitution, though the ticket itself was by
no means thus opposed.
The regular Republican ticket was
elected throughout and the new constitu-
ton ratified by a very large majority, with
a Republican member of Congress from
every district in the State except the
second.
In the fifth district the Democrats, to
show the consistency of their howlings
against "carpet- baggers." nominated and
supported Northern Democratic federal
General by the name of Wilkinson, who had
just taken up his abode in their midst; but
this Democratic carpet-bagger was badly
beaten by w. Jasper Blackburn, the Re-
lican nominee, with the dead weight to
carry of an independent Republican candi-
date-my esteemed friend, P. J. Kennedy
who was meanly induced to run by few
leading Republicans who were directly and
personally interested in the levee swindles
of this State, and which Blackburn. as a
member of the Constitutional Convention,
had exposed and for time throttled and
scotched.
The first public mass meeting under this |
in North Louisiana was held in |
the town of Homer. had called it myself |
for the purpose OF advocating before the |
people the ratification of the new constitu- |
ton, and had invited discussion. My friend,
Wilbur F. BIackman, to whom have al |
ready often alluded in these sketches, was
then at his homo in Homer. well rested, \
ready and eager for the contest, and it was
we'll understood that he would meet Black.
burn in debate in opposition to the whole
programme.
And so he did-''and it was great day."
Blackburn and Blackman met on that Oc.
,asion; and Blackman will say to day that
le was there and then terribly worsted,
10 much SO that but few days thereafter
le went openly hack upon all he had there
md then said, and pledged. But, as
Andy Johnsoa would say. ''let all tkis
it onIy be remembered as part Of
he romance of politics in the back woods.
But there were others present at Homer
N that day, mightier than Blackburn or
least one-which was the
brave and noble hearted John
4angdon Lewis. All! shall never forget
hat day-the noble bearing Of that truly
,reat and good man. On that occasion
lid the nobility of true manhood and
he sneaking pusilianimity of assas'
nation meet face to {acs. and
he triumph of the former was marked and
lecisives 1t was like the roar of the noble
ion over the whining howl OF the grave.
obbing jackal. shall not cOndescend to
'articuiarize, but will only remark that the
Ouy div hrufalitv xrl,,o nd /