New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-17
Senator Pinchback In Alabama.
MOBILE, April Ia, 1875
EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:

EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
1t was announced last week that Hon. P.
3. 8. Pinchback, of Louisiana, had been
invited and would address an audience
last Saturday evening at Odd Fellows
Element in the Republic" An admission.
fee was charged to defray the Expenses of
the hall, and owing to this fact the attend
ance was more limited than it would have
been had there been free admission. Con
spicnlously absent were the leading white
office holders whose commissions are
issued by the author tiles at Washing on,
though few Of their subOrdinates were
present. On the platform at the extreme
right was Mr.. James A. Somerville, Of the
United States Land o flee in this city, hin.-
self a very light complexioned colored
man, together with Joh n W. Rox borough,
Esq and Hon. j. Ross Stewart, of Louis
lana; Mr.. Spencer I errell, of the internal
revenue Office here, Rev. G. w. Bryant
and Mr.. Louis Bowen. The speaker
was introduced by Philip Joseph, Esq, =,
formerly of the Mobile Waterman, who
mentioned his mer it's and essential service
in the cause which he had espoused, and
then Senator Pinchb ack came forward and
announced his subject. The opening portion
of his address abO unded in statistics of the
relative increase of the whites and blacks
from 1890 to 1870 in the United States,
showing that there was no essential differ
ence in that increase. He demonstrated
from statistics that the proportion of white
criminals is relati vely greater than Of
blacks, and that of idiots and other unfor-
tunates among the blacks there was no
greater proportion than among the whites
He quoted statisti cs of the colored militia
and colored voters. He asserted that the
colored voters formed the majority in
Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina,
while they held the balance Of power in
Alabama, Arkan sas, Virginia and other
States.
He maintained that the colored race had
made reputation as producers, soldiers or
voters, and that their influence was potent
for good. They are, therefore, entitled to
be treated with consideration; are no longnr
chattels to be protected, but voters able to
protect themselves. He believed that the
masses of the colored eufragans are as in
and especially of the foreign eli ment. That
equality which is the central idea Of the
colored race is only the privilege to pursue
undisturbed those rights which are common
to all freemen. They are not disturbing
element. There has been no such stupen-
dous event on record aa the birth of
whole race into freedom, becoming citizens
and voters at the same time. The speaker
aeked where, in ten short years, Q record
can be found that will compare more favor
ably than that of the eolo1ed people of this
country. The colored race is a safe pollti.
cal elsment. Born Of the nation in it's
struggle, they feel that they belong to the
Union and that the Union belongs to them.
They are of the people. The advance in
the progress OF the colored people might be
slow. but still there was an advance.
4. He alluded to the bitterness which once
existed against the foreign element, when
the Know Nothing party WAS vigorous in
the tield-a bitterness az great ~ has ever
been manifested toward the cOfored race. |
If the prejudices Of two centuries prove
slow to be altered, our people must not be
impatient. We must be the architects of
our own fortunes. We know our rights and
know how to maintain them. Holding the
balance of power in this country, in the
uture we must do like other men, consult
>ur own interest ard go with that party
rom which we shall receive the best treat
nent. 1t is time for the people of this
country to recognise the color.d element az
no longer Insignificant, but as possessing |
,ower.
The address of Senator Pinch back. being |
rom written notes, was not 90 brilliant as |
'ome of his extempore effo5ttu ~ it WAS |
interrupted by the warmest |
applause.
Not more than fifty of the white people Of |
Mobile, who differ with the Evolutionary !
7iews of Senator Pinchb back, had the good |
Ortune to be present to hear him On this |
occasion, their prejudices against colored |
peaker being of such q nature as to keep
hem out Of Odd Fellows Hall. It was
heir loss and nobody's gain, however; but |
hey will live and learn, though it may be
10 Wly. MOBILIAN.