The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-02
Appeal to- tic Country from Citizens
of New Orleans.

lowing address has Just been issued:
70 our Fello,o- Citizens of the ttaited States
In the present crisis OF public affairs the
undersigned, citizens Of Louisiana, not
ofiice-holders nor oflice-seekers, and con-
sulting with none OF the class known as
politicians, believe they are only perform
ing a duty rs citizens OF their own State
and of our common country in setting
before their iellow-citizens OF other states,
without distinction Of party. the fol.
lowing considerations. They are moved
to their present action because they
believe that in the past much harm
has come, and that in the present grave
danger threatens from MISUNDERSTANDING
ing between felIow-citiZens, induced ana
fostered by men whose trade is politics, ana
whose aims are reached only by arraylng
section against section and race against
race. Under these Misunderstanding the
State OF Louisiana has for years suffered
grieyous wrongs. The natural and Amerl-
can sense Of Justice and fair play IN their
fellow-cltizens OF other States has been so
deceived by the misrepresentation OF IN
terested persons that Americans have been
silent while their brethren, the people OF
Louisiana, have suffered under mSgoY-
eminent and tyranny which has scarcely
been paralleled in our days in any clvllized
land. We have seen DISCRIMINATION OF So
ciety resulting from the arraylng OF race.
against race by political adventures. we
have seen the increase OF public debts ana
the burden OF taxation continually grow
ing, whilst the public funds have been
stolen or squandered. We have seen the
steady decay OF all the elements OF prosper
ity, confidence, and credit which shouia
exist in civilized State. Twice the people
of Louisiana have, in the exercise OF thelr
constitutional rights ut the polls, fld theni-
selves Of the incubus OF bad government,
and twice that government has Deen last
ened upon them again by the power OF the
General Government, while lis unconstlttl-
tional and usurpcd character was openly
confessed in the very act. once more they
have condemned this usurpation at the
polls, and now the interests involved are
not those OF Louisiana alone, but those OF
the whole country; and now that the destiny,
not of the State but OF the nation, IS IN the
hands of certain political officers here, and
all are bound in one bundle, it seems duty
imperative for the country's sake, as well us
for the States, for those who have the good
of both at heart to prevent, as far rs chey
NAV, wrong being done or suffered through
misaDprehension. And, first, 1t is our de-
libcratc conviction that Louisiana Is as loyal
to the Union as any State within 1t.
Second. The people OF Louisiana accept
in good faith the status in which the war
left the colored people.
Third. They desire that white and colored
should live together in peace and harmony;
that only, they are convinced, is the-wa to
prosperity. The white people OF the State
have no wish to abridgea single right winch
the law gives to their colored fellow-cltl-
zenS.
Fourth. They believe that the late call
yass and election were conducted as peace
ably in Louisiana rs in any sister State.
Fifth. They know that large numbers OF
colored voters changed their political asso-
ciations under the growing conviction that
the interests OF the black man and white in
Louisiana arc identical; that the burdens
of misgoyernmcnt must fall on all classes,
and finally most heavily on the laboring
classes, and especially were they moved to
such change by the embeZzlemcnt by those
in power OF the public funds appropriated
to the education OF their children.
Sixth. They believe with the people OF
the whole State that Il. large majority OF the
honest vote was cast n1avor OF the So-called
Democratic Conservative candidates.
Seventh. The white people OF Louisiana
arc glad to receive among them the officers
and soldiers OF the United States army Tor
| all constitutional purposes OF defence. They
| deprecatc the impression produced on their
fcllow-citizens and the great injury done to
the business interests OF Louisiana, and
especially to those OF this city, 10y haSty MILL
tary prociamations and the sending hitler
OF troops and generals as II there were, IN
some contingency, danger OF an outbreak.
For whatever be the issue in the present
crisis. the people OF Louisiana will not seekto
change it but by peaceful and lawful means.
| It is no longer their question alone, but that
OF the whole country. Into the settlement
| of the question should come no mistake or
miSapprehension about their actions or pur-
poses. The question now, for tile State and
the nation, is in the hands of an organiza-
ton self perpctuating, close corporation
absolutely superior to the law OF this State,
an organization already convicted of fraud
| in previous State canvasseS, which Is IRE
sponsible to law and public opinion here,
an organization used for the vilest purposes
| OF rsllrpation and disagreement hitherto
| in Louisiana.
1t is fol. our lcIlow-ctiZenso OF other States,
who have allowed I'VE doubt not with
honest though mistaken intcntions) such an
| organization, subycrsive to all republican
government, to be fastened upon Louisiana
| in her distress, who are therefore responsi-
BILE for ii. and who now find it holding the
peace and prosperity OF the whole country
! in its hands, to bring to bear upon it such
moral force as will. il possible, secure its
honest action in this grave crisis. But in
bringing such moral force to bear we appeal
to our fcllow-citizens throughout the coun-
try to free themselves from any notion that
in the crushed, misgoverned, and suffering
State of Louisiana there is any purpose save
to calmly bear and patiently wait the issue
under the law and the Constitution. In
our condition, with mere mockery OF q
Representative government, we are utterly
powcrless to help ourselves; and our APP
peal, therefore, is to the love Of constitu-
tional liberty, to the enlightened good sense
and right feeling of the American people of
all parties, and to the Great Ruler OF Ma
tions.
[Slgned] Hugh Miller Thompson, rector
OF Trinity church; G. Raymond, Y. G.,
administrator of the archdiocese OF New
Orleans; Al. Jourdan. S. j., rector OF the
Immaculate Conception church; 3. NJ.
Palmer, pastor First Presbyterian church;
james r. Guthrin, rabbi OF Temple Sinai;
Thomas A. Adams, president Crescent Mu-
tual Insurance Company; Samuel Fl. Ken
nedy, president State National Bank;
George Jonas, president Canal Bank; r. Q.
8fallard, pastor Prytance-Sreet Presbyte-
rian church; J. c. Morris, president Hiber-
MAN National Bank; James j. Day, presi-
dent Sun Insurance Company; j. L. Juyes,
president New Orleans Insurance Com
panr; NJ. D. Musson, president New Or