The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-12-24

NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY MORNING. DECEMBER "a, 1876.


Speeches by Gov. Nichols and Lieut-Gov. Witt.
Last Tuesday evening, at O'Clock, large
crowd of citizens assembled at the Clay Statue,
and, accompanied by brass band, proceeded
to the City Hotel to serenade the recently
elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor.
These gentlemen appeared on the gallery and
responded in the following speeches:
GENERAL NICHOLS SPEECH.
FELLOW Citisens-The times are not suited to
mere compliments, and, doubt not the main
purpose of your coming here to night, is to rs
| certain whether the gentlemen recently elected
in Louisiana will take their sests and carry on
the functions of their various Offices.
These are strange questions for q free people
| to ask, but they are pertinent under existing
circumstances. Thrice already has the will of
the people of Louisiana been made to yield to
the frauds of State cabal, which, emboldened
by success, is by like means again striving to
retain power.
Do those who have been honored with your
confidence propose to submit in the present
contingency to glazing wrong and acquiesce in
! the destruction of Your rights and liberties, or
do they intend to vindicate and sustain those
| rights7
think can sefely say that all those whom
you have selected az yoae representatives will
be found true and faiGhful to their trust; that
they will act with frmnees and discretion,
keeping eteadily in view their own honor and
the interests of the people hose servants they
/ think this occasion, fello W. citizens, affords
me an appropriate opportunity to refer to the
late canvass and its incidents. The Democratic
and Conservative party of Louisiana thought
proper at its Convention at Baton Rouge to
nominate me as it's candidate for Governor. 1
then announced q platform of principles by
which should be guided both in the cam
psien and in the administration of that Office,
if elected.
1t WAS q platform of peace, fairness and con-
Citation; It inculcated an impartial enforce
ment of the law without regard to color or con.
dition, and expressly stated that the Governor
OF a State should be Governor of the whole
people, and not of party or race. 1t depre-
Gated class Legislation, denounced fraud and
looked to the general welfare and protection OF
all citizens alike.
To that platform 1 adhered throughout the
whole canvass, and the promises and pledges
therein made intend to redeem.
have no hesitation in stating, from personal
observation during my canvass of the State
that so far from the existence of feeling of
hostility toward the black race, calculated to
engender strife and interfere with the free ex-
ercise of the elective franchise, there was
every where manifested feeling of symNatby
and kindness, and an evident desire, fully re-
ciprocated by large numbers of colored people,
by union of forces to bring about a restora-
ton of prosperity and happiness in this I'M
fortunate commonwealth.
The resnlt of the votes cast, as sho wn by the |
actual returns of Republican officials, giving
the Democratic Conservative party clear ma !
jority of eight thousand votes, was less than |
one nau reason 10 eXpeCG bQ9 evident 4
change which had taken place among the COL |
Ored people of the State, and yet in the face of
THE large majority, given and evidenced under |
circumstances where all the election machinery |
wns in the hands of our adversaTies in the face |
of q complete failure TO elect their ticket at the
polls, the Republican party has deliberately |
attempted to nUlify tho Will of the people and |
to place in ctfics men who were nOtOriousiy de-
feated.
In the midst of the grave events now trans
piriDg, it would be inexpedient and unwise for
l1vp e. n,1N
course to be pursued. This much must, how
ever, say to you:
Let every individual citizen yield his own
opinion as to the best mode and best time of
reaching the final result, which we all have
equally in view, to the decision of those who,
accepting positions of houor and trust rendered
them by their fellow citizens, should Justly as.
sumo the responsibility flowing from those po-
siCions.
Peacefully, fairly, legally elected your Gov
erIor by over eight Thousand majority of the
votes Of both races in the State, announce to
you my fixed determination TO assert and main
tain my rights to that position, and know
that you are equally determined that shall do
shall be prepared to do my whole duty, and
shall expect the same from every citizen of
Louisiana,
Lieutenant Governor Wilt followed in a
brief address, given as below:
Friends and FtlIoto. Citiscns--I have heard with
extreme pleasure the pledge and promise just
made by the Governor elect of louisiana He
Jpeaks to you in the name of a. 900 citizens
who gave him their votes on the 7th of Novem-
Der, being majority of more than 6, 600. In the
lame of all these, aud many thousands more,
EEL free TO promise that they will support him
n his noble resolve to carry out the viii, to i'm
licate the constitutional rights and TO maintain
,he honor of the people of this free common
wealth.
You and I, know, will stand by him and
ustain him in pnrsuit OF this object. For my
part, shall be proud 20 follow and second your
yniiant and worthy Governor. Like him, j will |
AXE the oath Of ONCE on the day fixed by Law,
md ct the proper time will do al in man'ai
,oBeE within the limits asst gued By tho eountls