The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-08-05
cOLORED CITIZENS.

COLORED CITIZENS.
/ believe, gentlemen, that yh;' have
selected AZ Your standard-he arer TO-
Ilay d Man who has always felt kind
IL. in fact I don't know a man who
has kinder feelings towards tile col:
ored people than have. Applause
Nv record on that point does not date
from to-day, nor from the war. but it
GOES back from the earlier period Of
nv childhood, and it is we'll known
among the ,cololed people Of Assump'
ton j; and | want them to know that
I will uuaincl,ingly protect them in
all their rights. / feel satisfied that
none of YOU are disposed to interfere
or deprive any one OF their rights,
and If you are So disposed; you. will
find inc Opposed to you: A. ! said
before, If / should he elected BY the
people Of this State, / want when
NV administration shall close to have
It said that no man holding office IN.
der MY appointment shall bear and
be the proof Of dishonesty, by the
simple fact of his being u gentleman
and an honest man. [Applanse.J
That is my platform. gentlemen.
Let us not 60 into side issues: let us
not divert upon questions OF tariff.
What we are mainly interested in ut
present is the advocacy If honesty,
integrity and good government. 1t
is entirely futile for us tc go int"
questions of tariff, because that is an
issue in the national campaign.
Gentlemen, I have never sought
this nomination ; On the contrary, |
wonid avoid the responsibilities which
spring from this position. l know
the honor of being your representa-
tive, indeed, hut just as the honor is
great the responsibilities are great,
and they weigh me down much more
than any personal consideration of
ambition or feeling, by the simple
fact of your regard: 1sqy that | have
not sought this no'nipation; hut mas
much as you have selected me to be
your head, all I can ask you is t"
trust me. Give me your confidence,
and in giving it with Gods l:efp and
the assistance of all true men, wheth.
or they he white or black, no matter
what their shade or beliefs are; We
will march forward to victory aud
the redemption of this State. Ap.
plause. | want 1t distinctly under
stood that / have no enemies to pun
ish and no friends to reward. Ap.
plause. The gentlemen who op'
posed mo to-day were equally emit.
tied to your confidence. knew that
somebody had to he deprived Of the
place for want Of the necessary mum.
Der Of votes aud somebody had to be
nominated, and it 50 Glanced that it
has fallen upon me. There is one
point in regard to the conduct Of the
coming campaign, and that is that /
am thoroughly, utterly and complete
" opposed to fraud, whether it Comes
from our side or comes from the 9th
er side. I want this election 10 he
square, fair and peaceable. want
not simply the letter Of the law fol-
lowed, bnt also its spirit. l want
every man w1fo il entitled to vote ia
be permitted to do So. I want thu
ballot. boxes to he placed where the
spirit Of the law intended they should
be placed, and where every either
will DO able to reach them.
waut every ballot-box to be opened
at the proper time, and that it shall
be accessible to white and black.
want the ballot. boxes placed wher'
everybody can see them. want tin
, votes counted IN the presence Q
! everybody; and the returns made il
tile presence Of everybody. We hav'
! a right to ask that, and we shall in
l sist that that shall lie done. Zap
D plause.1 Nobody can complain q
/. tbat-it ID 4 right which is due to TIL
o other side and due to ~, and We mus
lexact It: Now, gentlemen, willis
you iIaye conferred upon me q grea
honor l feel almost as If l would hav
preferred not having that honor, !
view Of the very great deficiency
my ability to justify your confidence
-, If can succeed in doing what ! kno
u you want ME to do, i'll can saccee
i in carrying what you expect Of mi
;. l will be proud That am your repr'
!. sentative. If l should fail tkroug
lack of pains or want Of jadgemien
or from any other cause make 80
!! regret yonr trust, I will look npe
Il your nomination to-day as q gre
o misfortune. I thank you gentleme
and I wilt attempt to do what 10 rigl'
j. That is all you expect me. to do, a.
;. shall certainly do it. Applause.]