The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1876-09-16
Republican Mass Meeting.

day chosen by the Republican
party of our parish for the open
ing of their campaign; consequent
" the morning stages we're crows
ded with distinguished ~ mel
from New Orleans and elsewhere,
come for the purpose OF astonlsh>
ing our peaceful town with the
thunlers of their eloquence.
At the appointed hour for the
meeting, the air was rent by the
Earring sounds OF a colored Brass
Band, especially engaged for the
occasion, which proclaimed to the
assembled multitude that the
speakers were about to take their
places on the stand, which was
erected for their benefit.
The Orators, their countenances
beanrin. with smiles, produced,
10 doubt. from the consciousness
of having partaken of a meal
such as they seldom have the
good fortune of enjoying, proudly
accepted the seats designated to
them by Mr.. Oscar Crosier. The
President of the meeting thought
proper to apologize to the distin-
guisheI personages present tor
the slim attendance at the Grand
Mass Meeting. And he did we'll TO
do so, for imagine - Packard,
Wright, Lewis, Pitkin, Burch &
Co. coming from such distances
to address an audience composed
Of about two hundred persons,
most of whom were women!
The President explained that
the cause of the non>attendance
was THAT 1t was the day on which
most OF the planters paid their
hands, aud that the colored Re-
publicans, being DESTROYS to re.
ceive their money from their
Democratic employers, were thus
hindeled from participating in the
intellectual feast prepared tor
them" This seemed to be IL dams
per on the whole affair /; it was
an unlucky hit OH the part OF the
/, President, for his honored guests,
l their minds being occupied with
y other, and perhaps sub'imer,
thoughts. had not noticed that
= even the knowledge that Packard,
Wright, Lewis s. Go. were to speak
! had failed to draw a crowd.-and
n probably they would never have
done so, had not their attention
been drawn to the fact. However.
they had come to speak, and
? speak they must.
y 70 MI. Wright, therefore. the
# opening was given. and, being
o introduced by the President and
II vociftrously ciieeud by those
who, having nothing to do. had
S no pay to receive, he began all
: elaborate speech. But it was evi>
k dent that the depression had been
0 contagious, tor, despite swelling
sentences and high sounding
words, the speaker failed to elicit
those applauses which, once upon
y Il time, were 50 freely bestowed
u by our colore'l population.
y The speeches. i'll general. were
II IA failure, for il vas evident the
speakers were not, as the French
IS would say, daRs hurs assiettes.
'e We cannot help referring espe>
II cially to the speech delivered 10y
'e James Lewis, on account OF tho
g vulgar and immoral Language
which it contained. 1t is astonlsh'
ing that colored speakers cannon
learn to respect the female portion
.1 OF their color !; but we trust tina
- Mr.. James Lewis will see from thu
- manner in which his lewd remark
:" were received that in some por-
'o tons of our State the colored peo
~ pie do not appreciate them.
)" The encouragement" finally con
:. Guided that the best thing to be
&c done was to adjourn until eve
y ming when Il little excitemen,
"iGu tuS dlu Vi pO"ClIul SuiIllu
y, l*nts, might, perhaps, he created
y" But even then they were doomed
II to disappointment. One woul'
- really think that everything hat
'e couspired against them, for ina.
IA CINE, when the orators had takel
- their positions on the platform
suddenly, by an extraordinar.
gylnnastic feat all heads diSaI
i. peared and so many pairs of fee
IS appeared in their stead. Ate
no the lamps were again lighted AM
of the orators congratulated at thel
~ morrow escape, 1t was ascertaine'
that II Of the main pieces of tn
platform unable to bear all tn
weight of the republican represe,
~ tatives, had given away. Never
nf ~tlleless the speeches were cont
of nned and every thing passed o,
90 very tamely,
20 Now, ought not this colosss
-, failure be sufficient to show tn
Runuhliean louIorS nf tbi, D,r;u