New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-03
An cid Acquaintance Heard From.


Who does not remember DR.. r. l. Crom-
we'll, one of the leading colored statesmen
of 1868. We hope no one. 1t is now many
years since we have heard from him, and
begun to fear that the Great Reaper had
taken him in, through one or the other OF
the many traps he spreads for the good and
bad alike all over this little footstoOl, and
more especially in the section wherein Dr..
Cromwell is go we'll known in Louisiana and
Texas. But in the fullness of time packet
addressed in q strange hand, bearing the
Shreveport postmark came to hand, and
upon opening it, the mystery was eolved.
Here is what we found in that envelopes
letter from DR.. Cromwell:
EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
AS an old Republican of the State, ask
you to give this communication place in
your valuable paper.
The Picdyune says: ''LOuisiana has no
political Warwick, king maker. Every one
here generally thinks as he pleasee, and
acts that way, provided ho ia permitted to
do 60" l think go myself. have thought
and acted as pleased politically, and in
tend to continue to do 40. l came from st.
Cloud, Minnesota, to New Orleans, Louiei
ana, in 1868; have participated in an humble
way in our State; was member of the
Constitutional Convention held in pursu-
ance of acts of Congress to reconstruct this
and other Southern States. 1t is tor an i'm
partial public to Judge that if made any
reputation in the Convention in 6ontrar
distinction to others, it was in being known
as an uncompromising supporter OF any
and all measures calculated to enforce the
equal rights of all men before the law, and
as an incorporating friend of my race.
at the same time, with equal scrutiny, was
alike Just and true friend Of my white and
more favored fellow citizens.
LETT Louisiana in 1872, and went to
Texas. l neither registered nor voted
th re, but claiming my citizenship in Lou
isiana. l left soon after the Presidents
election, fo: q temporary absence. I have
come back to my adopted State, and settled
in Shreveport, Louisiana, which shall be
my home; God being my helper, my body
here shall rest when am NO more. The po-
liticsl troubles and conflicts and bad blood
engendered had ell to do with my tempo
rary absence, az it has with many others
who loved peace more than strife.
have returned to my State, to cooperate
again with the Republican party in the
presidential and State electlon-to oppose
corrupt, dishonest, bad and ignorant men
holding Office in the Republican party.
And as ono of the founders of the Repub-
lican party in this State, l propose to give
| my views on the issues OF our unhappy
! State.
First, we want peace; second, good gov
| ernment. To have good government We
| must have an honest executive, and to have
q good Governor We should send honest
delegates to the nominating convention
mon who do not 90 there to cell the rights
of the people. but to work to nominate the
/ ~ :~%<
| able.
We have had two Yankee Governors.
Why not try q Southern MANI am not
| afraid of such men as Colonel Williamson,
| I. h. Marks, General Longstreet, and many
| others whose acquaintance I have made
| since l came South. The best Republicans
| we have to-day in the South are Southern
| men. The above named gentlemen are
| good enough Republicans for me.
| To have peace, the Southern man must
| concede to the negro his Political, civil and
public rights. Do this, and there will be
peace. The negro, on his part, must yield
to the intelligence and power Of the whites
They have rights, too, by reason of owning
property and paying taxes thereon. A
word or two to my race, especially. DC
you know that the man who owns the
land you rent, the houses you live in, has te
charge you great rents because he has tC
pay high taxes? You will AJAX yourselves
who brought on all thisl Was it not the
Republicanee We answer, it was. And
| why! Because We elected ignorant and cor
rupt men to the Legislature, who cared fol
nothing else but to get rich, and it mattereC
not how or who suffered so they got thu
money. They forgot yen, and left you tt
the cold charity Of your once Oppressors
Electing such men as l have mentioned
will not bring peace.
l said nominate some Southern men.
do not mean the old time Southern Dem
ccrat who still opposes the reconstruction
acts, and the amendments to the fedora
constitution. We have men who have re
formed, and are now doing all they can t.
bring our government to true Republican
form, as laid down in the declaration of in
dependence. Times change, and we chang
sinner to the best Christian-so can q South
ern man. We should make friends, es
pecially with the cid time Wings of tn
South, invite them into our party to hell
us put corrupt, ignorant, and bad men ou
the Republican party. Negro Americans
vote the Republican ticket; vote for goot
honest men; stay on board her sbiI she ha
not neared land quite close enough to risl
leap overheard, to try to swim ashore
You will perish in the Democratic gulf, yor
who try it.
Some of our negro politicians are advis
ing to leave the fold, scatter the flock, TAXI
new departure and go over and join tn,
enemy. No, never; l, for one. will mo-
join their ranks. / am, as in 1868 and 1872
for reform in the Republican party as Car
ried on in Louisiana. 1t is known that my
fight t,since l lett the Constitutional Conven
ton, was, and will be. against bad, cor
rupt, venal and ignorant Republicans; ant
for every right given to my race that wa
enjoyed by the white people have Away
advised the negro to think and act for him
self; it is no new doctrine to me.
have something to say to the yount
white men of the South: Join the party o
progress and ideas and help the good peo
pie to restore the State to good government
Don't follow in the old beaten ruts of you
forefsthers Things have changed; conn
over on the Lords side and you will b.
cared for. DIR. r. l. CROMWELL.
| Shreveport. May 30, 1876.
The Coming Caban Loader.
learn from parties who have been insid