The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-04-07
LOUISIANA.
A Mass Meeting Of Ten Thou.
sand People. ..
a Candid Expression OF Their
Views.

New ORLEANS, La, April 6.-The
mass meeting Of citizens In Lafayette
Square to-day was very large, estimated
at from 10000 to 10000. The following
was adopted:
ave, citizens Of New Orleans, in mass
meeting assembled, representing, as we
firmly believe, tho sentiments of large
majority Of the people Of Louisiana, pro.
claiming anew our devotion to the Con.
stitution Of the United States and our
unqualified acceptance Of all the amend.
ments thereto, asserting that in loyalty
TO our re.established Union md 10 trne
national patriotism we do not yield 10
the people Of any section OF our common
country, rs We stand ready to prove by
any test, declaring our earnest desire to
obliterate the feelings OF sectional bitter.
ness which were left as the result ofthe
late unhappy war and to reunite the
whole people OF the United States in a
common bond Of brotherhood, equally
desirous Of breaking down the barriers
Of prejudice and distrust which designing
trickstcrs have from base motives reared
between the white and colored citizens
Of the State, dnd TO re.establish tho rela.
tions OF the two races upon basis OF
Just laws, equal rights, common protec.
ton and harmonious and kindly senti.
ments towards each other, profoundly
impressed with the gravity OF the crisis
through which our State is passing and
feeling that we should publicly proclaim
our sentiments touching the same, do
hereby adopt the following resolutions:
l. That the right Of local self.govern-
ment is the fundamental principle OF our
republican system; that il is the inalien.
able privilege OF every State in this
Union, deprived Of which State ceases
to exist as suCh, in the constitutional
sense, and becomes mere province Of an
alien government.
.. That for four years the people Of
Louisiana have lived under usurpa.
ton government, never elected by the
people Of the State, never voluntarily
acquiesced in, established originally and
maintained throughout its course by the
military power Of the Federal Govern.
ment, and different from direct military
government only in name and the par.
ticulars of its greater extravaganza and
unbridled corruption, the utter unfitness
Of the persons entrusted with its admin.
istration, its contemplate weakness and
inability to enforce the laws or 10 pro.
tect the rights of person and property OF
its citizens, and the greater hatred and
contempt with which it was regarded by
the people.
3. That the results Of this usnrpation
have been to destroy happiness and pros.
perity, 10 foment discordant disorders, to
lessen the respect for law and govern
ment, to encourage violations OF the
rights Of person and property, to repress
all business enterprise, to impair conf.
dence and almost to annihilute the value
Of property. That whatever Of enter.
prise in business, value in property, CO.
hesion in society or Contentment in life
have survived this unhappy condition Of
affairs arc due solely 10 the confident
hope that the late election in our State
would result in restoring its government
to the control OF our people, and if that
hope shall now be disappointed, we see
nothing in the future but anarchy, ruin
and despair.
i. That the government Of which Fran
els T. Nichols is head, is the COnstitu-
tional government Of the State OF Louisi-
ana, elected by majority Of more than
seven thousand votes, fully organized in
all its parts, exercising only the govern
ment functions that are exercised in the
State, making and enforcing the laws,
administering justice, collecting reve-
nues, preserving peace and order OF soci-
ETY.; that there is not, within the limits
OF the State, an office exercising any
actual authority except those whose
official titles are recognized by this
government, because duly elected, that
many Of those elected MS Republicans
have already recognized the true govern
ment, and those who have not done so will
hasten to recognize 1t as soon rs the Fed
cral interference shall cease; that this
government is not only capable OF perpe.
tuating itself and enforcing itsIauthority,
but that it would encounter no resistance
and not even desire to resist on the
part OF any person OF the people, except
an insignificant clique OF ambitious poli.
ticians, with small following OF ignorant
dupes. r--.
5. That the pretended Government OF
which S. B. BACKYARD claims TO be the head,
is a mere simulacrum, without body or
substance, offspring OF legislative con.
spiracy ofthe late nsurpers to perpetuate
their power in defiance OF the will OF the
people, as expressed at the ballot box by
n fraudulent manipulation OF the returns.
That 1t docs not and can not command the
moral or physical support OF any con-
siderable portion OF the people. That it
exercises and is capable OF exercising
none OF the functions OF the Government,
That It's authority is recognized no where
outside OF the limits Of single building
in the State. That if the hope Of federal
inference were withdrawn, it would dis.
band without the uplifting Of an arm
against it. That it presents not sipgle
title to respect or confidence, and that The
attempt to establishiand maintain il by
the military power Of the United States,
would be not only IN outrage on the
constitution OF liberty, but the greatest
crime against civilization that has been
witnessed in the nineteenth century.
.. That the people Of Louisiana, OBJ.
served with deep satisfaction the conser.
vative sentiments expressed, and the in.
augural address Of the President, and
hailed them IA omens OF return to the
constitutional methods Of the Govern.
ment, under observance OF which the
affairs Of Louisiana would arranC
themselves speedily and peacefully, and
need give the Federal Government no
greater concerns than the affairs Of New
York and Massachusetts; that by the
adoption Of such policy, he would con-
fer an inestimable benefit on the whole
nation as well as upon this State, and
would earn the respect and gratitude Of
the people Of the United States, and ca.
pecially Of the people OF Louisiana; that
Notwithstanding the disappointing de.
lay which has interviewed, we appreciate
the difficulties Of his position, and have
not lost confidence in the sincerity OF his
declaration and rectitude Of his inten.
tions.
Z. That the eminent gentlemen who
are about to visit US by invitation OF the
President be heartily welcomed and ex.
tended every facility in their laborg, rs.