Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-04-11
The Grand Mass Meeting in New Orleans


New ORLEANS, April 6.--The grand
mass meeting of citizens in Lafayette
Square to-day numbered from ten to
fifteen thousand persons. The meet
ing was called to order by Mayor Pills
bury, who called j. A Rozier to preside.
Mr.. Rozier made short address.
Speeches were made byJ. H. New, T.
J. Semmes, Charles E. Fenner, P. B.
S. Pinchback and T. 7. Allan.
A series ofresolutions was adopted
declaring anew their devotion to the
constitution of the United States, and
their acceptance Of all the amendments
thereto, yielding not in true, national
patriotism to the people Of any section;
earnestly desiring to obliterate the feel
ings of sectional bitterness left as a re-
suit Of the late war; to break down the
prejudice and distrust which designing
political tricksters have originated be-
tween the white and colored citizens,
and establish harmony and kindness.
They assert the right Of local self
government; that for four years the
people Of Louisiana have lived under a
| usurping government maintained by the
| military power of the federal govern
ment. and different from a military
government only in name and in the
particular of its greater extravaganza
and unbridled corruption. utter unfit.
ness of persons entrusted with its adj
ministration, and contemplate weak
ness and inability to enforce the laws,
to protect the right of person and pro-
perty, and the greater hatred and con-
tempt with which it was regarded by
the people; that the usurpation destroy
ed happiness and fomented discord, and
impaired confidence in law and govern
ment. and if continued can produce
nothing but anarchy, ruin and despair;
that the government of which Francis
[. Nichols is the head is the constitu-
tional government Of the State, elected
by majority of more than 1000; that
there is not in the State an officer eX-
ercising any actual authority except
those recognized by him; that many of
these, elected as republicans have rec
ognized Nichols, and those who have
not will hasten to do so rs soon as
federal interference shall cease; that
the pretended government Of Packard is
a mere simulacrum, the offspring of a
conspiracy, which would disband with
out the unlifting of an arm against it if
+ the hope of federal interference were
withdrawn, and an attempt to maintain
it by federal power would be the great
est crime Of the nineteenth century;
that the sentiments expressed in the
inaugural Of the President were hailed
as auguries Of a return to constitutional
methods Of government, under which
the affairs of Louisiana would arrange
themselves, and need give the federal
government no greater concern than
the affairs Of New York or Massachu-
sets; that by the adoption Of such a
policy he would confer an inestimable
blessing upon the whole country as well
as the State. The resolutions further
declare
That the eminent gentleman who are
about to visit us by invitation Of the
President be heartily welcomed and
extended every facility in their labors.
assuming that they are impartial citi-
zens who come here only for the legih-
mate purpose of ascertaining what gov
eminent is actually administering the
affairs of the State, receives the support
Of the people, and is capable Of sustain
ING itself and preserving order, but that
we are unaIterably opposed to any
compromise the effect of which would
be to put into office men who were not
elected, or to depose any elected officers
of the State, or to impair the existing
autonomy Of the Nichols government.
That the officers and soldiers Of the
, United States army while engaged in
the performance Of their lawful and
patriotic duties are ever welcome guests
upon the soil Of Louisiana; that their
services. however arc not proper in
the preservation Of peace except in
certain well defined contingencies
which have not arisen in louisiana;
that the existing government OF the
State IS fully capable Of maintaining
peace, which IS not threatened by any
persons except those who invoke the
aid Of the troops to protect them in
its disturbance; that we ask nothing Of
the President except to withdraw them
from the unfolding Of q pretended gov
eminent and the performance Of his
plain constitutional duty Of non-inter-
ference except in case of domestic in
surrecticn beyond the control of the
constituted authorities, which does not
exist, and which we pledge ourselves
shall not exist in the State Of Louisiana.
The resolutions close with assuran-
ces that the people viii under no cir
cumstances recognize the Packard
usyrpation or pay a dollar for its main
tenance, and that there need be no
doubt as to the kind treatment of the
colored people.