The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-29
Lafayette.

| NERMIBBToEvILLE, July 2O.-Pursuant tC
public notice the Democrats of the parish Oi
Lafayette assembled at the Courthouse in
mass meeting for the purpose of selecting six
| delegates to represent the parish in the con-
vention to be holden at Baton Rouge on the
| fifth of August next, and to appoint Parish
Executive Committee and member of the
| State Central Committee.
| The meeting was called to order by Edward
| r. MoutOn, ESQ, and on his motion proceeded
to organize by eleCting Judge A. J. Moss rs
president and Charles ID. Caffery as secretary.
In accordance with motion carried to that
effect the chair appointed Messrs. Ed. T..
McutOn, DR.. N. d. Young and Sidney Grieg q
committee to wait upon and invite the Hon.
Joseph Fl. Acklen to a seat upon the platform,
who in response to o call addressed the audi.
enCe and gave condensed account of his
course in Congress, and was warmly ap-
plauded.
The committee then retired, and after taking
a recess the meeting was called to order, and
Ed. Il. MOutOn, ESQ, chairman of the commit
tee, submitted the following preambles and
resolutions, which were unanimously adopted :
Whereas, we, the people Of the parish of La
fayette in mass meeting assembled, desire to
express in unmistakable terms and in this
solemn manner to Gov. Francis T. Nichols
our appreciation of the services rendered us
in the skillful manner in which he succeeded,
without firing gun and without shedding O.
drop of blood, to supplant the Carpet-bag rule
inaugurated in Louisiana by the followers and
lsh in it's stead the government of the people
for the people. Considering in this COnnec-
tiOn that we had during the late war been
doomed to witness the Conilagrations of our
homes, the depreciation of our fields, the i'm
priSOnment OF our mothers. our wives and
children, the deseCratiOn of our affairs by ruth
less invaders who bore before them the great
American flag, the stars and stripes hereto
known as the emblem OF liberty, Of freedom
and of emOCracy; considering the wrongs 70
Wa hpnn an oh unY,-
ishing rates Of taxation imposed by usurping
governments; considering how greatly ard
gratefully we reioiced at the return and res
toration of peace and happiness ushered in by
Self-gOvernment at the hand of Gov. L. I.
Nichols; therefore be it
Resoted, That the gratitude of the people
OF Louisiana is due to and abides with Fran
els I. Nichols for his noble efforts and heroic
sacrifices in their behalf and in behalf Ofhome
rule and constitutional liberty-that his hon
Ored name and well earned fame are dear in
deed to the hearts of the people, and that in
him Louisiana recognizes a son worthy of
the htgheSthOnors the people can bestow, and
well lifted to champion that people on any
field where their honor and their rights or
their interests may be involved
Re8OtUed further, That we tender to the Hon. |
Jos: H. Acklen, our representative in the |
United States Congress, our full and uUqual- |
flied appreciation of the course pursued by |
him in Congress. |
And the following was reported by the same
committee and adopted
Whereas, we, the Democrats Of the parish of |
Lafayette, consider that the State of Louisiana |
Is at this present day without constitution; |
that in 1868, under reconstruction tyranny, a |
was gathered together, composed |
OF parttsans who framed what they chose to |
call the constitution Of the State Of Louisiana;
that it was never framed by the people and
for the people, never had it's birth in the will
and consent of the people; that being the re-
suit and effect Of violence and fraud, it Is |
without force or value-it is as if it never was
the tyranny that conceived, upheld and pro-
protected it having been overthrown by the
people at the ballOt-bOx; that Louisiana being
free once more her people must and do ignore
the illegal and fraudulent combination
known as and styled the constitution of the
State OF Louisiana, and they will be satisfied
with nothing less than a convention of the
people called for the purpose of framing a true
and lawful constitution for the people of
Louisiana, regardless of race, color and polit-
Ical opinions and sentiments; therefore be it
Resotged, That we regard the calling and
assembling OF a constitutional convention at
the earliest convenient moment as measure
Of paramount public necessity and as a
measure to which the Democratic party
stands pledged by every consideration Of
honor and duty.
The meeting then proceeded to elect dele
gates to the State Convention by wards. The