Daily Republican., 1879-05-08
A STIRRING ADDRESS.
The appeal or tine COlOred men Of
Louisiana.

The following is recital Of griev
aces and wrongs adopted by the late
colored convention held in Louisiana,
together with their manly appeal for
help:
We, the representatives of the people
of African descent il Louisiana, in con-
vention assem- bled,. .solemnly and truly
swear before God and the country, that
we are denied the freedom of the ballo;
and equality before the law, and that
in the unholy prosecutions visited upon
us for our political opinions, the utmost
limits of endurance has been reached.
Our grievances, which we have pa
tiently and hopefully borne, have been
numerous and cruel.
We have suffered ostracism in viola
ton of divine precepts.
We have been denied our civil rights
in utter disregard of the laws Of the
Commonwealth.
The courts have aggravated our
wrongs by mocking our appeals for re-
dress.
Our school houses, churches and
homes have been reduced to ashes with
impunity.
We have been systematically cheat
ed and plundered by planters and
country merchants until starvation
stares us in the face.
BY wicked combination we are
forced to rent land at $40 an acre per
year, which could not be sold in fec
simple for S. per acre.
Our representative men have been
driven from their homes and forced to
abandon their property and household
goods because of their Republcanism.
Our people have been whipped, muir
dered and outraged when they would
not be seduced and could not be coerced
from the party which emancipated
them.
Our cry in terror for help, for pro
lection, and against political assassina'
tions has been shamefully ridiculed by
our guilty enemies, as the waving OF
, the "bloody Shirt" without any foun
: dation.
II we are illiterare, it is because white
men made it crime to teach US to read
t the Bible.
) If we are poor, it is because we have
: been drnied the right of property, life
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Our past in the South has been ar
= existence of sorrow, tears and blood
t and under the unchristian and despotit
r public sentiment, the future is without
5 ray of hope.
5 We have almost been driven to des
r peration through the combined calaml
t ties at the same time of yellow fever
the southern policy, and political masl
sacres.
S For these and other reasons, which
: are matter of record, we appeal fol
material aid to the official and mora
e influences of the President of the Uni
:. ted States, for whom many persons
! African descent, rather than be false t
IS principle, willingly sacrificed thei
d lives.
le We appeal to Congress for a favorabl
consideration in behalf of the suffering
II hunted, prosecuted and starving exlles
1t We appeal, in our necessities, to tn
Republican party, to which We hav
ID conscientiously and faithfully adhered
and for which We have been scourge
!, and massacred.
ir W. appeal to the liberslity of 200
y men in the Democratic party who ar
n opposed to the wicked method pra'
ss ticed upon defsnceless people for pc
to litical opinions.
ir We appeal to the hearts of the chris
ls tian public; to the churches and a
ID organizations which have observed OF
at patience and endurance under the rel .
10 OF terror.
e. We appeal with confidence to Il
e, loyal sentiment which saved the L
ho public, because much Of the bitterne
and hostility visited upon our peop
was intensified by our devotion to tt
Union in the struggle with rebellion.
We appeal for aid from the old AM
N ne slavery apostles, who never failed
se in the past when We fed from tt
w. house Of bondage, and upon whom
ny now rely in our enforced exile from tt
spirit Of ofoppression.
or We appeal for succor to the socie
of Friends in this, our journey throu!
.. the wilderness Of Southern hate to t
IT. land Of promise, where We may live
- peace and happiness.