The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-09-15
AN ESSAY
COMMEMORATIVE OF THE FOURTEENTH
OF SEPTEMBER, 1874.

HeSnectfufiy dedicated TO tue fdudf1
Rifles by Mrs. Emma Waters Reynolds
To-day we celebrate the anniversary
of the Fourteenth Of September, 1874
and while we would wish it only day
of rejoicing, our tears must flow, anG
our hearts be saddened by the remem.
brance of those who fell. They can
never be forgotten; for History, faith.
tul to her duties, will record oui
wrongs, and then the story will be told
of how our martyrs sealed the declar.
alton of independence with their blood
The fourteenth of September, 1879
has dawned upon us, bringing with il
such train of reflections one can
hardly tell which to speak Of first. We
all remember too well the Fourteenth
of September, 1874. and how our hearts
were stirred within us when the gray
mists of the morning were dispelled
and we saw the early sunshine reflect
ed from glistening guns, borne by
gloomy, stern and determined men,
whom we had met by social fresides
only, and felt that nothing but sense
OF terrible wrong and oppression could
arouse.
AS women, we could take no part,
and only followed with our eyes our
honored or loved ones until they faded
from our sight.
They had gone, either to have their
rights respected quietly, after the great
mass meeting on Canal street, or to
assert and maintain them by force Of
arms. We knew this; we felt il; we
believed it; and each fond wife, moth
er, daughter, sister, fliend, looked
sadly to the other, as If mutely asking
whose home will be darkened first, for
our fears whispered there will be
blo0dshed to-day.
I, We bad seen our loved ones go forth
to battle before, and it was no egotism
that prompted us to think whatever
is done will be we'll DONE" for Louisi-
anians had shown on thousand fields
that cowardice never found home
with them. Many who fought with us
on that day were born beneath cold
ec sun than ours, but bore in their bo-
SONS that high sense of probity and JUS.
tice SO forcibly expressed by the brave
Major Robbins "We wonld not stand
this in Philadelphia, and we shall not
stand it there" He fell! but let his
fatherless children, his associates, and
his conntrymen, wherever they may
be, cherish his sentiments and follow
bis example. I believe that the bra.
very and resolution of the men of Lou.
isiana on the Fourteenth Of September
1874, did much to save this republic
for it aroused the entire nation to Il
sense of the wrongs which could be
heaped upon one State, and might be
only held il reserve for another unfor.
tunate sister.
| AS Louisianians, we should cele.
brate shis day, as our whole people
have long done the Fourth of July; fol
it was only in accordance with til.
edict Of l776-tbat this last struggle
was made. Now that we are free, ".
should endeavor to impress upon oui
children, that eternal vigilance is til,
price of liberty"
New Orleans is poor, almost to,
poor. to pay her taxes, but, like thu
mother of the Gracchi, when asked TO
her jewels She can point to her sons
We are proud of this; we are proud o
our traditions; for what city is sther,
i'll this Union whose bright histori
page is SO linked with the romance
and poetry of the European world
Here have dwelt as rulers the prou'
| Castilian and the volatile Frenchman
and here dwell beneath the "Sta
Spangied Banner" the descendants q
those who saw with grief unspeakabl
their ensign lowered, and ours uDfurle,
to the breeze. Here is represented al
most every nation, and although
has been said we are always "too ca
ger for the fray" with so many reiig
ions, political and social surrounding
influenced as each must be by the ed
ucation and associations of their earl
life, to tue unbiased 1t would seem W
adapt ourselves to circumstances read
/ lily and agree admirably.
Empires can pass away, palaces ma,
crumble, all things perishable Civ
place to new and stranger things; but
whether we look upon the broken col
umns left as msmentoes of a war, o
proud triumphal arches which mark 1
conquest, if they are upon the soil o
our native land, no heart susceptible,
of one glow Of patriotism or affection
could look upon them without a feel
ing Of devotion. Should we try to dis
pei this hallowed association7 No! ra
Their let US cling to all that is good
whether of home or country; it vii
enable us the better to fulfill our du
ties in the vicissitudes Of life. New
Orleans is dear to all of us; from Iel
venerable Cathedral to the monuments
in Greenwood, and may her days O
prosperity soon come when there viii
be no idle hands or hungry men ask
ing for bread, but our wharves crowd.
ed with freight; aud the "canyass
winged birds of the mariner that roam
over the ocean, carry our products t.
every cline.
The days of our suffering have beer
long and weary, and we through
no fanlt of our own--while the men o
the North and South fought, the me,
of this State did it in earnest; but whe,
it was over, will, hearts sore and
bleeding, peace, and if possible, pros
perlty were all they desired.
Alas! it could not be. Every tri
fling personal quarrel, or petty street
fight was magnifed into party capita
and national malice. Our hearts have
been almost broken; for "behind thu
black cloud we could see no silver lin
ing." The little tempest Of the Four
teenth ofSeptember, 1874, awakened
our good brothers to sense Of thei,
forgetfulness, and across the bloody
chasm were strewn beautiful flowers O
Hope, Trust and forgiveness, while We
were hidden to greet them as friends
once more.
Draped across your hall is the Amer.