The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1888-04-07
Public Speaking.

On last Wednesday, the 4th inst, the
people of st. Landry enjoyed "a rare in
tellectual and political treat in listening
to the eloquence of some Of our most
distinguished Democratic speakers.
Gen. Francis It. Nichols, nominee for
Governor, Hon. James Jeffries, nomi
NEG, for Lieutenant Governor, Senator
Randall L. Gibson, and ex-senator B.
F. Jonas, Collector of Customs at New
Orleans, arrived on Tuesday evenings
train and were given reception beft-
ting their illustrious services as leaders
of the Democratic party of Louisiana.
At II o'clock a. m. on Wednesday an
immense throng of the people from va
rious portions Of the parish including
many ladies assembled at the Court
house to hear the words of wisdom and
good Democratic counsel that were to
be uttered on that occasion.
Judge J. M. Moore, the president of
the meeting, introduced each of the
speakers in language appropriate to
their exalted labors and position. We
regret that time and space will forbid
our giving other than very brief no.
tice of the able speeches of sound Dem
ocratic doctrine delivered during the day.
The Hon. James .Iefffies was the first
speaker introduced, who in a pleasant
diction, made review of Republican
rule IN Louisiana during Warmoth's ad-
ministration how the people were des-
poiled by oppressive legislation and on
erous taxation the State debt increas-
ed from fifteen millions to forty millions
of dollars, and reducing State bonds
| down to twenty cents on the dollar. He
reverted to the dark days when Gen.
Grant defeated the will of the people
by Federal bayonets, when Democratic
legislators were unseated by violence
and Gov. John McEnery ousted from
the gubernatoriai chair to which the
5reople had fairly elected him. He then
drew a striking parallel between the
subsequent administration of Gen. Nj
cholls, and the Warmoth and Kellogg
regimes, showing how the condition o.
1 the people was ameliorated, obnoxious
/ laws repealed, excessive taxation re-
duced, and how his successors in Office
the lamented Wilt and the sagacioui
/ s. d. McEnery, had led on iD an era o.
! prosperity and peace in the State.
The Hon. B. T. Jonas was the mex
speaker, who was IN one of his happies
moods for facile and incisive orat0ry
He opened by alluding to his presenc
in st. Landry twelve years ago IN
campaign almost identical with to-
present. He was then championlng th
election Of Francis T. Nichols, the gal
lant and manned hero and pure patrio
l, as to-day, and who would be Governo
, of Louisiana again, if Democrats Wonl
go to the polls and do their duty ii
I recalled the dissensions which then ex
! isted in the Democratic party; OF tn
! existence Of two factions, tue dlsaffec
J tion and dereliction Of which caused I'll
election of three Republicans to the LEI
!. islature. He alluded to the divide
4 condition Of the party in the parish
fills time and said if these difference
! were not healed before the election th'
the parochial and State ticket might
defeated again. He then gave scatl
8 inp review of H. G. Warmotf's poiitic
\ career in Louisiana; how Warmoth b
a oan by organizing colored Republicl
q Climbs in tho city and throughout q
s State !; how he got them to elect INN
delegate to Washington to represe
their interests, exaeting fifty cents fro
each colored voter, which realized hl
Z over nine thousand dollars for thai m
Ie sion. This was the initial movement
q his rapid money making in louisa
ID which lae industriously pursued afte
q wards when elected governor oi