The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1889-12-28
Proceedings.
LAFAYETTE, La, Dec. q. 1ss.

~
LAFAYETTE, La, Dec, q. 1888,
Pursuant to the -eall for a mass
meeting, published in the. Lrfaysttt
Advertiser Of 18th inst. a number
of citizens met at the City Hall. il
the town of Lafayette. The meet.
ing was called to order by Mayor
W. B. Bailey, who called Mr.. w,
B. Torian to the chair. On taking
the chair, Mr., Torian spoke as fol
lows:
This call has been made for the
purpose of cslling together serious
men on a grave matter and ! hope
Your deliberations will be in accord
with that cdll. The question may
be asked: why this meeting was
postponed toso late q date, when ALI
now appard9tly quiet, when at one
time there's aemed 3 pressing necess.
ity for it. can only say, at the
beginning Af this troubles. we be
liered our Jaws were sufficient ta
protect us, ut when we lost coafa.
ence in the we lost it in one ano.
ther and 0 hope was that a reac.
ton would Don come, and this meet.
ing proclaiTss ii.
I'VE ares not here to estfange,
prosecute or abuse those who may
have differed with US in the past,
but to formhlate some plan whereby
decentralization, terror aud crime
may be presented in the future. i
| know thespbject Of this meeting, il
is TO assist the restoration Of law
and order III our parish and unite
anow divi led pe~oplstupon questions
Of a publicpolicJ.
We are bound to admit that
many Of our best citizens had gone
into the organization known as
regulators, and we never doubted
the honesty Of the majority of then
but we doubted their judgment
We are not here to-day to accuse
them in a mass as law breakers, but
to depreeate the crimes that hlvC
been committed in the name of and
under the protection of their orga.
nization. / am told the purpose OIL
the organization was to break up Oh
prevent miscegenation, adultery, II.
ing and theft. In that We all agree
and that they were for white suprem
acy. So are we. / know no white
man that does not favor it, and nc
block that would not like to reverse
it, but / see no cause for alarm Ii
oar parish if we regulate ourselves.
We are in the majority, own mos
of tie lands, have all the Offices, the
best horses, money and arms.
The regulators in their published
cards denouncc crime. So do we
Now we can ask the question, who
or what organization is it that deRes
the laws, breaks up elections, denu
des woman on the highwafs, pens
men up IN pastures like and
commits murders chat sn thrill
Of horror throughout Che laa a
theory may be q good aa bat Il b
Judged only By its results
We have iii our peri ae o.
various nationalities, with mans
different religions and ideas ofright
and wrong, and The only hope fol
peace and prosperity Is % have cn'
common law to govern US all and
then demand that your Offices en-.
force them, aud that yourarors anC
witnesses perform their duty accor
/ ding to their eaths under the law
for you can meyer punish crime will
a bribed jury, a perjnred witness o.
incompetent officials unless you come
Yourselves to the rescue, aud | hope
10 see youpass such resolutions to-day
as will meet with the approval Of al
good citizens, whereby confidence
smay be restored and Lafayette n
gain the old-lime reputation OF being
the best and most law-abiding parisl
lin the State, FOR her name Is nov |