Year: 1873

| celVed the congratulations of many friends


while the band continued to discours,
| good music. These congratulatory demon
strations over, the President of the Senat,


announced that Governor Pinehback would


deliver valedictory address, and there
| upon our worthy retiring Governor spoke
as follows:


GOVERNOR PTNCHBACK's ADDRESS
To the President and Members of the Senate and
House OF Representatives of the State o.
Louisiana


The present occasion is one of great in.
terest, marking, as it does, the passing
away OF one administration and the inaup.
UratiQn Of another.


1t is not necessary or expected on this oc-
caslon that should say much, but there
are some things that may be appropriately
uttered by me at this time.


AS the Lieutenant Governor of the State,
at a period when the political oOmplica-
tions were remarkable and grave, | have
been called under the constitution to per
form executive functions


The lines within which / could legiti-
mately act were not very accurately or
satisfactorily ascertained, and it has re-
qulred all the discretion, wisdom and nerve
that 1 could command to ascertain and per
form my duties to the citizens under the
circumstances.


The inherent difficulties of the case had
been largely aggravated and increased by
causes collaterally and incidentally opera
ting against me as Acting Governor.
have performed my executive duties in the
face of bitter antagonisms OF race, and
when the temper of the times was un-
friendly to a charitable Judgment and the
quiet execution of the laws


In addition to this, some of the partjes
acting in conjunction with me, and from
whom | expected support, have not only
failed to give me hearty support i'll the
discharge of my delicate duties, but have
INDUCED IN hypercriticism upon what they
have been pleased to call my indiscreet
exercise of power.


Holding my position only for few
weeks, and under circumstances anomalous
and embarrassing in the extreme, il was
neither possible nor desirable for me, inten-
tlonally and for my own purposes or other
wise. to DO either unwlse, unjust or ungen-
erous things toward the people of Louis
lana.


NY time o1 service now expires, and my
brief administration, with it's mistakes and
whatever of good | have been able to i'm
press upon it is before the country, and
am content to abide the verdict that the
people, irrespective of party, and when the
passions OF the hour have passed, may
render upon my official acts.


In smrendering my position to the gentle
man who is entitled to the office of Cover
nor under the law, permit me to say that
the political condition of our State is SO
disturbed, and the situation surrounded by
so many embarraSsments as to have at
tracted to as the atten tion of the whole
country. 1t is not improper to say that
probably fair conclusion would be, with
out going into details, that the success of
neither party In its entirety would cover all
of the individual equities involved.


Under the most favorable settlement OF
our difficulties some portion of our citizens
would feel aggrieved and some good man
would feel that he had suffered d wrong;
the evils that are upon us and the Difficult
ties that surround us are neither ina aginary
or superficial, but real and grave, and any
settlement, however reached, must be SO
comprehensive and thorough that the pub
lie prosperity may be advanced by securing
good will among the citizens and the pub
lie content; any adjustment that stops short
OF this is a delusiOn. We must not only be
right, but we must impress the community
SO thoroughly that We are right, that they
will be content.


To accomplish this work the administra-
tion now to be inaugurated must be catholic
in its spirit and wise and discreet in its
action.


| now have the honor to formally surren-
der the Office of Governor, with the hope
that while you will administer the govern
ment in the interest OF al the people, your
will be as fair toward the
class that represent as mine as been toward
The class represented by you.


After Governor Pinchback concluded his
address, the President of the Senate an
that the Senate would retire to
he Senate Chamber and that body imme-
iiately withdrew.


ghs House was called to order at half
past twelve o'clock, and Immediately after
adjourned until l2 NJ. to-day


Immediately after the adjournment of the
House the new Governor was surrounded
" a host Of ladies and gentlemen, who
aimed the privilege of shaking him by the
and and c0ngratulating him as Governor
T.: the State OF Louisiana.