LOUISIANA. 



451 



I 



an oK'cti"ii in ca.-l p.irMi of the Stato for dis- 



conrt, recorder, ami 



The first Monday in 



: .|ii.iritetl to be the day of election. 



I'lalitu-atiuns oi' voters \vero the same as 



. above in the proclamation for the elec- 



iti New Orleans. The election passed off 



1 its rtlVct was to place tlioso parish 



of persons elected by the 



\v Orleans the two contestants 



\vero the National Democratic 



,.il I'nion organizations. There was 



! iliird organization, called in New Orleans 



is composed of persons in syinpa- 



itli the most advanced views of the Re- 



pablioana in the Northern States. This organ- 



n took no part in the recent election. A 



public meeting of its members was held on 



January -Jiith, at which the Hon. B. F. Flanders 



was piv.-'nlent. The first speaker was Mr. 



Shannon, U. S. Commissioner, who explained 



their views and position by saying: 



u That the Union men were looked down upon 

 with scorn and contempt, and their presence 

 on any occasion was the signal for a sneer from 

 the crushed aristocrats of the South. He ex- 

 pressed his pleasure that there were even a few 

 "in a country where it was thought no Union 

 men existed who could come forward for the 

 purpose of expressing their sentiments regard- 

 ing the affairs now being discussed in Congress. 

 Ho stated that he was a Republican, and had 

 one from the very first. Ho expressed a 

 pride that ho belonged to a great party who 

 had performed a great good for the country. 

 I mentioning some of the difficulties under 

 which they contended, ho mentioned an article 

 of one of the city papers, with the startling 

 heading, " Radicals, Halt I " and expressed his 

 lu-lief that many of the more timid ones were 

 prevented attending the meeting for fear of the 

 consequences. He stated there was once a time 

 in this country when Republicans could not 

 Talk, but now being in the majority they must 

 ml-.'. They had accepted the gauge of battle 

 offered by the South ; had won and would rule. 

 They could afford to be called Yankees and 

 abolitionists; they could afford to bo sneered 

 at and called names; they had the loaves an.l 

 the fishes in their hands and intended to keep 

 them." 



The next speaker was Dr. Dostie, whose re- 

 marks were thus reported : 



He congratulated the people that the gigantic re- 

 bellion was crushed ; that its leaders languished in 

 prison, and that the country was restored to its former 

 ti:uu|tiillity, minus slavery and sectional feeling. The 

 progressive age demanded the overthrow of a South- 

 ern aristocracy in the liberation of four millions of 

 people, and the best blood of the land purchased it. 



Singular to relate, the people of the South forget 

 that slavery no-longer exists, and arc even now strug- 

 gling for position m the Government. 



He went on to show that President Johnson would 

 nermit none to occupy position, and they would be 

 compelled to quit their political heresies as they had 

 quitted the field. The Republican party could not 

 endure to lose the precious boon of liberty at the 



hands of what is left of an insolent aristocracy. 

 Ther stand upon the broad platform of an equality 

 of rights. It is said that negro suffrage U impracti- 

 cable, owing to the ignorance of the race. 



The speaker went on to show how rapidly they 

 were being educated, and with what avidity they 

 sought after knowledge. Abraham Lincoln, in 4 let- 

 ter to Governor liahn, congratulated him ou IK- in-/ 

 the first Governor of Louisiana. 



In our own beloved land, we have our Banks and 

 our Butlers, and a hundred others, all worshippers 

 at the altar of liberty and universal suffrage. 



The same is the opinion entertained by all great 

 men abroad. In Brazil, in Jamaica, and the French 

 West Indies, all free persons of whatever color, are 

 allowed to vote. 



In flve New England States negroes have been 

 voting since the Revolutionary War. 



George Washington cast his ballot in the same box 

 with a colored man. Thirty years ago in nearly 

 every State colored men had a right to vote. 



He spoke of the tyranny of the Opelousas council, 

 which curtailed the privileges of the colored men 

 even now. 



He concluded by entreating the friends of the party 

 to stand together, and defend the State of Louisiana 

 from the wretched condition into which it was sink- 

 ing. 



After the conclusion of the speech it was ordered 

 to be published. 



Their next active efforts were devoted to 

 secure " universal suffrage " in the State, which 

 should include all the blacks and exclude all 

 the whites who had participated in hostilities 

 against the United States. In their view Loui- 

 siana was a Territory of the United States, and 

 by them Judge Warmoth was elected a dele- 

 gate from the Territory to Congress, which con- 

 vened December 4, 1865, but his claims were 

 not brought before that body. Viewing Loui- 

 siaBa as a Territory, they deemed it to be neces- 

 sary that it should bo reorganized and become 

 a State of the Union with universal suffrage. 

 To effect this object demanded the calling and 

 assembling of a convention, for the purpose of 

 forming a State constitution for the Territory 

 of Louisiana. At the weekly meetings of the 

 Central Executive Committee this subject was 

 discussed. In the report of the meeting of 

 March 29th in the daily Tribune, the organ of 

 the committee, some of the speakers expressed 

 the following views. Mr. Homer said : 



We are attempting to bring back the State of 

 Louisiana into harmonious action with the General 

 Government; and by the General Government we 

 meau the three branches legislative, executive, and 

 judicial. As to the executive, the committee have 

 declared themselves in hostility with it. We have 

 then sought aid from the legislative. Congress 

 knows our wants and our position. If it stands aloof 

 and fails to relieve us, it will be recreant to its duty. 

 It is bound to act its part, in the great work of recon- 

 struction. Will Congress shuffle the responsibility 

 upon us, and throw upon us the odium of a failure? 

 Tne plan now before you contemplates the complete 

 selling aside of the present constitution. We will 

 have against us the whole power of the executive. 

 Why, Congress, backed by a majority, perhaps, of 

 the people, is itself helpless and powerless. It can- 

 not pass a single measure over the veto of the Presi- 

 dent. Will it stick to us ? The case of Kansas was 

 not parallel ; no colored man was there permitted to 

 vote. 

 Mr. Crane showed the difference between his owp 



