PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION
OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY
OF LOUISIANA,
HELD AT ECONOMY HALL, NEW ORLEANS, SEPTEMBER 25, 1865,
AND OF THE
CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OF THE
FRIENDS OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE
OF LOUISIANA
NOW,
THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF LOUISIANA.
Published by Left of Brain Books
Copyright 2021 Left of Brain Books
ISBN 978-1-396-31878-8
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Table of Contents
Introduction.
This pamphlet has been compiled in pursuance of a resolution of the Convention of the Republican Party of Louisiana, and of the Central Executive Committee of the Friends of Universal Suffrage of Louisiana, now the Central Executive Committee of the Republican Party.
It comprises the most important of the proceedings of the Committee and Convention, and it is believed will be found to contain much that is not only highly interesting, but useful and important information to all who have the true interests of the rights and privileges of citizens at heart.
Within the boundaries of Louisiana are three hundred thousand citizens, who, until made Freemen by the Emancipation Proclamationof President Lincoln, were held in the bonds of slavery. Their owners were declared to be in a state of insurrection, disloyal to the Government, committing the greatest of all crimes, that of treason to the mildest and most beneficent government that has ever existed.
These late owners of nearly one-half of the population still claim the authority to govern the whole, excluding the three hundred thousand emancipated and loyal citizens from taking any part in the government; thus subverting the first principles of a republican form of government the right of representation.
A few loyal citizens, inspired by the same spirit of liberty and the rights of man that actuated our forefathers, the first patriots of our country, to organize the government under which the people have enjoyed more prosperity and happiness than the people of any other nation, either ancient or modern, have organized the party whose proceedings are detailed in these pages.
They now call upon all citizens and friends of liberty to aid them in the important work of obtaining for all, of whatever race or color, equal rights and privileges that all may be represented in the halls of legislation in the State, and in the Congress of the United States that all may be equally entitled to represent and to be represented, to become electors, to vote and to be voted for; in a word, to be entitled to all the rights and privileges of citizenship, including the right of suffrage.
The battle of bullets has been fought and the Union has gained the victory. The battle of ballots has commenced and will surely gain the victory, but may take a little more time. It will as surely win, because the cause is just, and because the strong arm of the Almighty Ruler of nations will aid the arms of the just in obtaining the victory.
The emancipated and unenfranchised citizens will find in these pages much that is designed to aid them in obtaining their political rights. They should read it whenever and wherever it may fall into their hands. Those who can read, should read and explain the object of it to their emancipated brethren who cannot.
The Republican Party of Louisiana is the first and only organized party that has earnestly adopted the cause of the unenfranchised, and will not lay down its arms until the object is attained.
These citizens, in every parish and on every plantation, should organize associations and clubs, in accordance with the Republican Party of Louisiana, and immediately open correspondence, addressing their communications to the Corresponding Secretary, at 49 Union street, New Orleans. They are advised to subscribe to the New Orleans Tribune, in the columns of which paper they will find the important proceedings of the party, as well as much other matter that will interest them; and also all the important news of the times.
Emancipated and unenfranchised citizens, you are three hundred thousand, and the enfranchised are three hundred and fifty thousand. You have, therefore, but to claim and obtain your rights of citizenship, and to make friends of twenty-six thousand of the enfranchised, when you will not only enjoy the blessings of Freedom, but will also have a majority, participating in the richest and best of all political blessings, that of choosing who you will have to make the laws under which you will live, and love to obey. You will then, and not until then, become truly republican citizens, invested with all their rights and privileges, the greatest and best and most exalted of all the nations that exist.
Central Executive Committee
of the Friends of Universal Suffrage,
of Louisiana,
New Orleans, June , 1865.
The following advertisement appeared in the New Orleans Tribune, in French and English.
NOTICE.
TO THE FRIENDS OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
The Friends of Universal Suffrage, and of the New Orleans Tribune, are invited to meet at No. 49 Union street, between Carondelet and Baronne, on Saturday the l0th inst. (June 1865) at 7 oclock, in the evening.
Matters of the highest importance will be brought before the Meeting. Come one! Come all!
T.J. DURANT,
C.W. HORNOR,
W.R. CRANE,
A. FERNANDEZ.
In pursuance of the above call, a meeting of citizens was held at 49 Union street. The meeting was called to order by W.R. Crane, who moved that T.J. Durant be invited to take the chair, which was unanimously adopted.
On motion of W.R. Crane, Alfred Jervis was appointed Secretary.
On motion of W.R. Crane, it was resolved that a Committee be appointed by the chair, of seven persons, who shall report at an adjourned meeting, the names of six persons from each of the four municipal districts of the city of New Orleans, clothed and charged with all the executive duties of a Central Committee of the Friends of Universal Suffrage, in Louisiana, for the period of one year, from the first day of June 1865, with power to fill all vacancies that may happen, during the period for which the same are chosen, and to order the time, place and manner of electing another Committee for the succeeding year.
The chair then appointed the following Committee of Seven:
Adjourned to Friday evening, June l6th, at 7 oclock.
In pursuance of adjournment, the Friends of Universal Suffrage met at 49 Union street. The President called the meeting to order, when W.R Crane, Chairman of the Committee of seven, appointed at the last meeting, submitted the following names to constitute the Central Executive Committee of the Friends of Universal Suffrage in Louisiana.
