discover, with sense to love, and with imagination to expand towards their limitless perfection the attributes of Him whose finger the heavens are the handiwork," then the blessings of Liberty, life and the pursuit of happiness, equality and all the other great human rights of civil, political and religious self-government will follow, to make glad the philanthropic heart, and bring happiness, prosperity and fraternity to unborn millions, who will rise up to revere and treasure our sacred bequeathment. Then that flag, acknowledged by every people, the emblem of all that is good, great and glorious, will dance over the oblivious graves of the parricides who trailed it in the dust of Fort Sumter; and when the names of the Arnolds of this struggle will only be sounded with execration and contempt. Then the people will feel and universally exclaim "Who would sever Freedom's shrine? Dear to me the South's fair land! By our altars, pure and.free! By our common kindred tongue! By the tie of country strong! We will still be one! Father's, have ye bled in vain? No! receive our solemn vow, 'Union, Liberty!"" Said Dr. Dostie, "I always cherished liberty, but I was led step by step, in the progressive movement of events, to perceive and acknowledge the truth that the Republic could no longer exist and withhold the sacred right of four millions of human beings. Events have proved the direct antagonism between Slavery and Republicanism, and that the one or the other must perish." Every event that unfolded the great plan of American freedom was embraced by him with enthusiastic joy. The arming of the negroes to fight against slavery and rebellion, was to him a source of rejoicing. The news of the fall of Port Hudson was received by the loyal people of New Orleans with great demonstrations of delight. The event was celebrated by thousands, both white and black, who assembled upon Canal Street around the statue of Henry Clay, to listen to addresses from the orators chosen for the occasion. Dr. Dostie being one of the speakers, addressed the audience as follows: "On the 4th of July, 1776, our noble sires fought a great moral battle, and achieved a victory, proclaiming to the world the great truth, that all men are created equal, and are from God entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Under the influence of these in estimable blessings this nation has grown, prospered and flourished to rank with the first in the world's history. ! "In 1860, traitors laid the corner-stone of slavery, and for more than two years struggled to crect a 'Bastile' on the ruins of liberty. But the men of the West, who had sworn with their swords to cut their way to the Gulf, met the enemy of man and free institutions at Visksburg, the Gibraltar of their power, on the eightyseventh anniversary of Freedom's Day, and achieved a victory that has broken the back-bone of the monster rebellion. On the 8th of January, 1815, the iron-nerved Champion of Freedom-the immortal author of the words, the Union must and shall be preserved,' met the lion power of Great Britain on the plains of Chalmette, and drove the ruthless invader back, and taught him a lesson that he has never forgotten; showing to the world that freemen are mighty and cannot be bound by the power of despotism. "Forty-eight years and six months thereafter the undaunted and heroic Banks fought a battle and won a victory vaster in its consequences than followed the brilliant achievement of the democratic Jackson. General Banks conquered the second stronghold of the rebellion, and now we are rejoicing that commerce will again flow uninterruptedly upon the bosom of the great Father of Waters, from its source to the Gulf. Let us, my fellowcitizens, devoutly thank the Great Disposer of all Good for these manifold blessings, and let us in all future prove ourselves freemen indeed, and firmly serve and uphold the flag of our fathers and make it what they designed, the emblem of liberty to all. "Let us hold in hallowed remembrance the times that tried men's souls, the souls of our fathers, and solemnly promise that treason and rebellion shall never eradicate the laws of justice, fraternity and liberty, that freedom of speech shall not be suppressed, nor rights molested, but that all may glory in being free and equal sons of America. "SONS OF AFRICA, I am rejoiced to see you here in such vast numbers. In common with all mankind you love liberty. History accords you high soldierly qualities. Against the armies of the old world you have fought with a heroism unsurpassed by the bravest. In the struggle of American independence you are remembered with kindness and gratitude. In the darkest hour of that contest of "Liberty or death," you nobly and promptly came forward to help to turn the tide that eventuated in liberty and freedom to the land. In the war of 1812 you fought shoulder to shoulder with the white man in driving the British invader from our soil, and in this stupendous struggle to save Liberty, your daring exploits and desperate valor in South Carolina, before Port Hudson, and wherever else you have been let loose against the traitors, you have shown yourselves worthy sons of freedom; and, thank God, the precious boon is near you. Lose no time in coming to it. Urge, urge your brave brethren to enroll themselves in the Union army, that before another year rolls by, half a million of your people will join the white man in breaking down the rebellion and raise upon every foothold of treason the flag of Union and Liberty-and then one universal shout will go up to Heaven, proclaiming "Liberty to all."› CHAPTER XI. CHANGES OF MILITARY COMMANDERS IN NEW ORLEANS. In December, 1862, General Butler left New Orleans, and General Banks assumed command of the Gulf department. One fact was ever apparent in relation to New Orleans- "that while President Lincoln lived, and the United States army and navy held possession of that stronghold of treason, Unionism was a power, before which the rebel masses trembled. The boldness and decision evinced by General Butler in his control of that city during the rebellion, marks him in future history the hero of the Gulf Department." success. In revolutionary times decisive action is necessary to It was bold decision that subdued slavery, secession and rebellion. The decisive action of thousands of brave men who dared to plunge the moral and physical weapons of death into the heart of rebellion-saved our nation in the dark days of revolution. The Emancipation Proclamation and the Constitutional Amendment which forever abolished slavery in the United States, caused some strange developments in Southern politics. In New Orleans the agitations caused by those humane acts divided the political elements into numerous coalitions. There was the bold radical party that denounced |