New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-04-25

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Al Asssr,ssass be putlisssa ono
FREQ Colored Population of Louiaiana /
To the Editor Of ne Crescent
In continuation Of the subieet discuased 1,
your paper Of the 14th inst, beg leave t., hand
you the following relation of subsequent inter
view with the person whose opinions j then
communicated. AS nearly as j can recollecti
he resumed the same topic as follows
When we last met, my young friends, our
conversation turned upon the social condition of
the native free colored population Of Louisiana
have since then often thought of this subject.
and the more Irefect upon it the more am
convinced that we are sadly remiss towards
these people. Even in matters wherein we
should be guided by the most common princi-
pies OF justice. we seem to falter the moment
they are concerned. Wesee that while the Public
School Fund tax is living upon their property
and is paid by them without hesitation. they.
with the exception of a paltry sum of two
Thousand dollars payable yearly and to be paid
only for four years, have TO provide, from their
own private purses, for the expenses of their
Public Schools. But let that pass
Here are men born and reared among us
IN all the walks of life, planters, merchants, and
mechanics of unqnestionable respeetability.
some OF them of no mean attanments in artistic
as well as scientific pursuits, whose devotion to
the country has long since been tested and
established, whose education and aco,1ir rements
leave no room for doubling that they fully un-
derstand and appreciate the advantages of self
government, in the true American accertation
OF the term. Men, in fine, who by birth etiuea
tlon, and feelings, are fully identified with our
country and our institutions, and who are vet
suffered to remain among us on worse footing
than aliens, for even they, be their qualifications
for such boon what they may, are, by simple
residence OF two years and without any other
probation, entitled to the privileges of American
citizensif they choose-I am almost tempted to
say, condescend-to require the investiture of
these precious rights; while these men, who
are above being suborned by political jugclers
and have all the desirable qualifications Of true
Americans, are, by our social organization, for
ever debarred from the exercise of the smallest
political privilege in consequence Of a blemish
for which they, least of all, are to be blamed.
and which they, at any rate, have noblv re-.
trieved. Is this rights Is it even sound policy
to keep these men eternally within the pale Of
political lncapacity especially now that we are
outt1anked by universal suffrage unshackled by
such restraint as might yet make it supportable:
for, to the eternal shame of those who were ac-
cessory to the act, our last Legislature has. for
the time being, left us no other alternative than
PHySiOai iuA Sc luI ODldlulHg I0f our ballot box
even that protection-a registry law-which
our last constitution, as defective as it is, in
tended for it.
Now, IN all conscience, would not the require
ments Of our interior polity be sufficiently met
by excluding these people from eligibility to
office, without depriving them also Of what /,
t one, think them. in strict justice, entitled to
snggi right Of participating in the election Of
th3who are to administer politically upo n
p,,t, ,,l,, r. r ---.,1
be disposed to use every honorable means to
obtain this boon for them. should as strerm
ously object to this privilege being extended to
any other but the native horn of Louisiana !.
because ! am convinced that the same class. in
other and especially the free States, are held in
such state of AFFECTION and contempt that
their moral sentiments must be so far warned
as to unfit them for the exercise of such q rirht
in this State. Indeed, / should even regret to
see this privilege granted to any of the native
born who do not pay tax, because he, who, in
Louisiana, after three or four years. labor, has
not, his expenses paid, realized enough to buy
himself slave to help him in his labors, OF a
small piece Of property to shelter him, must
have some failing which must unfit him for the
proper exercise CT it.
This question has not yet fixed general atten
ton, and has, / believe, never been agitated in
Louisiana. 1t will, | am pretty certain, find
many supporters among our resident popula-
ton OF native as well as of foreign birth: but
1t will also, am fearful, meet with much oppo-
sition from highly honorable men, whose deep
rooted prejudices will, at the first blush, have
the ascendancy over their better Judgment.
But must be egregiously mistaken IN my esti-
mate OF their superior understanding, if, after
maturely weighing the merits Of the case, and
deliberately and calmly scanning late events,
they should not muster prejudices which belong
to another era, and heartily join in an act as
strictly just as it is eminently polite Be that
as 1t may, and be their unfortunate preposses- |
sions ever so great, they must in their inmost |
heart feel and deplore the strange anomaly |
which the social condition of these men in our
midst offers. They cannot gainsay the respect |
ability. OF these people; their usefulness as |
members of our community; their fitness both |
IN point OF education and sentiments, to exer-
else the rights of American citizens They also |
cannot but acknowledge the devotion of these
men to their native soil, which devotion has /
been tested on more than one bloody field, and |
which in times of peace has shown itself proof |
against all the allurements of foreign countries
Yet, with all these qualities to recommend |
them, we still keep these men excluded from the |
exercise of the smallest political privilege |
while, without any kind of discrimination, we
lavish upon foreigners, in every respect but one
their interiors, our most precious political |
rights; and that, too, to such an extent as |
for moment, to have endangered our insti- |
tutions.
Ponder over this, We worthy citizens of Lou
lsiana, and then allow your conscience to die |
tate your line Of duty A LouIsIANIAN.
IT
INFORMATION WANTED.--Of Stephen Arnold |
Douglas, late resident of Chiccgo, Ill, who left
his home for Washington City in November. |
When last heard from, he was in that city try-
ing to pass dad bill. If any one Of the officers
Of that city can give any information as to his
and will leave the intelligence at
the office of the National Era, it will be great
relief to his afflicted friends, who greatly fear
he has done away with himself f--[Grand River
Mich, J Recorder.
--=---= -z3 II
The BRooKLYN CONSOLIDATION BII.L.-The
Brooklyn Consolidation bill has passed both
Houses of the n Y. Legislature. By this bill
Williamsburgh and Bushwick become integral
PORTIONS of the city of Brooklyn. The present T
population of the new city is probably in the |
of 100000.
FANNY FERN.-N. P. Willis states in the
Home journal that his father had three children.
,iz: Richard Storrs Willis, Fanny Fern (al.
lhough the spunky Fanny does not seem To he |