The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-06-02
MORAL

| We ore inclined to the belief that there is o
greater want of moral courage in this region
than in any other country that has come under
our observation. We every day see and hear
of men shrinking from their duty, and closing
their lips against expressions Of sentiment, and
the support or denunciation Of acts, men and
measures, because, forsooth, q contrary course
may be unpopular-may injure them in their
everyday employments and political prospects,
or may disp!ease some influential individual.
Such characters do not come up to our standard
of what men should be for il there is a virtue
that we admire in man, it is that Of %independ-
ence-that Of condemning boldly that which is
wrong, and of boldly applauding that which is
right.
We see here men of intelligence who are
mum when they hear men and principles de-
nounccd in their presence, when they themselves
are the friends and endorsers, and on other oc-
c%asions they are c'amorous in praise. Shall
men be intimidated, driven from their opinions
and made to abandon their principles because
of bullying threats? Certainly a man pos
sessing moral courage wonld only be the more
closely bound and %inseparably attached to his
honest convictions.
We should like to see manifested 4 spirit of
independence and magnanimity among our
people. We should like to see them think and
act for themselves; and when they have es-
poused an honorable cause, to stick up to it
recollecting that men may change, but princi-
pies never can. Sooner would we part with
every friend, and all pecuniary prospects, than
abandon a principle which we believed correct !;
and whoever might attempt to change us by
threats of personal violence, pecuniary or po-
litical injury, or even the severing of personal.
family or social ties, would find us made much
tirmer, and defying oil their combined selfish
ness and presumption.
Give us, then, we say, bold and. fearless
men-men not to be turned about by every
breeze, but who pride themselves upon their
independence and their tirmness, feeling
that he or they who would think the less of
them for persisting in honestly entertained
political, religious or social beliefs, because
they did not accord with their views, and
would prescribe them because thereof, were uu-
worthy of their friendship or respect. Yield
to a presumptuous and overbearing spirit,
renounce your principles without II just cause,
and join them, and you have but forfeited all
claims to the one, and possess no hold upon the
other.
Whenever we espouse a cause, we must be-
iicve it is a good one; and when we have done
so, we will never abandon it because corrupt
men happen to think as we do. As long as
we could view it in the same light, we should
not only never abandon it, ever if we were de-
serted by all Others, but we should in modera,
ton ever express ourselves openly in its sup
port, regardless of even a whole communities
and threatenings. Better, however,
not to join a party, than, like a weather-cock.
as we have before said, be turned by every
breeze. Rather adopt the motto of the
iamented Crockett" Be always sure you are
right. then go ahead and swim or sink upon
your principles.