The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-06-23

md no Presidential appsovals or %yetoea. villIE
etard or advance the progress and inal decis-l
lion Of this mighty question-upon. the deter7
nination of which-a1dE . patriotic and 70
tonal, determination, at that-we nay, coollys
deliberately, and dispassionately, after mature
and anxious reflection, depends the continuance
Of this union of confederated States. The Peo-
fle-not their Congress and Executive-are
low called upon to legislate, arbitrate, and
make up a final verdict. They are the tribu-
nal Of last resort. They are the Judge, jury,
Witnesses and parties interested. From their
decision there is no appeal. As they decide,
the Union must stand or fall. There is no
nse-oh the contrary, il would be- criminal!
10 evade this issue, for come it must, come it
will, and the sooner the better. Let thesconsti-
tmtional, fair and patriotic PLATFORM presented
b the American people BY the American party,
be voted down, and the ties which 10 bind
The two sections Of this Union together, will be
but as words written in the sand, which the
first upheavings Of the political waters will
Erase and cause to disappear for ever. The
Union has survived, and can survive many con-
fressional enactments, but q deliberate, direct,
adverse vote, Of the people themselves, would
be ftaught with consequences appalling to the
~stoutest heart. f4s7a Effg4
II the American Council had done no more
han originate and adopt the platform we have
published, the members thereof would have &C
tomplished sufficient to recommend themto the
favorable consideration Of all good, law7abiding,
notwithstanding people. Faithfully and pa
riotically they have striven to guard against
The only contingency which threatens our ma
tional existence and whether their efforts rcl
suit successfully or disastrously, they will have
tie proud satisfaction Of knowing that their
daty in the premises was discharged to the best
Of their ability. So much in justice to Q body
Of men, who, whatever may be their faults in
other respects, have acted nobly on the slavery
question. 4rJ
As soon as the Platform was adopted, those
pestilent agitators, the Abolitionists, withdrew
from the convention. This was the only decent
move they made from first to last. 1t is q
great pity they were admitted at all. They
had noright to seats among honorable men, any
more than a branded felon has a right to assert
equality with q gentleman, or a harlot the priv.
ilege Of associating with o virtuous woman.
just sthe stomach Of sick man is invigorated
by the operation of wholesome medicine. And
their departure proves another most excellent
thing. Having formally separated, it will be
impossible for them to worm themselves into the
American party for the purpose Of betraying
it, or making it sectional. That party must
be national, in the broadest acceptation Of the
term, to gain the support Of the American
people.
The difficulty in regard to the Louisiana
delegation we do not fully understand. The
accounts in the respectable NewYork and
Northern papers are confused and conflicting.
One day one thing is asserted, and another day
another thing. The truth Of the matter is, we
apprehend, that the various reporters gathered
up, without regard to probability or possibility,
all the interesting gossip they could get hold Of,
and transmitted it to the respective papers Of
which they were the agents, for publication.
We suppose official information will be made
known in a few days In the mean time we
can see no use in any body's getting excited
about what nobody knows anything about. As
the popular ballad runs wait for the wag- |
on"-and then, if the vehicle is well shaped and
in good condition, those who are disposed can
" take a ride" and those who are not can enjoy
the inalienable p~rerogatiye Of letting it alone. |
1t appears there were two sets Of delegates /
from this State. 1t would seem that one set
the first on hand, probably-was admitted, to
the exclusion Of the other. There is a great
deal said about the religious bearings of the con
vention on this subject, but mostly of a vague
and underlined character. For our part, we
prefer to wait for certain intelligence before we
speak on a topic of such gravity. We are
Protestants by education and conviction, but
are unalterably opposed to religious intoler-
ance, come from what quarter it may. We
would as soon fight for the preservation of the
religious rights Of the Catholics, as we would
for that religion in which were nurtured and
educated and SO would all fair-minded men.
A mans religion is a matter between him and
his Maker, exclusively. None but dark, gloomy
bigots would seek to interfere with him in the
Orleans Crescent.