The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-08-25
MISREPRESENTATION.

signing himself ""Once Q e.. ~, Dut, tnank
God! not long, writing from Marksville,
(which correspondence was copied into the last
Opelousas Courier) has given one Of the most
unfair, partial and prejudiced accounts Of the
Marksville Barbecue that has come under our
notice and we had intended to expose its
Misrepresentation - but our correspondent,
"Native," who was an eyewitness and a hearer
on that occasion, has saved us the trouble, and
deals out such blows at the writer as will, in
all probability, make him q little more partic-
ular in his future articles:
Messrs. Editors: Previous to this date we had
thought that there was some limit to the wild exag-
geration and hyperbole that generally characterizes
the style of political newspapers. But we are sorry
to find that, as the world advances in years, the stan
dard of newspaper morality retrogrades more and
more. In the good days Of old, merit received its
worth, and a mans reputation was considered as So
cred and inviolable as his property. But now, alas!
SANDER, Misrepresentation and Measurements Of
every kind, that can be conjured up by the minds of
corrupt men, are brought into requisition to injure
the fair fame and character of men that stand above,
reproach.
The Louisiana Courier, the great Southern Anti
American official, contains in last weeks issue a com
munication from one who processes to have been pre-
sent at the barbecue given by the American partyat
Marksville. The signature to this most glowing and
truthful description of what happened there is sufi'
GENTLY euphonious; but to foolish and wrong-headed
people it might suggest some idea Of the ridiculous
position in which this gentleman Of the quill has
placed himself" Once q X. n, but, thank God!
not long!" Now, Mr.. Editor, as l wish to address
myself to this correspondent of the Great Southern
Anti-American official, and as it would be taking up
too much of your valuable space to give his signature
in full, for the nonce, I will constitute myself a spon
sor, and, following the custom of some sensible ma
tions, give a name that has in it some significance.
Well, then, Renegade from the American party-you
who pretend to have been deluded into the American
party with its platform before your eyes, and its
principles published and canyassed in every political
newspaper of the times-you that have yet to learn
the tyro lesson that men may change, but principles
~neyer-allowm me to inform you of a fact of which
you were perhaps not aware when you were inditihg
your epistle: that the best way to pass smoothly
Through this world, and rise to Offices of honor and
trust, is to stick to the truth, and give the devil his
due. Whether you have done this or not, a little ex-
animation will prove:
AZ have just left the thousand people composing
the Know-Nothing meeting Of the I'd of August ut
Marksville."
Prudent and sagacious writer's, in making false
statements to the public, generally leave a place to
creep out at. You, being on the ground, knew the
estimate made by both parties to be not less than
two thousand. Indeed, this is the estimate given by
the Editor of the Marksville Yillager, himself d for
eigner and an Anti -know-Nothinr.
"a necessary invitation had been rendered to a
free discussion; yet, see how prudent and how wise!
Onlytwo orators on the Democratic side were aHo,ced
to speak, two Others not having been granted the
privilege, although there were five or six to speak on
the Know Nothing SIDE"
Whom did you arrive at Marksville, and when did
you leave the Barbecue-ground, Mr.. Renegade, that
you should have the unblushing impotence to give
publicity to such a falsehood? You, sir, are perfect
ly aware that Mr.. Wickline and Mr.. Noise were espe-
cially notified and invited by the American party q
week prior to the Barbecue; that they accepted the
invitation, but were not forthcoming at the proper
time; that Judge Bordelon, the President of the
meeting, announced publicly that the stand was free
to any who wished to speak; and that some cham
pions of the Foreign party, who were aching to
speak, backed out when that privilege was granted.
Passing by with contempt your attempted bur-
lesque of Capt. Dreux's efficient and elegant address,
and your commentator of Mr.. Mouton's effort, l
will say a few words relative to your comments on
Col. W. B. Lewis's speech u
81 He has illuminated Washington; he has wiIlful-
ly and maliciously given him sentiments at which he
would have Notwithstanding him say two differ
ent things at the same time, and making of hin a
doublefaced Janus"
Now, sir, all this ~clap-trap about !" calumniating
the name Of Washington u is worn thread-bare and
stale, and %impotent to affect any but soft-heads, not
withstanding it is endorsed bya name as high-sound-
ing as your OWN One would suppose, from the
above quotation, that you were going to pitch into
Col. Lewis to an alarming extent; that, having made
such a positive declaration, you would have attempt
ed to prove something, and show wherein he was in.
consistent. But the tmostt that can be said for this
f%arcical portion of your letter is that you hide a most
false and ridiculous premise under a rich confusion
of garbled extracts and half.written quotations from
the writings of Washington. Why, my dear sir,
Washington was one of the purest Americans, as well
in principle as in nativity, that renders ~illustrious
the pages of our national history. Quote not the
words of him, who warned his country to beware of
the " insidious wiles of foreign influence, . to prove
him in his feelings! Is it not you,
sir, that would make the Father of his Country a
double-aced Janus? Here is q dilemma from which
you can not escape. ! would ask you, is not the
expression OF Westinghouse opinion, above quoted, |
strong enough to convince sensible people of his
opinion on that subject Tor would you represent
nm to whom all nations point as the purest man
that ever ived-would You represent the almost i'm
maculate WASHINGTON as standing in the presence
OF the embed wisdom of these United States, and
counseling the country, over which he had nrcsiled
for eight years, to pursue q policy in the expediency
of which he did not believe? Vas he gully Of du-
piicity?
We will leave this for you to answer, sir. If you
have any difficulty in discovering Washington's opin-
ion on this subject, would refer you for information
to the following letters of his, contained in Sparks's