The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1859-06-18
"INTERNEDDL[NG.

/ Join issue on the charge ard will proceed to
state our rights and position as an Independent
Journalist, in terms so clear and indisputabie,
that no man in the exercise Of common reason
can dispute.
In the first place we will place before the
pubic. the grounds of the charge preferred
against us by our ueighbor. LII enr issue Of
the 4th inst. when commenting upon the
claims Of q democratic aspirant for Congress
sional promotion in the fourth Congressional
district,-Ir. E.. II. Millard. of st. Landry
we suggested to our democratic friends ii. this
parish the pFopriety Of holding a Convention
ii Opcloasas on the 18th inst, for the purpose
Of appointing delegates to attend the District
Convention of the democratic party, which
meets at Alexandria on tie 4th Of July, for
the purpose Of makiug q nomination for Con
gress. To this suggestion our neigilbor takes
exception, and holds US up to the public gaze;
as an t,tsrmedfaler, an intfudef,-one having
no concern or interest ID the party, Of which
be is an o~steasible member, organ, and oracle,
in the following language f
"We Object 10 tile independent pa pers stiggest.
ing any thing which has already been liked BY the
democratic party. That's interniejdiing. Let our
iei@bbor surEest any other day and we are willing.
We like 10 arrange our own matters ourselves
1t is well Known to the public Of this par
!. ISL, aud the Press of Louisiana generally, that
we hold the editorial helm Of an Independent
Journal.
Now, what constitutes independence as APP
pliedto journalism n Nothing more or less than
q free, unbiased, uncontrolled, bold and fear
less expression Of thought and sentiment in
regard 10 public men and measnres,-the poll
cy and principles Of any and every party, no
matter for what purpose organized. Not an
independence however, which overlooks the
support and patronage Of party, for we are all
mutually dependent, one upon the other, for
our temporal well-being here below. The In
dependent Journalist looks to the people in
their aggregate capacity for encouragement
and support, he stands on the watchtower Of
their interests in q mass, he can canvass their
every movement, examine the dogmas Of every
association for political purposes, scrutinize
the terets OF ecclesiastical bodies, commend
whatever is orthodox, expose fallacy aud cor
rnption, suggest. reform and improvement, and
oil this TOO, with perfect immunity, and with
out fear Of reproach, because be is exercising
q right incident to his position, and secured to
him BY virtue of his general guardianship over
the peoples whole and undivided interests. He
has more latitude Of privilege, q superiority of
right over the partisan journal, for this journal
looks to q fragment Of The people only for its
support, IT is tied down To the dognas Of its
party, must defend its principles, must sustain
its policy. must publish its platforms, must
trumpet forth its edicts, aud do all other acts
which loyalty and obedience require. While
the partisan journal can only expect to extend
ito sphere and influence over The members Of
its " fraternity, and enunciate opinions
eiiecting only them, the independent jour-
nal can exercise this same right concur
rently with any and every party /; and why so,
because II is Unidentified in interest with the
people, and The arlaolle people, looks to them for
support, and&isreggarded hy them as their most
Trustworthy sentinel. The partisan Journal
may condemn the policy and principles of
ansagonistic parties, but can not suggest re-
forms for such parties, and why so, because it
would be a departure from the sphere of its
legitimate rights and duties, and would be an
assumption Of power unwarrantable, aud re-
pngnant to the nsages of every well defined
political organization.
In q word, the partisan journal is circuu-
scribed and limited in its action, the iudepend-
ent journal is unbounded and unlimited il lis
movements. The Independent Journal by'
virtue Of its position enjoys a rsght concurrent
with The partisan journal, and Els the liberty
to extend its palladium a any and every
political association. From this view of the
case, this process Of reasoning and logic, it is
clear and manifest, that W have the right con.
current with our neighbor to suggest any
meeting OF our democratic friends, which we
may think proper, the same with our Aneri.
can md Wing friends.
s We object to the independent papers surge.t;pg
any thug which has already been fxed by Tic
we We're aware that this meeting would bel
called BY our neighbor in his paper Of the 4th
inst, and knowing that such a suggestion in
our columns would not only give greater
publicity to the call, but would also be the
exercise Of 9 right On our part, iudispatabIe.
concurrent, and in common with him. We made
It, and we would like to know what kind off
logic that is, which proscribes a man for the
exercise OF his legitimate rights! We wonld.
and we think the public III general would like
70 seq this new system Of logic embodied IN
the form Of q textbook for the instruction of
mankind. Such q production might open for
our ne;ghbor an Immortality of fame and d;s.
tinction seldom enjoyed by authors. WIN
Knows? Wonders never cease! We live IN
progressive age, and our neighbor has as mncI
right to inaugurate q new theory as any other
man On the top Of terra .fruaa.
That's inteimeddiing.n
Here is another inkling of our neiebbor,s
new code Of logic--a man cannot exercise his
legitimate rights, cannot attend to his own
business without reproach, cannot make sua.
gestlons TO his intimate friends without being
branded as an ~ihtcrmeddler, an i,,t,,,ae, ;,,o