The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1859-07-23
ADVICE TO FREE NE.
GRDES.

Last week we noticed briefly the manifesto.
tons of popular hostility towards the free
negro element in the Northern and Western
States. where different feelings might be ex.
pected by them, and also particularized some
of the present restrictions imposed upon them
in the Southern States. aud the certain future
action which will be taken by the South tc
remove them entirely from the country.
These demonstrations of popular dissatisfac-
ton can not be mistaken, the people at large
where the free negro population exists, are
fully sensible of the pernicious aud corrupting
influence which they as a class Of citizens
exert upon the slaves, the morality Of the
country, upon society in general. and they are
determined to rid themselves of them first, by
the adoptions Of measures calculated to indsce
their voluntary emigration from TIP country,
and secondly by legislative restrictions which
will gradually and Effectively cure the evil.
The two public meetings which have been
he'd in our parish within the last ten months,
with a view to the suggestion aud Inaugural
ton Of measures 70 mitigate the evils of their
residence among US, have had thus far a very
salutary tendency. We are g~ratifed to know,
and to record the fact that many of them in
our parish are beginning to feel aud appreciate
the object of these public demonstrations, and
are actually making preparations to quit the
country-to seek a cline more congenial to
their feelings. where they can be on an equal.
ty with their fellow citizens, and enjoy the
blessings of liberty aud government sustained
and perpetuated by their own acts. This en-
joyment Of your natural rights and privileges
may be found in your native country-Africa
or in Hayti, one Of the West Indies Islands
not far distant. Here you will be on ar
with yonr fellow conntrymen and gil
that destiny suitable to your nature and being
as an inferior order of creation.
You can not live in the United States with
the white man in peace, you'can never hope to
approach any thing like an equality with him,
idea on yonr part would be repugnant to
the laws of natural reason, nature and ma
lures Godf While residing with the white
man you will always be looked upon as a con-
and inferior order of creation, you
will be borne down and oppressed by laws, the
force OF which you can not avoid, and in the
Formation Of which you have no voice, you
are taxed by the white man for the support of
government, yet you can claim very little pro-
lection from the laws Of the country. You
Will ct once then see the propriety of seeding
from the society Of the white man, and seeking
hat position where You will be treated as an
sqnal, and have q voice in the legislation in
ended for your government. We would ad-
You to fee the society Of the white man
voluntarily, before You are compelled to do so
~ his irrevocable DEGREES.
Take a fair price for your lands, and we will
insure you speedy purchasers. We speak ad.
'lsedly and know that your places in this par
81 can aud will be quickly. filed by good,
moral and respectable white families from a
'eighboring State. This is the element we de-
this is the kind of population we want
III MhHe citizens and their slaues-no free
olored citizens in our midst.
Then we may look for the dawn OF better
ociety, better government and more general
prosperity among us, as white citizens. Your
wnc andition will be improved, and your act
# emigration will and may be considered as
he harlinger Of better hopes, better times and
more glorious future prospects for yourselves.
More anon.