The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1865-03-11
A Possible Alternative.

1t is childish to whine lnLer misfortune. 1t is
cowardiy to sink under it. it is absurd to he en-
ferbied by it. A brave man struggling with ad
versity is worthy of special adniratiou-a spec
taele for gods and men
We think our late rererses have done much
towards preparing the minds OF our people tol
the most extreme sacrifices il they Snail be adj
Judged necessary TO the suerrss ot our car,e
And i'll truth they are no sacrifices at all when
compared with our situation. Ii srhjugated, il
is question simply whether we s!iail live !ol
our own uses or whether the Yankees shall live
tor theirs SubjHgatioh means emancipation and
confiscatinn.
All our servants and al our property yielded
mp to assist III the defense Of our country would
mean no more, but it would be far glorious
TO devote our means to our success than TO losr
Them as spoils to the enslny. Our situation. too,
stripped Of onr property bnt master OF the GOV
errlment. world BE- infinitely better than if de-
spoiled by the enemy and wearing his bonds.
These views lsve long received the theorftirH'
assent of our preple. They are now DIR prac'
cal realizing conviction. A thousand pr..i"dic"s.
thousand cons"cfated dn-,nas. are nos. ready to
be yielded at the Bidding Of necessity. Aiy
sacrtic" of opinion and sacrifice of property. an,
surrender o. PR iu'ier if necessary TO the d t,'s
of orlr enemies, is now tie Watc.lwnrd and reply.
SntiggatiOn is horror that enT5e;sr's all other
horrors and adds enormous ca a;mitiAs of lis own
The people Sc this They have q vivid percrp
ton of it, They are ready nr i!.,ir ra,. ior iie'
duties which it implies. Now "':r authorities.
State and Con;edeIatc, rise 10 The level ui tie
greet occasion.
Troublesome times are rrnn Us. Great cxi gem
uies surround us. We need all our strength and
our wisdom Let there be conference os all
our wise men. Let there br a cain investigation
Of our wants aud catalogue nf onr resources.
Then. by common consent, let all obstacles to
the employment Of these resources b. removed
So long as we have a man Or dollar, and the
man or dollar be needed. let the call be hon"Tpd.
We must not raise difficulties, it is 10 tine for
that. Shall we withhold our sans, and thus re-
serve them as servants for tie Yankees? SHALL
we send our sons and deny "Gr ncgrars3 Shall
we spend our blood and refuse our rl,ney2 Shall
| we withhold anything from our country wiirn We
should be bn. saving it tor our foe? It is & dis
grace 70 garrison to surrender baoro It's as:.aiu-
uition is exhausted @
1t would be adding disgg:ce to rur misery. if
| we were overcenle without having fist exhausted
every resource of defence. 1t would he dvubly
Infamous TO MS. because with contributions to n,ir
defence equal To the spoiiatints should sutf..r
! ii conquered, nur success wonid be assured We
should come ont OF the contest at least with that
which would be worth mere than all the rest
/ liberties and our country. II We had thrown
overheard the cargo we s,,ould thereby have
saved the ship.
Let Government determine what it needs
and what it can s;s,,, and if it be our lands, OF,
Eauses, our negroes, Cur horses. oug morev e,l,-
selves. it must have them. Strange that we
! should cling most teracunsly TO what is III ess
moment Strange that we silolhd give ourselves
and grrldge our property! Our pairutis.:s must
| lay aside such scItisnness.
It must be generous as well as brave. Our au-
| thorities nnst do more, They must take care
whatever bsiall lis. and save us from the Van
| KEGS. If adverse gales aid devonGi.g biuws
should constrain our storm tossed ship into
| port, let II be no Yankee port. ii ;,n unpropi-
/ tious Providence should condemn us TO a master.
let it not be Yaiaises MASTER OF all flle people
on earth, we should have most reason to leailie
/ and dread them. Any terms with anY other
Ewonld be preferable to st,ht;gga,on to them.
| Thisis tic sentiment Of our people. This is
their conviciiofl. and it is wise conviction Let
| our readers remember it and heed 1t. Our con-
/ stltutiur was made as the development of our
national Lille. 1t may no: provide for all the exi
gencies of war, questions Of State may aiise in
onr experience, tliey have arisen il, the expe-
rience OF almost every nation when our best wei
fare will reqnife OF our rulers the exercise of
| bold responsibility. stGs aei
lHc dtCulsIi&tli 0I ItotlSlaHa IN i-U3 was ltlS-
tiftd only as question Of State. something over
and above tlle Constitution. II in times of peace
statesmen have .sametimes thus 10 throw them.
selves upon the intelligence Of tieir countrvmen.
and seek their advantage by Irregular methods.
snch occasions may we'll be presumed more like
~ to arise during struggle for life with power
| tui. unscruonlcrs AID feroeicus enemy.
I The clouds that have thckened over us ad-
monish .us of the possibility that the time may
come when craftsmanship, if it cannot deliver
MS, must at least secure TO US the utmost paiiia.
sion of our misery. Ifit cannot save it must at
least save us from the Yankees.
| We lately published from ihonghtfi,i cores.
pondent suggestion that, in the event of being
unable TO sustain our independence we should
surrender it into the hands of those from whom
1--WE wressed or purchased it, into fhe hands of
Britain, France aud Spain, rather than yield II
Ito fi.e Yankees.
From the favor with which this suggestion has
hbeeG reee.i'ed, We are sure that in tie dread
event which itaeontema!stes. sonr people would
Infinitely prefer an alliance with Europea, lsa-
Itians on terms as favorable as they could desire.
lin preference 10 the dominion Of tile Yankees
We will not dwell upon tha, suggestion now.
I'VE speak ofsthem not out Of gloomy torebo-
idinrs but SiiDuiy rs a man 0f health snsaIss8 nj