The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-09-11

4 L VI
after, 60 to the ballot-box, under the plal
of Congressional reconstruction create
| number than that of the white voting pop
ulatioa. And so it will be in I'll the tel
prescribed States. The result must be tina
the several governments of these States
must pass into their hands (who are nov
being Taught by political drill-masters tha
| they have injuries to avenge against til,
whites,) with the tremendous power O
taxation, confiscation, aud of fixing wha,
shall be the security for the life aid liber
! ty of the white citizens. Is not this o ter
| rifle picture to contemplate And can thu
Northern people wonder that the Congress
sional policy meets strong, earnest, anG
honest opposition Letnle suppose o case
that will bring the subject home to the
Northern people. Suppose enough of sncl
ignorant voters could be suddenly planted
i'll any ten of the Northern States, to over
come the votes of their white citizens, and
control the several governments of those
States, how do you think New York, Mass
achusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, New Hanp
shire, and Maine would like the operation
How would they feel under snch a policy
that would put all their interests i'll the
hands of such power2
Bnt it may be replied that those States
are not disloyaf, rebelIious, as are the ten
prescribed Southern states--that we dc.
serve such fate / ain not going to dis.
cuss whether we are, in truth, rebelli0ns
States. We should differ on that question
But admit that we are rebels, or have been
end therefore deserve to be punished, is
this the way to punish us, in view of en-
lightened craftsmanship? Is it wise to
punish us by forcing upon us bad govern
meat9 That might possibly do if We were
the only ones to endure the penalty. But
lit will extend its baleful influence to all
the other States. 1t will destroy agricul
ture; it will swamp the national debt and
currency; it will crush out from the breasts
of the people of the South the last throb Of
fraternity, which magnauimity and justice
and wise craftsmanship would engende1
and cherish. Let me add, the calamity
will fall upon our posterity for generations
to come, and, at present., upon thousands oil
innocent persons who did not participate
in the rebellion. I am, therefore, opposed
to the universal acknowledgements Of the
negro, because it viii inaugurate bad gov
ernment-the very worst Of temporal evils
to soeicty-antl not merely because their
skins are black. If the North are deter.
mined to punish the Sonth, let them do it
They have the power. But let them adopt
some method besides that of inaicting on
us bad government. For the punishment,
in that form, will fall upon themselves and
all onr posterity.
1t would seem to me that we have suf
fered enough to satisfy the most vindic-
tive. Onr beautiful region has been DESC
lated, all our capital sunk, our people inn
poyerished, and orr slave property, which
was worth to MS $3,500,G00, has been con-
fscated by the act Of emancipation. We
could, after q long time. recover from our
prostitution, if allowed the right Of self.
government. Ought not statesmen to de
sire our Incorporation They may despise
MS as q people, but is it the interest Of the
Republic that we should be made paupers
and otiteasts2
You, / believe, maintain the natural o
quality of the negro with the white race.
| am notgoing to debate this question with
you. The difference between us is irreco1r
ciliable. | do not believe in any such
But admit, for the sake of argu.
ment, that tue two races are, by nature,
equal. What does tho admission amount
to but that they are endowed by the Crca-
tor with equal capabilities; intellectual and
moral, aud, therefore, under o sufficient
course of training, that tho negroes among
us are susceptible of attaining to Che same
state of Intelligence, virtue and civilization
which the whites have reaehed2 1t does
not prove that they are now, in point OF
fact, the equals of the white race in these
Indispensable qualities Of good citizenship
and wise sclf-government, and 10 candid
man willsoinsist. But bcing, as you contend
thus equal by nature, you draw the con-
cluslon that, being free. they have theright
to vote. Women are free, and also intel
ligent and yirtuous, yet they arc not adj
mitted to the ballot. 4 large majority OF
foreigners are highly intelligent and virtn-
ous, yet they are denied the franchise un-
til five years of resident probation. Thou
sands of boys at, sixteen years OF age are
intelligent and yirtnoua, yet they arc post
poned to the age of tWenty-one years The
colored people of nearly all the Northern
States are denied the elective franchise,
and where they are NOT, they enjoy qnaii-
fed Suffrage only. Why oil this! Itsinl-
ply proves that, no matter what may be
your abstract philosophical views OF equal
ity between the races. the predominant
sentiment Of the Northern people is that
mere freedom and equality do not necessa-
rily carry along with them tho right to
vote; that they regarded the elective iran
chise as boon to be bestowed by the res
pective States npon those only who, 1T is
believed, will use it wisely and we'll
Now, are the negroes of the South more IN
telligent and virtnons than those OF the
North9 No welI-inforlned man, who VIII
be candid, cap assert the affirmative. Tn
contrary, believe that the free negroes OF
the North are the more intelligent, ana,
betterqualifcd to use jndiciously
the right of suffrage. Why are they, ex-
Guided from the ballot-hox, while those
Of the South arc admitted at the point OF
the bayonet! This inconsistency clearly
that those in power arc re-
creaut to the principles they profess. II
they believe the principle right and sacred
they should make it universally applica-
BILE. If OF the other hand, they believe, as
I am sure the masses at the North do be-
licye, that the application of the principle
in the Northern States is Incompatible with
good government, then they ought not to
enforce it in the South; for the aim of the
true Statesman is to promote good govern
ment in all the States,
The Congressional scheme of reconstruct
ton is based upon the assumption that the
ten prescribed States are without good
government-that lawlessness prevails
that life aud property are unsecurei and the
press and leaders assert that
loyal citizens, especially these from the
North, arc abused, prosecuted, termented,
threatened and murdered, This Whole as
is untrue There is less iaWlesS-
nes, in tl4p SDuih than in he Nortl. the