The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1867-10-19
REDEEMED, REcEsERArED AND DrsEsrHRALL.

eD.-The above is the caption of an article III
the National btehige'lcer, regarding President
J0hDson's declaring ovation ON the triumph
Of his policy as clearly indicated in the late
elections in which it says no local manifestation
could fifty represent the glorious event of the
whole country redeemed, regenerated and dis
enthralled. Every conservative and democratic
paper in the North and West, is ringing with
hope and exultation while the Radical ones
meanwhile are accounting for it in thousand
different and characteristic ways, all however,
except the Tribune, admitting that the main
cause of their defeat was the infamous and un-
constitutional effort to force negro suffrage on
the country Let thom account for or excuse
the fact as they may, the fuet is fact and
stubborn one yet, and is the commencement OF
aa inevitable reaction which will sweep negro
suffrage and negro political equality, with all its
supporters from the face of the political world
of these United States. Below are part of the
jeremiaacs of the Republican of the 18th on the
subject, and we call the particular attention of
the triumphant party of this Parish to them, es-
pecially the last paragraph:
"Thns by the impatience of the newly enfrai-
chised to realize the full power of their unac-
eustomed political privileges, and the weii-
mealilng but mistaken encouragement of their
white tellow-partisans, the Republican party in
New Orleans was led into unwise measures
These measures were calculated not only to keep
up the distinction of color, which it should have
been the Object OF the party here to do away
with, but worse still, to alarm the Republicans
OF the North, whom advocating the rights OF the
celored man had no intention to establish com
monwealths in this section of the country ruled
entirely by a race different from their own.
Such project never formed any part of the Re-
publican plan, and the dread of such a result as
consequence of the practical workings of the
reconstruction laws has led the people of Ohio
to commit the shocking injustice of refusing the
right OF suffrage to the colored people of that /
State.
Let the colored people Of this State ponder |
this fact and what it portends. Here they form
the majority OF the Republican party, and that |
party at the present moment is in the ascenden-
cy. But of what avail is this fact if by pushing
the influence of their numerical superiority too
tar they drive off the floating vote of the North,
and give the political power of that section to |
their enemies and the enemies of human liberty
what will 1T avail them to control Louisiana
and give New York toathe DemocratsY Louisi
ana has no weight in national affairs. The newly
gained franchises of her eolored citizens are vet
hanging IN the balance. The constitutional
amendment equalizing the rights of all native
born citizens of the United States is not vet
adopted. The reconstruction laws giving the
right of suffrage to colored people in these States
ore repealable. Nothing but the Continued as.
tendency of the Republican party North cal,
secure what has been thus far gained for liberty
and right; and it would be the height of politf.
cal fOlly--it would be snicide--to endanper that
aseendency for the sake of premature eniov- |
ment of local political power"'