The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-09-18
The Radical Platform.


/ Communicated
/ SHREVEPORT, La Sept. 7, 1867.
Ar. Fditor-In looking over late issue of the
Caddo Gazette observed the publication of the " Plat
form of the Radical Republican party of Louisiana.
While deprecate the discussion of politics in thu
present circumstances by which the people of the
South are esurrounded-it result in possible good
as there is but one effective party here-s, free
discussion Of the cardinal principles of that party
set forth III their platform, is only the privilege
but the guaranteed right of all who are affected
thereby. have carefully read that very important
document, and have drawn my conclusions there
FROM Whether these conclusions are in harmony
with the document or not time will develop. | do moi
ask the representatives of the Radical Republican party
for their private opinions of their platform or ask
them to coDsrue their public printed documents fol
me that are made public and published for the infor
nation OF the OF the people, but l. propose
my own way to investigate the facts they really
lst, and compare them with their published princi
pies.
The first section reads thus: We advocate anG
will enforce perfect equality under the law to all mer
without distinction OF race color Observe the
condition, 'under the law" When let us ask, under
the law was that observance disregardcd? Still,
the inference to be drawn by careless reader would
be that there was disposition by some classes to alb
rogate the rights of certain other classes. We have
shown hcw the section reads let take the facts
and see how they taught TO certain class of the
sufiragans of our community They taught by
these des gnng teachers that heretofore the law has
been imperative; that they shall have the right and
ought to have the right and the privilege hereafter to
enjoy all the socia. and domestic privileges of their
neighbors household that the owner of the household
has HIMSELF that their platform says so and if they
will the platform it will be the law and the poor
deluded descendant of Ham believes it.
Of the second third and portion Of the fourth it
is not proper to discuss they questions purely
political and have been settled by the powers that be
for the present Of the latter part of the fourth
ton, The right to travel and be entertained" ;" &c.
Most assuredly they have, and that right has not here
toore been sought to be denied by any class Of people
But "under the law they have no extended rights oil
travel or entertainment" nor have the Republican
party in their platform promised it. But their private
teachings altogether different. They teach them
that they shall ride when and where they choose shall
be entertained at the table and at the same time
that their white brethren are but fail tell them that
when they entertained at the table the plan
white man might, from obsolete old fogy no.
tOns savOrlng of Puranism, decline the honor OF
eating at the table at the same time; and also
failing to teach them that there is not, will
be, any legislative enactment compelling any such So
cial equality
Now to the latter clause of the fifth section All,
there is the rub, upon this hangs all the law and the
gospel very ingeniously worded paragraph mean
ing all things or nothing; words written to be read
fill space peculiarly adopted for all classes under all
circumstances sentences to be construed for the ben
cut Vi tie tuc "llltc TIE
We advocate division CT the lands of the State as
far practicable into small farms in order that the
masses Of people, without distinction of or
color, may be able to become landholders and thus
rendered independent" &c, &C. The paragraph reads
the lands Of the State, not the plantations lands
of private individuals be divided far practics
ble. The body Legislative may not the practica.
bity CT division. For arguments sake suppose they
do. We must preserve some wisdom, and prudence
will be exercised in the manner and method Of Givi-
sion and distribution. Let suppose plaza that
| looks not only quite plausible but the most feasible
one to be pursued by those who have the controlling
power thus: The public lands, these belonging to
the State are divided up into tracts of forty acres
each fer the purpose of agriculture and other peaceful
pursuits, to be sold 30 the highest bidder for cash in
United States treasury notes. the proceeds thereof to
be placed in the hands of the treasurer iuate the
Indebtedness of the State. Vow for the purchasers.
1t requires capital to buy, and cash down are the
terms of sale. Lo! the poor negro. No money, no
friends to borrow from. Again he reads the terms Of
sale-cash down. He goes to his Radical friend for
loan. Certainly, sir, will bid off farm of forty
for you but will take the deed i'll my and
sell the land to you for advance of fifty per cent
and take lien the land to secure me in the pay
ment of my advance, aud in the meantime you can 90
on the farm build on it, improve it, and have all you
make, pay me eight per cent interest your pur
chase until due, and-and-and-ahem! and then if
you can't pay me, why-why-let me see-why, the
law is, can sell your farm to liqudate my claim
terms cash-and am lawabiding citizen; for self
protection must sell. lie buys tie farm with the nl-
provements this time for the same, or at less price
than BEFORE certainly less than his demand and the
result is, the negro has worked and improved forty
ecre farm for his prudent, phanthropc Radical fer
nothing, and comes out in debt and which pays Mr..
Radical nice reward for his dupicity to his negro
brother. And just the same course would be pursued
in the event of " mild conscation" No sane man for
one moment supposes that coniscaton would result
| Iott, tfana hnp do nf tba 1,,Ie I'll
highest bidder, and the proceeds would be used for
the liquidation of the national debt and to indemnify
the losses of "loyal men, No other plan is pro-
posed Or has been proposed. Not one word can te
produced from the ardent advocates of coniSca
ton going to show that single of land is to be
gratuously appropriated for the benefit of the negro
They merely guaranteed to him equal chance to
purchase with the white man. which chance he can
the day of sale improve if he has got money enough
to compete with <'Iiadca friends" But this is not
the doctrine taught the negro by his Radical neigh
bor He is taught by them that confscation means
division OF the plantation of his former master, a:d
distribution of the same grauitously provided he is
good Radical and votes the straight ti6ket and that
a division of the public lands means the giving to
them on account of their color, farm. Now suppos
ing, Mr.. Radical, you take your IDOL the PLATFORM and
teach it to them as it reads and let the poor negro
draw his differences, how much Of the oil of con-
ISOLATION could he battle his fertile imagination in.
Supposing correct interpretations should be taught
them by white men of the South, would it be consd-
cred treason to the "bes Government the world ever
saw" But have prolonged my article to greater
length than anticipated will pass the balance
of the PLATFORM stopping at the fifteenth section,
which fully disposes of the offices and the manner of
disposition, without distinction of race color "pro
vided all nominees shall be loyal capable and honest
provision we'll put in for after the services of vot-
ing passed and their services no longer needed
they capable of holding office, therefore, their
services not needed and they accordingly dis
charged
After carefully reading the Radical Republican plat
form, have concluded taking it whole, that it is
an ingeniously worded document meaning nothing
and promising nothing to that class Of people it is in
tended to benefit and whose votes it is intended to
reach by Misrepresentation and dupcity.
PAR BUN Gle.
CARBoLIC ACID FOR EXTERMINATING MosQU1ToEs.-
4 correspondent writes the New York Evening Post
A. Ia1a -, i Loox. e.