The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1867-05-25
Registration.

NOlC anu JCU AShASA ChChIoCAhCo
liable to greater censure than We
are in the habit of visiting on
those who simply disregard their
public duties-and public duties
sit very lightly on persons Cypress
ed with private cares and resp0n-
sibilities. 1t has been too much
the case of late years that citizens
have declined to participate i'll
elections; have abstained from
voting, and have thus suffered
the organizations of parties, and
the administration of public affairs
to fall into unworthy hands. Ger
tainly when it happens that a
large class of persons, either
through Indifference or indisposi-
ton, persistently decline to vote,
it may justly be said of such per
sons that they are unworthy to
possess the right of voting. And
this is all that has been said Oh
the subject.
But the case is very different
now. The electoral contest now
about to commence is more mo-
mentous than any that ever before
occurred in this State. 1t is not a
question of who shall be governor,
or who shall go to Congress, or
who shall be sheriff; but it is a
question of the rights and interests
Of half of our pOpulatiOn-a ques-
ton whether the reOrganized
State government shall be in the
hands of capable, efficient and
honest men, identified with the
interests of our people and desir-
GUS of their welfare, or in the
hands of political adventures, I'M
scrupulOus tricksters and ambi-
tious demagogues. 1t is a ques-
ton whether we shall have a
government representing an intel
ligent public opinion, and mindful
of the legal rights of all classes,
or a government which, founded
on personal aspirations and vim
dictive animosities, will disfran-
chise half Of our people and with
the object of establishing corrupt
and tyrannical oligarchy similar
to that which disgraced the State
in 1864. If it were merely con-
test for party supremacy-men
might be excused from participa-
ting in it. But when it is a strug-
gle which involves the whole fu-
ture of our State, and the safety
of our political rights, the sever.
est terms of reprobation would be
insufficient to stigmatise the con,
duct of the abstentionists. We
have more than once said that
the people of Louisiana will not
look patiently on those of their
fellow citizens who decline to rem,
der assistance in this supreme
hour of their fate. And we mean
it Utterly and seriously. We in.
dulge in no metaphorical exagger,
alton when we say that the men
who, for vain and frivolous rea.
sons, refuse to vote at the coming
election and thus leave their fel
low citizens to the mercy of theil
adversaries, will be justly regarded
as enemies. Congress has decided
on the terms of reconstruction
and public sentiment is in favor OF
organizing under the law. But
in any event, the elections will be
held. Our people have decided
to exercise the privilege of voting
still left to them, because Austen
ton would be a surrender of all
of their rights into the hands OF
their bitterest enemies. Already
the threat of confiscation has beer
made in no equivocal terms. A
large section of the radical party
is known to be in favor of thai
measure, and even measures still
more extreme. And of all the
radicals the most violent, the
most vindictive and the most I'm
scrupu1Ous are those who, under
the false name of loyalists, are
striving to get possession of oul
State government. Does any one
suppose that his rights or his
property would be safe if the fac
ton of 1864 should again come in
to power? Does any one believe
that the first act of that faction
would not be to disfranchise theil
opponents, and their next to con
fiscate all the "rebel" property
they could lay their hands ons Il
is quite sure, indeed, that tota.
disfranchisement of the great
mass of the white population
would be a speedy consequence o.
a radical triumph in the elections
Such being the case, it is the dat,
of all citizens to vote. They owe
it to themselves and their families
to do everything in their power
to avert the last calamity which
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