The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-06-24

[o u \ y a., w E]llJN]
his home in our State, or those who, by es-
tablishing negro government, will make
this State uninhabitable by the white man
We submit this protest to relieve Dur
selves Of any suspicion that we yield even
a seeming acquiescence in the adoption Of
the, Constitution, We did not oppose the
execution Of the reconstruction laws.
though convinced Of their uncorstitution-
atty If those laws only contemplated
that the negro should be protected the
Convention transcends Its authority by
pcryerting them and making them the in
struments by which negro supremacy is
successfully established. The negro has our
sympathy. For The protection Of his per
son, his freedom, and The enjoyment Of his
property, we do not demonstrate against
any just guarantees that may be required,
That, for these purposes, before the law, lie
should stand as the equal Of the white
mat, We prefer no complaint We, are
willing to be reasonably taxed for his edu-
cation, and would not look with disfayor
upon the efforts by the State government
totest, by favorable legislation, his capacity
for seIfimprovement. But we give b sol
enin warning to the country that this efJrt
to degrade the white race by subordiaalinS
it, although in d majority, to The political
and social supremacy Of the black rae, as
proposed by the constitution NOW to be iilnl,
augurated under the military, acts, will re-
quire more than human prudence and for
bearance, If we are to avert these frightful
results which have been foretold by men of
all classes, but by none more positively
than prominet Republican Senators. I'm,
doubtedly, it is the duty Of every good citi-
ecu to aid in improving the condition Of
the negro, but the candid conviction Of ey-
cry intelligent mind must necessarily be-,
that the colored man cannot safely predi-
cate his hopes upon the downfall Of the
white race. Sustained aud led by Euro
pean civilization, With rules throughout
the Northern section, and must eventually
rule throughout the Southern section also,
the negro may attain the highest advanta-
ges; but he can never attain those advar-
tages whilst acting from the standpoint Of
antagonism to the white race-an antago-
nism which is essentially the ground work
and corner stole Of the proposed new con-
stitutoin. a..#
We respectfully, but earnestly, appeal to
the Senate, to its wisdom and patriotism,
to interpose it's calm counselsI and prevent
thr establishment Of a government SO Ger
tainiy calculated to destroy or social aad
( material interests, and which must inevita-
bic e.gender the most fearful spirit Of ha-
| tired between two races whose interests re-
spectively, when rightly understood and
| protected, are not antagonistic. Solemn
| ", before God and our country, and in the
Interest Of a common lineage and com
mon civilization, we protest against any re-
cognition or ratification Of the proposed
constitution by Congress, because that con-
sttution is in violation Of the Constitution
of the United States because it is not
based upon the consent of the people who
are to be governed by it; because 1t was
conceived and framed IL the interest Of the
negro as against the white man, establish.
ing unlimited and unrestricted suffrage for
the one, and sweeping disfranchisement q
large classes Of the other, and throwing
around the remainder such restrictions,
limitations and interdictons as virtually
destroy their entire political and social In
fuence, and finally, because it has been
adopted in fraud Of the reconstruction laws
themselves, not having been ratified at an
election in which every qualified and regis
tered elector was permitted to vote with.
out fear or the influence Of fraud.
AS we look over The whole field Of this
discussion, we are unwilling to believe that
the grave Senators whom We. now address
e er contemplated the framing Of such. a
constitution as is row offered TOR their ap,
proval and sanction. Reconstruction in
The interest of the Union, we not only I'm,
derstand, but will, without dissenting
voice, most zealously advocate but recon
struction 10 theinterest Of African suprem
acy, we neither understand nor can ap.
prove. a'9'. z 81. F3.a
lsa THos. L. MACON, Chairman.
W. N. snALLwoop, Secretary. d
! IS \.
TX a Foes The. venerable ThurloW
Weed is in a fog. An enlightened Re
publican writes to him from Washington