The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-04-04

The fact that Kentucky and Maryland
are in a state of profound quiet, whilst
Tennessee is disturbed aud agitated, is a
remarkable commentary on the Radical
p!ano of conducting The State governments.
The New York Tribune in giving one
OF its luc@s q . Mcc0dO explanations
ofthis phenomenon, says that kentucky
and Maryland are under the control OF
" the rebel element" and the radicals
being ~peaceable, l%aw-abiding citizens,
everything remains quiet whilst III the
contrary, Tennessee is controlled by
the loyalists," and the" rebels" being
naturally seditious, agitation and dist"r
bance are the necessary consequence. But
the fact is, that in Kentucky and Mary
land the right of suffrage is exercised
now, as always hitherto, by the white
citizens. No man is distranchised or
account of political opinion. The ma
jority rule, and the majority is composed
of that intelligent and industrious pop
ulation which has always constituted the
political community in those States.
There is no ground for agitation, for
disturbance, tor social u~pheavals. An
insurrection ofthe negroes and radicals
against the white people would be equal
ed in its absurdity, only by its hopIess-
ness. In Tennessee. m the contrary,
the population which has always con-
stituted the political community of the
State is DISTINGUISHED. The government
is u"nrprd by " fa"tion of radicals aid"d
by newly created negro voters. The
minority is composed main.v of an ig-
norant an dthrittless race ,controlledby 20
litic&l a]dveu;urers. In 1852, on the CUES
ton of separation, 152,143 votes we've
cast in the State ; all Of these being, of
cour ,e, white votes. In 1867 the num-
Der of votes cast was 97,O32, of which
22,jIS We're Democratic, and 74,4S4
were radical.
1t the negro vote bore the same pro-
portion to the total negro population as
the white vote 10 the white population,
the negro vote in 1867 was At. 1872, and
the white vote 40,l40. Thus 100000
have been disfranchiSed in Tennessee.
Had there been no distranchisement the
total Democratic vote would have been
1876, 900 against 74,424 Republican votes,
composed of 1900 white men are ell
abled to govern 10000 men, and to
govern by depriving their fellow citizens
of rights which radicalism, while declar-
ing them to be natural and inaIienable,
coolly and remorselessly suppressts. 1t
is not wonderful that the disfranchispd
whites, embracing as they do the wealth,
the intelligence and the numbers of the
State. are discontinued and sullen. 1t
is not astonishing that the MYSTERIOUS X.
X. X has grown into formidable dimen-
sions, inspiring a just terror in the hearts
of the tyrants and plunderers who have
established an oligarchy of ignorance
and vindicativeness, supported b. force
and fraud. The example of Tennessee
is a conspicuous illustration of a radical
policy, and of the consequences which
Inevitably flow from radical rule. 1t
is surprising indeed not tina; Tennessee is
disturbed by agitation, but tina. her peop-
lie haye- so long submitted to the odious
~daghation of Brownlow and his gang of
Endering oIisarchs. 1t may be very
bod st,aRgy &c disfranchise the popu-
Yation Aa State in order to enable a
y tactR of u~nprincipled adventures to
15S rough-shod over the people but it
a kind of strategy which is sure to
- the end. The trooly lailun
= tal9ee Bagggss 49, e2pect that, b7 tbe
aid Of negroes they can permanently
81 d%o1nineer over the white people of Ten
essee, 8 of any other State, will find
that they might as well attempt to re-
verse the revolution of the globe On its