The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-08-08
THE JOURNAL.
OPELOUsAs. SATURDAY, AUG. 8, 1868.
How the COaOred MAN lis PFOvzd-
ed Fer E&

I Visitors at our legislative halls will
have noticed the great numbers of COL
ored men, perpetnally standing around
the corridors and ~thronging the side
walks, in addition to those who densely
crowd the Hobbies. They have certain
ly~asked themselves, and perhaps oti1-
erss what they wanta ases=@es
We would reply that they have been
anxiously awaiting some fulfllmentA OF
the promises made them by the Board
ot Registration, alias the Republican
state Central Committee, that they should
have offices and employment AZ the ex-
pnse either of the State Or the city, ~
50 far, all these colored men have got
in the way Of Office has been some under
places about the Legislature. and a few
of the very lightest complexion have had
one or two other subordinate positions,
with uncertain pay, given them.
In the mean time half million clear
per annum has been given to a gentle
man from Iowa, to be distributed among
his partners, not one Of whom, it is said,
could get the direct vote of the Republi-
can members, nor would the triumvirate
dare. to award them directly anything
like the power and emolument which
this law gives them. j. 4a. Err" :
sa This is one only of an immense addi-
ton TO the burdens Of the people, out Of
which, fat things aresto 60 to fill the ach-
ing void of our citizens from other re-
gions. who are to, be paid for the honor
they do Us in residing among US, wheth-
er We win or no; but only the ofal is to
go+to the lcolored man. ..a-f lest Y
a Meantime the fcolored men have be-
come indignant and importunate. They
have said, in tones too loud to be disre-
garded, that they will have something,
and that If their claims were any longer
disregarded there would be trouble in
s' The result of this is seen in the rapid
work made in the; House Wednesday
with the bill to have. a suniforrne d mi
litia, andvto give pay to it. when ordered
out. This will carry away from about
the, Legislature . whole swarm of fies,
who will reappear at outside points as
captains. ~lieutenants, s~ergeants, ,corpGI
rails and privates. Doubtless other
swarms viii come then to be further ted,
and other means will have. to be proyid:l
ed to meet their demands.
Possiblygthsse may, andpossibly they
may not BE- called into active service
but ifthey are, and they are sent to
franklin and Catahoula parishes and to
Other. places to huntsup those ~despera-
does. who, duringsthe war, being desert
ersr from the Confederate ranks, claimed
then to be the loyal men of the Union
stripe, but since theTwar modify this e.
nough to sometimes claim to be ultra
Southern they viii have over them field
officers of the whitest complexion known
to Northern prejudice, who, being mount
ed on swift horses will be able to get out
of any difficulty and escape every ambus-
cade, while the poor negro, placed like
.Uriah in the front of the battle, or left
on foot inthe bottom, efgthezravine, will
only serve to point, BY his bloody fate,
another startling tale Of s.rebel outrages."
All that the negro1is TO- get is petty
office and petty pay, with all the danger.
In the meantime the adventurer engorg-
es himself with spoil, protected by his
colored militia, and when the moment Of
overthrow finally comesss will readily
make his escape 10 a place Of safety, ut
terly regardless Of the fate Of bis colored
protector PacaHune. 4 It'll