The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-04-04
Cn;ectiors 10 the Proposed Con"
stisEatiOHa.

stitEaf5Osa.
l. It commences in the preamble win a
fslsehood. 1t processes to ENSURE donestlc
tranouiIlitv," when its tendencies are to IN.
cite domestic s'rife and a future conflict OF
races. 1t proposes to secure the blessings
Of liberty.'' when it DISTINGUISHES one th'rd
of the white population of the State.
9. 1t establishes equality among all men,
and grants "thc same civil, political, and
public rights and privileges,' to all classes
and conditions of men, irrespective Of edu-
cation, property, color, or natural capacity.
(Co's. trt. 2)
3. 1t provides th4t all persons, "withont
discrimination" shall enjoy equal rights
and privileges upon any conveyance OF a
pablo ch&la"tvr, and at all places of bust
ness, or Of i1nb!ic resort, or 1"r nhirh L.
crnxc is rc2nuei, by either State, parish or
municipal authority. Any piece for which
a license is required, thus becomes a public
| place. \ license may be imposed on prl-
ratc houses, OF churches, OF Masonic and
Odl Fellows Lodges, on private schools,
on any private association, and all such pia-
cc5 Shall tErncc,orward be ''o2cncd to the
accommodation and patronage ofall persons,
without distinction or discrimination on a.
count Of race or colnr.' So that the black
and the white, the educated and the litter
ate, the honest and the dcrraved, the tenn
pcra;e and the be>otted, the refined and the
VULGAR, the good and The bad, virtue and
vice, will be placed indi>crImlnatcly on The
same platform, and entitled to tue same
privileges. CART. 49,
4. 1t %regulat; the Legislative Depart
ment, so that those who lay the taxes and
supply the sinewS of the government, can
not be elected as Representatives. 1t lmpo-
ses such disabilities, that the intelligence of
the country is excluded from the public
councils. Every co!orcd man may be- law
maker; but one third Of the whites are oS-
t,ac:scd and degraded from the public SER
vice. (Arts. Is, JJ)
5. 1t p~,oyiics for a system Of Registra'
ton Of voters throughout the State, unnec
es>ary, unprecedented, and at a rnlnonS eX-
pcnse to the public Treasury. CART. 25.)
6. 1t provides no adequate qualification
for the highest officer in the State. Any
cltizeE of the United States, With W. years
residence in the State is eligible. Any freed
man Of twenty one years of age may be
elected Governor, with authority to execute
he laws, to make important appointments,
and to command the military forces Of the
State. Cart. 49,
7. 1t fixes such qualifications as tend to
degrade the judiciary. Three years prac.
tice at the bar in this State is all that is
necessary for a Supreme judge, and two
years practice for Il District judge. CARTS.
IS, S4.)
s. 1t establishes no other qualifications
for the judge of the Parish court than citi
zeusliip. This court is vested with ilnpor
tant civil and crimi 1al Jurisdiction, and i;
to settle all the SUGGESTIONS opened in tho
parish. The judge Of this court is consti
tutcd the exclusive judicial guardian of the
rights of widows ard orphans. He should
be an officer of legal learning, experience,
and tried integrity. And yet, any freed
man, fresh from his pillow, is eligible to the
office. CART. So
8. 1t requires but one years residence in
the State, and ten days in the parish, as q
qualification to vote and hold Office. II
thus opens the door to advelturerS without
a stake in the country. In times of great
party excitement, masses of voters may be
thrown from one parish to another, who
after an encampment of ten days, may OK,
crclse a controlling Influence at the ballot
box. Fraud, bribery and plpe-layiny, are
thus to become prominent elements in al
future elections. Cart. 9S.)
10. 1t offers a means Of relief to the dis
franchised citizen, which involves his hn
initiation and deeration. He must subscribe
himself an ass or a hyrocrite, in the Office
of Secretary of State, and placard himsel
in the official journal, as having been "mor
ally and politically wrong" This penitencs
and purgation are presumed to restore hi"
to loyalty. Radicals however are excepted
from this provision: to support the Recon
struction policy of Congress c~leanses thu
offender Of all political sin. Cart. SO.
IL. 1t presents an oath Of office, so often
sive in its terms, that it was evidently hopet
by its trainers, no gentleman would take ii
Cart. 1907
-: It is inimical to property and to prop
erty holders. II prescrlbcs that no proper
ty qualification Sha|l'cver be required 1o
any office. II orders that all lands hereat
ter sold at judicial sales, "shall be divided
to tracts of from ten to fifty acres" Agra
%rlanism is the policy; 10 divide and conque
is the war cry. Carts. 121, 1922
10. 1t establishes free public schools up
on the principle of social equality. On
school for each parish is required, at whicl
all children, "without distinction Of race
color, or previous condition." are to be in
structcd. No separate schools can be es
tablished and in order to discourage pr
vate schools and institutions of learning
the Legislature is forever inhibited iron
making appropriations for theft support
The same socia, equality is req,@ed in tn
university to be established at Iew Orleans
. (Art So, 40, 1922 III
organises the militi@ of tbs6Seat
ut, in the event Of int9tine% tn
est number of bayone4 be foun
Fthe hands of the coloEa& P~hlalion. A
kble bodied citizens ~ IFfunchised b
the.laws ofthak n%ited,sta1 T&c., arc;to:.cor
stitute then6tary forsa ke State. .Thi
will excludRone he whites. -
; : : : : : !! !! :! ' ; ; : :
militia + usual witt
J By thla freedm1
70 every reader oF9 & @6l
rstitution. From thasH - SCENT tn;
every effort has to throw dow
all the barriers ofconservatiSrn, to ~ostracis
l. intelligence and virtue, and to give force
5 elevation to ignorance and incapacity. III
: organic law is to be used to revolutioniz