The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-04-11
Objections to the Proposed Con-
stitufiORl.

ODsEcE2OaeS TO sERc HVS ~OAA-
s:itsltiORa.
/. It commences in the preamble with a
falsebood. 1t processes to insure domestic
.tranouillitv," when its tendencies are to in
cite domestic strife and a future. conflict OF
races. 1t proposes to 'secure the blessings
of libertv,' when it DISTINGUISHES one third
of the white population of the State.
.. 1t establishes equality among all men,
and grants 'the same civil, political, and
public rights and privileges" to all classes
and conditions Of men, irrespective of edu-
cation, property, color, or natural capacity.
ICONS. Art. a.
3. 1t provides thet all persons, without
discrimination" shall enjoy equal rights
and privileges upon any conveyance OF a
public character, and at all places of bust
ness, or of public resort, or for which a It.
cease Is required, by either State, parish or
municipal authority. Any place for winch
IA Incense is required, thus becomes a public
place. A license may be imposed on prl-
cate houses, on churches, on Masonic and
Odd Fellows Lodges, ON private schools,
on any priv ate association, and all such pla-
ccs shall thcnceforward be ''opened to the
accommodation and patronage otall persons,
without distinction or discrimination on ac-
count of race or color" So that the black
and the white, the educated and the Inter
ale, the honest and the depraved, the tenn
perate and the be<otted, the refined and the
yulyar. the good and the bad, virtue and
vice, will be placed Unfortunately on the
same platform, and entitled to the same
privileges. Cart. 49,
4. It regulates the Legislative Depart
mcnt, so that those who pay taxes and sup
DIV the sincwS of the government. cannot
be elected as representatives. 1t imposes
such disabilities, that the intelligence ofthe
country is excluded from the public councils
Every colnred man may be a law-maker
but ono third Of the whites are ostracisec
and degraded from the public service. CARTS
Is, 99.)
5. 1t provi 'es for a system OF Registratior
! of voters throughout the State, unnecessary
unprecedented, and at a ruinous expense
to the public Treasury. Cart. 25.)
6. It provides no adequate qualification
| for the highest officer in the State. Any
citizen of the United States, with two years
residence in the State is eligible. Any
freedman of twenty one years OF age may be
elected Governor, with authority to execute
the laws, to make important appointments
and to command the military forces of the
State. (Art.49.)
7. It fixes such qualifications as tcnt
to degrade the Judiciary. Three years
practice at the bar in this State is all tina
is necessary for a Supreme Judge. and two
years practice for a District Judge. (Arts
IS, 84)
S. It establishes no other qualifications
for the Judge of the Parish court than clti
zenship. This court is vested with impor
tant civil and criminal jurisdiction, and Is
to settle all the succes>ions opened in the
parish. The Judge of this court is consti
tuted the exclusive judicial guardian Of
the widows and orphans. He should be an
officer of legal learning, experience, and
tried integrity. And yet, any freedman,
fresh from his pillow, is eligible to the office.
art. S6.)
9. 1t repuires but one years residence in
the State, and ten days in the parish, as
a qualification to vote and hold office. 1t
thus opens the door to adventures without
a stake in the country. In times Of great
party exciten.en emf masses Of voters may be
thrown from one parish toanother, who, at
ter an encampment of ten days, may eXer-
else a controlling Influence at the ballot box.
Fraud, bribery and pipe laying are thus to
become prominent elements in all future
elections. (1trt. 9S.)
10. 1t offers a means Of relief to the dis
f%ranchised citizen, which involves his hui
initiation and degration. lie must sub
scribe himself an ass or a hypocrl e, in the
office of Secretary of State, and placald
himself in the official Journal, as having
been morally and politically wrong" This
pcnitence and purgatIon are presumed to
restore him to loyalty. Radicals however
are excepted from this provision: to sup
port the Reconstruction policy of Congress
~cleanses the offender of all political sin.
Cart. go
II. 1t presents an oath Of office, so often
sive in its terms, that it was evidently hoped
by its trainers, no gentleman would take it.
art. 1907
-. It is innnical to property and prop
erty holders. 1t prescribes that no proper
ty qualification shall ever be required for
for any office. 1t orders that all land here
after sold at judicial sales, shall be divi-
ded into tracts of from ten TO. fifty ~acrers,"
Agrarianism is the policy ; to divide and
conquer is the war cry (Ar's. 12l, 1922
10. 1t establishes free public schools up
on the principle Of social equality One
school for each parish is required, at which
all children, without distinction of race,
color, OF previous condition." are to be in
structcd. No separate schools can be es-
tabli>hed and in order to discourage pri-
vate schools and %institut 'ons of learning, the
Legislature is forever inhibited from mak-
ing appropriations for their support. The
same social equality is required in the uni
versity to be established "a New Orleans.
Oats. 135, 40, 1929 n
IA. 1t organises the mi Stia of the State
that, in the event of &'testine var, the
Rrgest number of bayq$ets wNa@be found
in the hands of the coli Fed population. All
abled bodied citizens I'M t%JrancAised by
the laws of the U9(etates," &C., are
to constitute the I'd force of the State.
This will exclude d Shird Of the whites.
The mil Tia will ba yhished as Usual wit
arms,l BY thisa cement, the freedmE