The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1868-04-04
Independence Practicable.

|
Independence PracticabIeA."
+ Our people are too prone to conceive
that prosperity depends ON good or bad
government. No doubt that under good
government men may the more securely
work fo1 their own good and enjoy the
fruits of it the more; but the govern
sment alone will do them little good.
! The less indeed that the government in
terteres with them and they with the
government, the better off will they be.
j We would not advise men to relax
their efforts to 80 shape the measures and
to SO use the means now in their hands
as to make the governaaent they have Jas
light in its interference with them as
possible. For this reason they should
vote in the coming election, first against
the constitution which strives to tax and
burden them more than ever, and next
for men whose influence will be to miti-
gate this evil of a constitution if adopted
as much as possible. They should take
all the time they can spare from their
rightful industry and duties at home to
attaining this object, and should special
ly devote the 18th and 18th of April
thereto. @- sr~ss rs a. So -
But this done, all the rest of the year
should be given to productive work,
which shall build up the ruins of their
State, parish and city, and cause not on
ly the past to be restored, but far more
to be done here than was ever before ac-
complished. To itcll us that negroes are
essential to the agricultural prosperity
of louisiana, is to tell us that they are
superior to the white men. We can do
as much better in agricuitu ure without
them, as We can in commerce, mec chanlcs,
literature and science. 1t is, therefore,
folly to keep our minds respondent over
the failure of African labor. when its re-
suits are evidently SO inferior to those of
Caucasian labor.
Had our people turned deaf ear to
Mr.. Johnson's invocations to reorganize
their States after the war, had they gone
to raising bread and meatinstead of cot
ton. wherewith to buy these things, had
they eseilewed any idea of 'reorganiziug
labor" and let the negro severely alone,
unless If, urged to act, they had insisted
upon electing him to Office, and espe-
cially upon sending him to Congress,
they would have now been pecuniamly
independent, and far more so politically
than they can hope to be for some time
to come. - .s-saaf r.Es. "a .-.r z.-.-f..,... (
, The best they can do now is to 20 to
work to. give internal wealth to their
homesteatls, making them rich in fruits
and grasses, gathering on them the best
of stock, not including the negre, and to
vote down, if they can, any form of gov
ernment dictated to them from abroad;
and ii they cannot, to vote for and elect
engineers of their own to manage it, and
to possess their souls in patience, salts,
fed that no possible system of govern
ment can be so Injurious as il neglect of
work and a calling on Hercules, without
taking hold of the wheel 5..:.. q a.. s9s
If the white people of the South were
at this moment in the possession of all
the food and clothing they need for this
year, and were secure of raising it for the
year to come, though no MAN had more
than his homestead,s whieh rs exempt
/ from forced sale, they would be beyond
! the reach of Federal oppression. They
can become 50 this year, in spite of con-
gressionai eDactments and even the pass
ing of their State governments into the
hands of adventurers.- N. O. Picoyune.
| How TO MAKE DuLL BUSINESS GooD.
Says the Catedonian of st. Johnsbury,
vt. :-.'If business is dull there is the
greater Importance. of systematic, per-
isistent advertising. 1t is only occasion
ally thata man is fnund who fully appre-
ciates its value as the great development
of the power which brings buyer and
seller in direct and speedy communities
tion., Many a man has already been
1 made rich through the instrnmentaiity
of a .judicious display OF Printers Ink,
ard many more are. yet to follow. Ad-
veftising ID but in its infancy but the
day will come when a man viii as soon
think of working without hands, or walk
ing without feet, as of success without
advetisingn at sssa ~ s2s.sssss = szss'