The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-03-30
Claiborne Parish.

Orleans papers, of the 24th, I, dispatch,
from Homer, stating that it had been
decided in Il mass meeting held there
estate Reform Convention" to be held
in New Orleans, and the names of the
delegates chosen are Mcssrs. Bartlett,
Black man, Mitchell, Young, Moreland,
Ramsey, Grigsby, Maxcy, Simmons,
and Seattle. The meeting, it is further
stated, expressed the opinion that the
issue in the approaching canvass should
be that Of reform, declaring all other
questions unimportant, and announced
itself in favor of "the suppression of
past party narnes.'
We infer from the dispatch that the
Claiborne meeting ignored the Demo-
cratic state Convention, and accredited
its delegates to the Peoples Party Con-
| vention. The course pursued in Bien-
willie was quite different. There the
people appointed their delegates to the
Democratic State Convention, with au-
thority to sit in the Peoples Party Con-
vention provided the Democratic Con-
venti0n decided to join that organiza-
ton. Our Claiborne friends appear to
have taken the bull by the horns and
to have declared their unqualified adj
hesion to the Peoples Party, s'perfect
equality" free hotels, restaurants and
all. Such, at least, is the inference we
draw from the dispatch, although we
are not satisfied that this inference cor
rectIy represents the political situation
suppose that Il people so refined, peo-
pie Boosting of fine schools and well
known for their energy and their devo-
ton to the cause of the South in the
past, are ready now to admit the cor
rectncss Of Radical heresies-as the Peo-
pies Party has done-and become, as
the pioneers in that party have by their
published creed, Republicans in every
thing save the name. We totally mis-
apprehcnd the meaning of the word re-
form and the purpose of the widespread
feeling in favor of reform, if reform
means "pcrfcct equality" and the poo
pic arc moving now to pcrpctuatc the
wrongs, fOllics and abslrdities advocat-
cd by the Republican party. Admit
that the Radicals arc right in insisting
spccting race, in the enjoyment of pub
lie privileges, such as association upon
equal terms, Of whites and blacks, in
hotels, theatres and stcamboats-Which
the rcforncrs have admitted-a1ld we
may as we'll all join the Republican
party at once. The Republicans arc
mere prctenders, we are aware, but that
gives them the advantage ; because the
character of our people will compel
them to stand up to their pledges in be-
half of even a E,llacy, when it is we'll
known that the Radicals only preach
equality, never practicing it except
about the time of Il popular election. 1t
is known that the negroes themselves
do not claim, as a race, the pernicious
privilege OF perfect equality. They
know too we'll what confusion, trouble
and dire ruin would result from con-
duct SO unnatural as that of forcing
themselves into the presence and sOci-
ETY. of white people, and they have
common sense enough, not to venture
upon the experiment, even where now
all barriers are legally removed. Why
shall we precipitatc a crisis upon society
and business, when no prudent man of
either party or race desires it or is even
anxious to see it come:
p. S.-Sincc putting the above in
type, we have received the official pro-
ceedings Of the Claiborne meeting. The
delegates are accredited to both the
Democratic and Peoples Party Con-
vcntions. The resolutions and speeches
point clearly to the organization of II
new party, whether under the auspices
of the Fifty-onc, of New Orleans, or
not, we are unable to decide. The del
egates are we'll known gentlemen who
will not knowingly ego back upon
themselves or their constituents.
Pint.hlc,rE President of tEn Mar.