The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-08-24
from Charles Sumner, which has been

from Charles Sumner, which has been
published
"YOuare right in opposing the usurpa-
tiOns Of the CustOmhOuse in the affairs
of Louisiana; such conduct, though
supported by the administration, is so
hostile to republican institutions, and so
utterly indefensible, that all good Re-
publlcans should cooperate against it.
Pardon me it | should add that, un-
happily, this usurpationis only a type of
the injurious pretentiOns so manifest in
President Grant since his entry into
civil life. The soldier to whom the
country was greatful, is lost in the
president.
The opportunity is now presented
OF placing an original abOlitiOnist in the
White House, who, while guarding the
rights OF the colOred people, will seek
concord. Because Democrats have
adopted him as the candidate I shall
not be deferred from voting for him.
Besides securing a good President,
you must see that no persons receive
your votes as Representatives in Con-
gress who will not at all times stand
by the equal rights of our colored fel-
w-citizens.n
My friends T have about finished
what l have to say. If ever I had cause
to regret my limited powers of cOncep-
ton and expression, it is now, when in
the supreme crisis of your political ex-
istence | see you rushing madly to des-
tructlOn, and at your head leaders who
know whittier they are leading you, and
feel that haven't the power to stay
YOU, Could a man of sufficient power of
intellect and vigOr Of imagination, pos
sessing your confidence, be able to de-
pict to you, faithfully and vividly, the
results OF the course which you are
pursuing as see them, and as they are,
l believe that this whole convention
would recOil with fright from the insane
advice OF the majority. What [ state
to you, and the course I am about to
take, has been the subject of the most
solemn reflection. | have resisted the
appeals of valued friends | have done
this, knowing that my motives would
be inconsistent ; that my efforts would
probably be unappreciated by either one
party or the other. / have seen also
that such course would sunder all the
ties OF past services, obligation and at
tachment.
But, with a full view of the conse-
quences, [ would consider myself the
most recreant Of men, peTjured in my
soul, and faithless to every trust and
obligation under which a man could
rest, if was to hesitate to take this
step to day. The time has now come,
my friends, when it is impossible to
have Republican party based upon
black votes alone. 1t is necessary to
the very existence of the Republican
party at all that it should have admit
ted into its organization large and in
| t1uential white element,
The people of the North are tired and
| alarmed. They are tired of making you
black people of the South the continual
bone Of contention between them and
their white brethren; and they are
| tired OF the OnerOus taxes resulting
from such a contest. They are tired of
| the revival of old issues and animOsi-
| ties they are anxious for the return of
the friendly feelings of the old times
before the war, and for the renewal of
ties of frienship and kindred which
| still exist between the people of the
different sections.
They are tired, too, of this INTERRUPT
ton Of business, the stagnation of trade
and the prostration of credit, brought
about by this anomalous state of affairs
in the South. But more than this, they
are alarmed. They begin to see that
the chains which they are weaving
around the necks of the white people OF
the South, in order to protect you by
the intervention of the power of the
federal government, are also being
woven around their own necks, and
that there is danger of their liberties
being lost in their struggle for yours
| tell you, they are thoroughly and
deeply alarmed, and that that is the
meaning of the great revolution that
is sweeping the North FOR Greeley an(
Brown. They fear that if the Presi
dent may use United States armies, anC
marshals, and CustOmhOuse for inter,
fering with political convention or {
State Legislature in Louisiana without
rebuke from the people at large, that
| the time may come when lie will do i
in Pennsylvania,
They are determined to put o. stoT
to such usurpatiOn. You can't stanC
in the way of such revolution. YO1
must either go with it OF be overwhelmed
by it, and sad reflection is that yO1
must take your choice to-day. Let mC
ask you, also, to think of this that it il
not safe for you to have q party o.
black against white, first one side anC
then the other appealing to the Gentra
power Tor, hayOnetS and marshals to en-.
force the laws. For what can be en-.
forced in your favor and against YOU
opponents by one President and on,
Congress can he in turn enforced agains
you by a succeeding President and
succeeding Congress, if hostile to you
SUCCESS IN BUSINESS s.-The Journal O
Commerce, in answer to the question o
q correspondent, what is the secret O
business success? resnqptlsl
| gifts make bad nanag gers Of any busi
ness, and are too cratic for ordinary ex
ecutive purposes. And it is not high In
tellectual attainments. Few schOlarl
men will lay aside their devotion to let
ters for their own sake, and follow tn
plodding course by which success in bu
siness is to be attained. And it lies no