Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-14

COLORED OFFICEHOLDERS.
Lieut.. Governor Pinchback.

Face was lifted by Congress into the
responsibilities of political life, by
measures especially intended for
and applied to the Southern States
these measures were SO obnoxious
to the native white population, and
that population was SO confident o.
the approaching failure of negro
suffrage, that it tried to ignore
both the reconstruction laws and
the negro voter under them by re-
naming away from the polls. The
first State government, therefore
were established mainly by hand
full of white men backed up by
scores of thousands Of colored men
in every Southern State.
It is true that the lions share Of
Offices were awarded to the whites
and with reason, for at that time
education, pecuniary means and
political experience on their part
gave the white republicans every
advantage over us except that Of
numbers. Even in those States
where any thing like equal recogni-
ton of negro ability and negro
claims to high position showed it.
self the fact was almost entirely
owing to the self-sacrifce and in
trepidity of those who gave up their
own aspirations that their hands
might be free to fight the battles OF
their own color. As a proof of the
correctness of this assertion we
have to refer to the statement of
the venerable Jasper Blackburn, OF
Claiborne parish, when he admitted
that Senator Pinchback had sur
rendered his claims to the Lieu
tenant Governorship though backed
by a superior following because
there were but few colored men able
or willing to fight the battles of
each other. Pichback abandoned
his claims to fight for Oscar j.
Dunn. But now things have so far
changed, through four years of poll
teal experience among our people,
and by four years of proof as to
negro capacity aidedby that sort of
interest which is sure to develope
itself when the common people have
a stake in the soil, that colored men
are supposed to enter the field of
political contest more upon their
merits as men than upon their
simple connection with the race.
When eighteen white Senators cast
their votes for the election of
colored Lieutenant Governor as
they did in the case of the election
of Lieutenant Governor Pinchback,
the clearest and most positive proof
is furnished that the true Republi-
cans are becoming truer, and by a
parity of reasoning all false Repub-
licans are becoming more false.
Nothing has proved the truthfulness
of this last assertion more clearly
than the fact that five or six re-
creant Republican members of the
Senate have entered into a con-
spiracy with its democratic mem
bers and persistently absented
themselves from the Senate Chamber
upon the terms of an unrighteous
agreement to prevent a quorum and
so refuse to recognize the legal
election Of a colored presiding Of
icer.
Be it remembered that this Of
icer Senator Pinchback immediate
y upon the passage Of the recon-
struction acts took an active and a
part in the organization of
he Republican party, and begin
hing from his membership of the
constitutional convention has kept |
up through his senatorial career a
irm and eigilant advocacy for the
recognition of every right and the
of every interest affect
ng the race to which he belongs. |
Whatever party rancor may have
lone or political rivalry may have
in regard to his interest
n the passage of corporation bills,
he most audacious calumniator has
lever yet dared to question his
oyalty to his party or his fidelity to
lis race. Brought up from a child