The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1872-07-27
Gov: WarnnotR and Eais Friends
As EscfarRacrs,

Is Gov. WarnOth and his followers and adj
mirers what they profess to be--real, bona
fae, honest reformersl We say unhesitatiugly
no! Perhaps the Gorernor's friends may ask
for proof, that our denial is correct and true
it is their habit, we believe to do so, whenever
any of their assertions, that Warmoth Is pos
sessed of any particular virtue are denied.
And although it is wrong and contrary to all
rules of proof to require one holding the mega
tive OF proposition to prove it, but on the con-
trary the burden of proof lies upon him who
holds the affirmative; still we will give some
of the facts upon which We rely to show the
correctness of our denial that Warmoth and
his partisans are il good faith and reality in
tavoEof reform In the administration of our
State Government, It's still fresh iu the minds
of our readers that among the measures advo-
Gated and enacted into Law by Warmoth and
his Legislature, universally condemned as
outrageous; fraudulent AID oppressive by the
people of Louisiana, We're: The Election Law.
Shc Registration Law, and the equally infa-
nous afA oppressive Printing Bill. The re-
peal of these laws, passed for TO other pur-
pose than to buildGp ard ,perretuate in our
State, the power of the Governor and his pu,.ti-
sa"s.-was loudly called for by the people.
'"Ihe GorernOr and has fiiends' in and out of
his Legislature, promised, prefusely. that
there should be a reform of abuses; but the
people refused to be appeased until, as an ear
nest that they We're sincere in their promises,
they should repeal those particular laws.
The gorerHor and his JfiieQ&s hesitated-the
people became exasperated and presented to
them threatening aspect. Apprehension of
danger seized npon The gorerRor Gndhi friends
upon his Legislature, and it was proclaimed
through his emissaries that the obnoxious
laws had been repe&letl.-Ths was all done
in the early days of the session of the last
Legislature.-But sueh was not the case. The
laws had not been repealed. and the goueT7toT
and his friends knew it. But the people were
quieted by. the trick :. the gogerMos' and his
friends became afso quieted, and made no fur
ther efforts at repeal. The U: s. troops and
the Metropolitan Police had been called on
and placed by the governor and his friends be-
tween them and danger from an incensed
people. Nevertheless, the gorernor and his
friends continued to amuse the good people
with professions and promises of reform dt1-
ring the session of the Legislature. But the
obnoxious laws were not repealed; they were
simply modified; but modified to an extent
that made them, we have been told, less OBJ
jectionable than they were originally. The
bills modifying these laws were sent to the
governor to be signed. What. has become of
them? 1t has been several months since the
Legislature adjourned and the Governor has
been on a trip.North, and still the new bills
remain unapproved by him. The same old
obnoxious laws are still in force-and will
continue to be in force until they are repealed
by an Intelligent, honest and patriotic Leg
islature, hereafter to be elected. Warmoh
and his friends did not engineer through the
Legislature these laws, throwing into their
. hands such immense powers, to be used to
suit their personal and partisan purposes, for
naught, and to give them up without a des-
perate struggle. These laws are to be used in
the next election, .by the gorernor and his
friends to aid in re-electing him at the head
of their State ticket. Let the people of St.
Landry remember that.