The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-08-24
Penn to protect your rights than those

Penn to protect your rights than those
of Mr.. Kellogg.
But let me show you further, why such
a ticket can not be elected. By the cen
sus there are $4,000 black people, and
1000 white people in this State. With
the ordinary ratio of five to one, there is
a voting population of 72, 800 blacks, and
72, 400 whites. The strongest Republi-
can vote ever pOlled in this State was in
1870, 65, ,000-of this about 10, ,0O0was white
leaving $1,000 cOlored Republicans vO-
ting, as the highest ever pOlled by. You
in this State thus showing that at least
10000 colored people at each election
have either absented themselves from
the polls or voted the Democratic ticket,
which is the truth. You may put down
safely sc, 900 votes as the utmost limit of
your voting power in this State, as q
black race voting all together. Now, if
you persist in refusing this alliance Of
fered to you by the white people through
their representatives in the Liberal con-
ventiOn, what will be the effect? Dis
cOuraged at the defeat of the hopes
which they themselves had entertained,
and the promises held out to them by
your friends among us; disguised by
your want of courtesy and lack of ap-
probation of the crisis in your own con-
ditiOn, and Of the kindness of feeling
and sincerity of purpose which has ac-
tuated them, and impelled by the strong
contrary pressure which has all the time
been eXerted upon them, they will take
from the ticket your representatives and
unite with the white people of the State,
in forming solid white party.
The Kellogg ticket will then combine
simply the black vote of the State, with
5000 or 1000 white carpet-baggers and
CustOmhouse and pOstOffice employees.
The white vote will this time he fully
pOlled. Making the proper allowance
for absence from the polls, from any
cause, and there will at least be $4,000
white votes polled. This, against your
$1,000 white and black votes, will defeat
you by $1,000 or 0,O00maj Let me
give you another reason why you will be
| defeated. | have not hitherto tal1enintO
account the effect of the State patronage
and the control of the election, which is
| vested i'll a commissioner of election and
registrars, which will this time be in the
hands of the Liberal party. Nor had l
taken into account the lulzewarmneSs
| and apathy OF your people, which have
reason to know, and you know, is be-
coming very general throughout the
State. Nor have taken into account
that you will not make canvass in this
State this election. You will only go
into the river parishes and those near
the railroads. In a vote of black against
white you will not reach the interior
counties of the State.
Now, glance for moment at the re-
suits of defeat. In the first place you
have a hostile Governor and State Off
GERS throughout; you have hostile Leg
| islature composed of Democrats and
men who believe in white mans gov
efnment, with the exception of a few
| struggling colOred men, available, man.
ageable, purchasable, who will rather
| be an assistance to your enemies than a
| barrier against them. You will also lose
the city and parish of Orleans. You will
| then be without a cOlOred man in the
| city government, on the streets, or on
the police, or anything in the patronage
| of all its departments. With the Legis-
| lature in the hands of your enemies, the
laws which have been passed for the
| protection of your race, and your school
| law, and all the liberal laws relating to
you will be in danger of repeal. Not
| only that, but the very bulwark of your
| rights, your constitution will be in their
hands to repeal at any moment they de-
| sire, without q solitary Congressman on
| the floor to defend you. Look atanOthe1
result of your attitude toward Mr.. Gree
ley and the Liberal party. When Gree
| ley Is President-as he is bound to be as
sure asthe sun shines-these Democratic
gentlemen elected to Congress from Lou
isiana will go to him and say, "sir, you
were elected in Louisiana by the votes
of our own people alone !; the black peO-
pie refused to place trust in you; you
owe nothing to them, and we demand
all n
have supported us.n
Therefore, in all the rooms of that big
! granite CustOmh0use building there viii
not be o single eolored man employed
Swarm upon swarm of young whiteme
who will have voted in the election o1
the President and his friends, win have
claims upon them, and will be found
e0ntesting for every position now in the
possession of a cOlOred man. And, still
more, the whole of these people, put in
Office, and from the Governor down viii
| he elected upon an understanding be.
tween them that this is to be a white
mans government, and you are to be
kept down, the reason of that under.
standing being your action to-day in re.
sisting the advances that they have made
Right here let me allude to a converse,
| ton which / had day before yesterday
with your Llentenant Governor, who
now sits in front of me. It was AN in:
terYieW Of an hour and q half, during
which time he made to me. the mos
powerful and pathetic and urgent appea
which man ever made to man, implorina
me under every consideration Of obliga
tion to You, Of interest, of duty and oi
attachment, not to take the course which
I ann about to pursue, but, instead, after
making the most determined fight thaf
/ could upon this floor and urging yOr