Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1872-04-06
j. MADISON WELLS.

paper puOlsned III thls uis.iio', an III
disguised sneer at what said paper
termed the pertinacity OF tile Gazette
in keeping at the head OF its columns
the name of Hon. j. Madison Wells as
a suitable person to be nominated by
his party to represent them in Con
gress FROM the fiftli district of Louisi-
ana, whenever an election is ordered,
and at the same time suggesting other
names from which selection nigh t
I've made more advantageously and adj
visably. 1t is very true that in the
balance which now appears to be the
fashionable and popular standard for
weighing public men in the South,
Governor Wells might be placed and
found wanting, as he is neither car
pet Dagger or a colOred man but ma
tive born Southerner of pure caucas
sian blood, and the good old stock who
gloried and still glory in the name of
creole.
Aud here let us digress for mo-
ment from the subject we commenced,
for fear of being farther misunderstood
and misrepresented about these words
and as the most important OF the two,
commence with the question OF caste
or. color. This is not as a political
community according to our expert
ehce in editing newspaper, very
obseryant or recollective one, or We
might recur to an article we wrote in
1853 on the subject which even then
Swallowed forth our sentiment and one
of cur best friends told us then was at
least fifty years in advance of the times
but which only proved about six 5or
eight, and in the same way only mach
sooner we hope and believe some OF
our ideas will be realized which an
other highly esteemed friend told US. a
day OF two since were also several
years in advance o. The present epoch.
Rereaoas nos naoutons however, color
and caste. ef s
AS far as regards every right which
citizenship and the constitution gives
our people We wish to see them enjoy
lall of them as fully and uurestrictedly
as the whites, and shall always con-
tribute our humble efforts to that end,
and of course included in that recOg.
/ milton of all other rights, is the right
! to run for and hold Office whenever
nominated and elected TO it-but we
do hope, for their own sakes as we'll as
ours, that they will have the prudence
and foresight as they have the power
not to place men in Office incapable OF
performing the duties belonging to it
We hope this may be satisfactory tc
those whom it concerns, particularly
when coupled with avowal, that VIZ
shall always support the Republican
nomination even though we regard
part of it iujudicious. So much TO
) color and caste and now for carpet
baggers-so called. We regard NJ
man as carpet Dagger who comes t.
the South from the North or an.
where else, to stay any length of time
longer or shorter, with the laudabl
! and honest intention of lettering hi
condition and acting fairly toward
} the people. But we do not thin
{ he tsouM be acting fairly, if unless h
/. identified himself with the South an
, her people for a considerable time a
I least, he did take Office, aud therefor
!, now at this juncture we are OF
!. posed to any six months man, bein
j elected or appointed to Office. W
B are particular again, so as not to b
! misunderstood, there are men anon
, us who were strangers once, but al
+ not SO now, men who though ofiic
{ holders, are good citizens, and who I
all appearances, have cast their futuI
& lot among us for veal or for woe.
That the distinguished subject
:, this article. ever left US, was most ce
tainly not his misfortune, as he has a
quired name and reputation, whic
if not entirely unassailed is still a thin
to he proud of, and precious heritas
: to his children. 1t would be a work I
folly for us to attempt here, hlstoi
of, or panegyrick on Governor Well
OF Mat. Wells, as he is familiarl
known all over the country, to attemi
to wash him spotless white, or pail
him inky black, nor is it at all nece
y 4 ii. 81