The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-04-03
The Relative Number of White and
C0lOred Voters.

It is a very common excuse offer
ed by white men for not registering
that, as there are some 10000 more
colored voters than white ones IN
Louisiana and as all the colored vo-
ters vote the Radical ticket, it would
be useless to register simply tosbe
beaten at the polls. These men talk
without reflection and without tax
ING the trouble to see whether there
is any foundation in fact for their
opinions and for the conduct which
results from them. According to the
census of 1870 the White population
of Louisiana amounted to 100000
and the Colored to se4, 200. Under
the recent amendment to the State
Constitution there is not q single
white man in the State who cannot
register and vote. Taking the usual
proportion of voters as one in seve",
the colorel excess in population OF
22OO would afford an excess OF COL
ored voters in the State of only three
hundred and thirty. But it should
be remembered that the census was
taken in the middle of Summer when
thousands of white men in New Or
leans and in other parts OF the State
we're absent on their usual Northern
trip, and consequently were not en-
umerated in the Genus returns. SO
that there is reason to believe that,
on q full registry, the white voters
would outnumber the colored by sew
eral thousand.
It may be assumed that the body
of the white voters always vote the
Conservative ticket. There were a
few thousand of the Germans in the
city Of New Orleans who used to vote
the Radical ticket, but they will OF
course follow Senator Schurz out OF
the ranks of the Grant party. Out
of New Orleans the combined white
Radical strength will amount to only
about all average of ten carpet-bae
, office holders in each parish.
1t is evident, therefore, that if the
whole white Conservative vote is reg
istered and polled the Conservative
ticket can beelected without any col
ored votes whatever. But there vii
; b e colored conservative votes ii
, abundance on election day. Ever.
} one can name within the circle of hi
r acquaintance several honest coloret
= men who have done with the Radi
cal party and it's plundering of tn
peoples money. They will eithe
vote the Conservative ticket or els
d will stay away from the polls and no
vote at all.
=, With these facts before them tn
colored people can learn an impor
tant lesson. just before his dealt
Oscar j.. Dunn, the Representative
man of the colored race in Louisiana
> advised his friends to cultivate friend
Z ly relations with their white neigt
= bors, for the reason that, in a fe
" years, by immigration the white
would largely outnumber the black
;. and that the latter would therefor
\ be at the mercy of the former. b
% warned them that such treatment {
q they melted out to the white ma
r would be returned them with fu
n measure when that day should arriv
y The colored men should weigh tho!
n well-spoken words.
n Our duty is therefore plaif Evel
IT one should register and every OF
o. should determine to exercise the u
most vigilance to prevent any mo
fraudulent and illegal registerin
K, The Radicals should be taught
a. advance that the Conservative Peep
ID of the State white and colored, W
k not tolerate the registering of mino
I'd andimported black vagbonds, as tn
in did in 1868 and 1870. We int,
Il, to have a fair registry and a fair ele
he ton, and whenever we can have the
re we are confident of carrying t
of State.
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