The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-08-16
OUR PLAIN DUTY.


Gov. John McEnery, after spending
several days very pleasantly among his
friends and admirers here, left Wcdnes-
day morning, on the cars, for New Or
leans. We had opportunity to ex-
change only few words with the Gov
ernor, but found him fully alive to the
work before him. He Expresses, as
one 1nisgiving, fear that the people
will grow tired of the struggle in which
such weighty interests are involved.
1t is apparent that no one man, nor
one hundred men, can STAY the mon
ster, Uusurpation, unaided by the peo-
pie themselves. Public opinion must
be brought to bear in all it's power and
efficacy, to undo tho monstrous
wrongs and outrages that have been
devised for the ruin of the State, and
every good citizen is directly Interested
in tho holy crusade in defense of our
rights and our liberties. Office is moth
ing: agovernment that protects, fosters
and builds up a people is everything.
1t is the battle of principle, that we
have to fight. We have been robbed,
insulted, and temporarily defeated.
The next step of the Usurpcrs will be
to prosecute their opponents. The OK
listing lull and senlblance of kindness,
is only the soft stroke of the cats paw,
whose claws and teeth are whetted to
accomplish our final undoing. It is the
hypocrisy Of the serpent that charms,
and then destroys its victim-the dccep-
ton and cunning necessary to fasten
misrule upon us by our own consent
(by non-action,) and then to gorge
itself by indiscriminatc plumber of the
people.
1t is both Il pity and shame that
there are people who hug ethe dclusivc
phantom of hope" that living terms
can be anadc with the Usurpers.
How much longer and oftcncr do we
require to be betrayed, before we learn
that there is q wcll-rccognized class of
politicians in this State and all over tho
South, who are not to be trusted? DO
they, let us ask, oven trust themselves
Do they not sstallc q bond of fatc," be-
fore they will rely even upon each
other? And shall we trust mon who
will not trust each other?
Shall we he SO base and mean, so
slavish and abject, as to barter principle
for tho sake, simply, of ccasing resist
ance? Thcman who docs it is a coward.
Resistance to wrong is tho test of cour-
age and Of manhood. Tho laws of ma
ture arc comprised i'll tho simple apo
thegm-Do right, and resist wrong!
Can't resist! Then are you q slave
that you must submit? you nro, in
the name of manhood, hasten to put
on the livery of your master, his collar
and tho other Insignia of your dchascd
calling, and drop out of tho ranks OF
men.
1t is not to be denied that there has
been wormwood mingled With the
cup Louisianians have had to drink
Relief has boon deferred time and time
again. But the ships VIC have sent to
sea, have not all been lost because the
voyage has not yet ended, and the gal
liant commanders have not all surrcn-
dercd. There is sca-room plenty i,
Whici to fight; there is Il rich prize tc
fight for /; besides, the simple ultcrna.
tivei is, We must fight or perish! There
is no making terms with the enemy,
except upon such terms as must leave
us dishonored, disgraccd and hunili:,-
ted, not only in tho eyes of our sister
States, but also in our own.
TO tho citizen who proposes avoiding
the test by neutrality-by withdrawing
to his counting room, or his quiet farm
tho memorable words of Junius will
apply with condcming force: "Engn-
ged in the defense of an honorable cause,
l would take Il decisire part" If there
be reason to believe, us prominent men
declare there is, that the united action
of tho people Of Louisiana can accom-
plish reformation in the government,
then tho citizen who withholds his sue
cor, his influence and his name from
the effort is no better than tbr ,,,o,,