The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-04
Address or General q. IT. Beauregard to
tho People OF Louisiana.

- O@s1HnHos aafC U06Q maze
the subject OF upgracious and illiberal
observation here and elsewhere, because
OF my support OF resolutions recommend.
ing q closer union Of oil the members OF
the permanent population Of the State.
to promote faithful administration and
Wise and provident legislation. The
ends proposed are not only unobjection-
able, but patriotic and e-worthy.
LIE complaint is OF the means Those
means consist in O candid and frank ao-
knowledgment of constitutional and legal
facts, which mono can deny, and the con-
forming OF our conduct to those pro7i.
slons of the existing Constitution OF the
State OF Louisiana, which arc as follows:
ART. IL. All persons shQl enjoy equal
rights and privileges upon any convey.
anoe OF public character; and all places
OF business or public resort, or for which
license Is required by either State, pa
rish or municipal authority, shall be
deemed places Of public character, aud
shall be opened to the accommodation
anu patronage Of all persons, without
uisHnctlon or discrimination on nccopnt
Of color.
''AnT. 135. All children Of this State,
between the ages OF six aud twentS-one,
shall be admitted to the public schools
or other places OF learning, sustained or
established by the State, in common.
without distinction OF race, color or pre-.
vious condition"
These articles have been enforced by
legislation. which gives to any party
whose rights Hereunder have boen de-
MED, "a right of action to recover any
damages, exemplary rs we'll as actual,
whloh he may sustain, befole any court
OF competent jurisdiction" It cannot,
then. be denied that all the citizens of
the State have been placed upon terms
OF equality i'll their civil and political re.
latlons. No preference is given on &C
count OF complexion, capacity, employ
ment, pursuits or the holding of pro.
perty to any individual or class. The
superiority that the possession of these
may attain, depends upon the voluntary
recognition by persons differing in com.
plexion and capacity, and of different
employments and degrees of education
ihe suffrage OF every man of lawful age
ls to be counted at every election as OF
the same value. My proposition is, if
possible, to unite these various condi-
tlons OF men irto common effort to
improve the condition OF the State; to
remove, if it can be done, all questions
that are special to any of these condi.
tions from the contest, and to fix the
hearts OF all upon higher and more im-
portant aims. The strife. hostility, dis
trust and enlargement that have followed
from such questions, havo placed our
State under tue control OF the depraved,
dishonest, over reaching and corrupt
The reputation of the State has suffered
its credit blasted, its finances disordercd.
its honor stained und public and private
prosperity retarded under the influence
| OF the strife and the use made of it by
the artful and selfish adventurers, who
have employed power to accomplish
| these disastrous results. In unr dist ract.
ed condition, after the general elections
OF last November, we appealed in win to
Congress for relief; the Administration
has, moreover, thrown its powerful influ-
| ence on the side OF our corrupt, usurp-
ing State Government, and wa can evi-
IDENTITY hope for no assistance from our
| sister States. We must, therefore, look
| only to ourselves for salvation, which oan
only be secured by making firm alli-
ance with all classes of our population.
to rid Ga 0! those vampires who are suck.
ing the very iife-blood Of our people.
whites and blacks.
It is manifest that nothing but the for
bearanoe Of the colored people prevents
them from subjectinS common carriers.
and oil keepers of places of public re
sort, to such losses and anIoyances as
would speedily compel tho practical ac.
acknowledgement Of their rights or the
abandonment Of business. A multi
pllcity of suits. the result of which 10
far az opr State courts are concerned)
could not be doubtful, would soon ex-
haust the endurance of the mos: violent
prejudice. Meanwhile, during a series
Of years, tho obstinate denial Of these
clnims OF our colored fellow citizens by
the whites has been tho means of array.
ing whites and blacks. almost soiidly. in
bitter political hostility against each
other. II has driven the blacks into on
unnatural coalition with horde OF un.
scrnpn!ous adventurers, who Lave thus
secured the political power Of the com
monwenlth. How have they used it,?
10 what IA sad condition have they not
reduced the State. It is an oft told tale,
which l, son Of Louisiana, holding her
honor dearer than "the rndlv drcps
which visit this sad heart" have no dis.
position to repeat.
[ may be mistaken in srpposing tha.
frank and cordial concession of abso.