The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1873-09-06
Ihe Late Attempt at Unffication
Of the Races

IL is now, we believe, generally conceded
that the attempt recently made in New Or
leans, by certain respectable and patriotic
ei1izens, TO bring about an entente cortiale in
reference to the formation of party sincerely
intent upon reforming our State Government
and purging it of the corruptions and abuses
that have crept into it, was failure-a signal
failure. The black man of Louisiana is wed.
ded TO his idols. The carpet -bagger and the
scaliaWag, whether of black or white COM
ploxion, have firm, @ ieath-like hold upon
him and whithersoever they lead will he 20
whatever command they give will he obey-it
matters not whether it leads to the prosperity
OF our common country or to its impoverish-
ment and ruin.
And to these rulers of the blacks in this
State-these enemies to the material as we'll
as moral advancement and prosperity of our
eountry-is the late great fiasco to be attrib-
uted. There is nothing which they dread
mere, nothing which fills them with such shud-
derlng, as the escape from the meshes of their
wicked authority and power of the black citi-
zens OF this State, and their return to friendly
and confidential relations with the substantial
white citizens thereof. This would soon bring
about the downfall of the iil-getten power of
the et-bagger and his co-worker and CO.
| eonspirator, the scallawag-'sa consnmmation
devoutly to be wished" by all good citizens,
but abhorred and dreaded by those who reap
the benefits of this unfortunate state of things.
1t Is now apparent. it would seem, that the
party of real progress, of conservatism, re-
form and retrenchment in our governmental
affairs can reasonably expect nothing-no aid,
no support-from the black man of Louisiana.
Like Ephraim of old. he is ",ioined to his
idols" and we must let him aIone.o Yes, let
him alone in his glory with the pet-bagger
and the scallawag He has been warned time
and again of the danger of the lead that he is
following; but he is stitf-necked, and will not
heed the warning. "Let him alone"
He has been repeatedly assured by the lead
ing men and the leading papers of the con-
seryative reform party of this State, that his
rights and interests under the law will be res
pected and protected by them; that all the
past issues that have been settled are not to
be disturbed that an honest, an earnest CO.
operation with him is desired by them, to res
tore the prosperity of our State. and to rescue
it from the horde of rapaeious denagogues
who have obtained possession of it's govern
ment through fraud and the votes of black
citizens and scallawags. But all in vain. He
is COINED to his IDOLS and we fear that we
must 'let him alone.n
The future welfare of Louisiana, we appre-
hend, must be worked out by her white popu-
lation alone, unaided by the black man. 1t
remains to be seen whether that population is
adequate to the herculean task, for such il is
Could the colored citizens of the State be
weaned from their idols-the "golden calves
and "brazen serpents that have been set up
before them to be worshipet--this great task
could be accomplished with surprising ease