The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-07-19
The Political Situation.
GOV. P. o. HEBERT SEES IN UNIFICA.
.TION THE ONLY ROAD TOPROsPERITY.
BAYOU GOULA, La, July 4, 1873

A-ANy N1J - y
To the Editor Of the New Orleans Times:
There was a time when, perhaps, my
views and opinions upon politics and
least, considered worthy of some con-
sideration. That day may have gone
by:
At all events, my native State did,
Once upon a time, honor me with the
highest official position within her gift.
There | endeavOred to do my duty, hon
estly and faithfully. No record gain
says this.
A sense of gratitude alone, if nothing
else should dictate a word from me in
u present crisis.
| nave read Gen. Beauregard's ad-
mirable letter, bearing date July the
first.
With him, in all it's sentiments and
far reaching policy Of craftsmanship, I
stand, as we did in the "Lost Cause,n
shoulder to shoulder"
This is no new conviction of mine.
It dates from the day that bur flag was
lowered.
The late war was not a civil war" It
was a war between two combinations of
allied sovereign States.
When the war closed we were a con-
Quered people.
We had no rights save those vouch-
safed to us by the usages aud laws of
war, recognized by civilized nations.
To these we had to submit at the dis
position, generous OF unmercifrl, of the
v4ctOrs.
We never were "rebels" in the worlds
acceptatiOn of the term-but simply
citizens, turned into soldiers, of over
eign States, banded together, fi0htinT
for separation and an "indeDenLence
Of our own.
The war ended, and against us. We
accepted the situation, "nOlens volens''
at least all the soldiers" did. Not
so, it is to be feared, those politicians
who never 'smelt gunpOWdern in the
contest.
Four millions more or less, of slaves
were made free. This inevitable result
every SOutherner who had any sense
expected-if we failed.
We did fail, after a struggle to which.
for devotion, abnegatiOn, persistent
suffering, moral courage, personal BRAY
cry and patriotism, history, ancient OF
modern, search it as you will, furnishes
no parallel.
Well, the slave was "emancipated.'
Was that enough? Clearly not. TIC
LCbU4 AAAA W PAOUCSU 4I4IlISClls IL dc
deemed necessary (nO matter how dan,
gerOus the experiment., in view of his
ignOrance-an essential to slavery, il
not q result) to give him suffrage and
rights civil.
This was done. A horde of adventu.
rers and army 'bummers' came down
upon us like Egyptian ~locusts, and
1reyed upon the ignorance and credu,
-ity Of the poor negro. Our people were
ruined and the State bankrupted. The
rate of taxation in louisiana is heavier
than that of any other civilized State
OR country on the face of the globe
There is not, actually, at this time
enough of ready, available money il
the country to pay the taxes now due
The laws forcollection, if enforced, arr
simply acts of co~nfscation. The plan.
ter gets along from "hand to MOUTH
he realizes only, if then, at the end O.
the year. Apply the immediate tax Law
to him and he is ruined. Sad, but true
The thieves who have brought abOu
this state Of misery and desolation By
using the passions, prejudices, and ever
the superstitions of the freedmen a.
tools for their own purposes, are nov
reveling, unmolested, in the wealth O
their ill-gotten gains. (And here be i
recorded that these swindlers were no
all foreign to the land. Many of on
Otvn Ito the manor born" eagerly Joined
these bandits and shared in the unhol,
plumber OF. an Impoverished pe0ple.)
In the meantime the poor freedman
the former slave, per Sc, gets nothing.
He, to live, must still hew wood an(
be a drawer of water. No "Turkey'' t,
him Once-nO, never. He is beginnina
to find out all this-tO open his ewes
Hence the necessity IN the part Of tn,
thriving thieves to throw him off OF
some false scent. And here comes il
the cry of social rights, !" SOCIAL equal
ty." Now let u.s. spike that gun, by Civ
ing to the freedmen all ssociGt right
and eQaGLtg," in their utmost latitude
Why should we SOuthers oppose this
What harm will it do? Way shoult
not a well behaved, respectable, de
Gently dressed cOlored man have q boz
at the theatre, and a state-room on
steamboat, board and lodging at hotel
a drink at o public bar-room, a sleepinI
berth ON a railEoad-if he is able AM
willing to pay for the same in the lega
currency Of the country Grant al
!, these pTivleges-and denend upon il
! they will not be abused. We haze I
{ COME to this at last, Why sickle at j
noW2
In all countries and eommunitie
| social relations regulate themselves
No law can touch that.
England is, perhaps. the freest coun
| try in the word. Nowhere arepersons
: rights more strictly guarded and PR
tected-nowhere is justice more ,impal
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