The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-08-08
"Malice Or Stupidity"

uG OllON1uS lIOu 1COuuUdDOulS
column of the New Orleans Times of
July Sd, may be out of date as to the oc-
casion which called it forth, but the
remarks are as just and true now as
ever:
Gen. Beauregard leaves his critics a
rather unpleasant alternative when he
suggests that only malice or stupidity
can find anything in the unifcation
resolutions which cOntemplates an in
reference with private or social mat
ters; and yet his remark has the aWk
ward characteristic of fitting the Occa-
sion pretty we'll. The General possesses
a soldierly fashion of getting to the
gist of things. He has been annoyed
by the incOmprehensible public senti
ment which so palpably and so grossly
miscOnstrues his action, and he hits out
neatly, but very straight, in response.
Possibly Roundabout hears as much
of this talk as any one man in New
Orleans, and on purely benevolent
grounds it troubles him. He will hear
very respectable person say:
"What right has he to force social
equality on us?7
but he don't say anything of that
sort"
eyes he does I guess 1 read it. I
rather think know what a man means
when he tells me-"
"YOu don't appear to, anyhow. Gen.
Beauregard advocates nothing but the
concession of civil and political rights
already granted by the law. The cOlOred
people can claim and obtain them any
time. The law leaves judge no alter
native but to decide in their favor. All
Gen. Beauregard wishes is to acknOwl-
edge these things frankly. They exist
and you can't help yourself. What
sense is there in fighting against a tat
dccOmpk?"
81 don't recognize any such laws.
| They were not made by us, and don't
see why we should obey them"
"Perhaps you don't; but you'll have
| to, sooner or later, and you'd better do
it now while there is some appearance
coming when it will be forced upon yOu
| whether you will or no, and then you'll
be quick enough to wish the advantages
now offered you. It will be little late,
my boy. We were late on recOnstruc-
ton, late on recognizing the political
existence of the negro; but you see we
had to come in, however ungraCefully.
Where are we now? In hopeless mi
nority, without fraction of political
power, at the mercy Of the opposite
party, and yet we have the preternatural
impudence to argue about cOnceding
rights we never gave and cannot with
! hold? If it were not so horribly sUici-
dal, it would be the most laughable
thing on earth.n
Il have heard all that before, and it
may be so, but know this much if we
are downtrodden and oppressed, we can
at least bear out our troubles like
gentlemen, and not kiss the hand that
smites u.s."
eyes, and you've heard all that be-
| fore too. Some one was talking for
! effect or in the way of business, and you
think it sounds fine. You talk about
enduring your troubles like hero.
You don't do anything of the sort.
You're always crying and sniveling
| about taxation and usurpatiOn. You
appeal to Northern sympathy and ill
the Northern press with your lamenta-
tions, and yet you think that is bearing
it with dignity Pooh! The thing is be-
coming disgusting and we're all getting
to be held in deserved contempt. We
howl and below every time we're hit
but we haven't the courage to make up
with the enemy. It strikes me that if
we are whipped we ought to confess it.
if not, we ought to prove it by helping
ourselves.
The only thing is that Gen. Beaure-
gard being a gallant soldier, knows
when he is in the wrong and lays down
his arms while it can be done grace
fully"
This is a sample of the stupidity line
of opposition. The malicious is mucl
more offensive, though not so hopeless
perhaps.
Yet it is plain to every clear-headed
dispassiOnate man, whether he favOrE
the move or not, that Gen. Beauregard'S
address states nothing but the simple
straightforward, ug " truth.
| OATMEAL IN DR1NKs.-Some time
ago we presented some statements re-
garding the use of oatmeal in water as {
beverage. We find a reproduction of &
commendatiOn of the preparation il
another journal. The editor says:
"Last summer we attended a fielC
trial of plows, and for drink in the
field we had buckets of cold water with
oatmeal stirred in, which we found tt
} be both victuals and drink, and mighty
refreshing"
The Medical journal. of Edinburgh
says: "That in it's raw state, when i
is mixed up with water, it is becoming
| q IdVOIAb6 ulSns lIlG DIUS0 OI AuIC
Scotland is becoming a favorite dish
and we are glad to note this, because
! we believe it to be healthy and muscle
: forming cOmmOdity-by the hunters
and trappers in the West, who are sub
stituting Oat meal in this form fOl
parched Indian corn. The same
brawny fellow whose powers Of endu
rance are proverbial, whose scorn O
fatigue is known to all readers Of trave
and natural history-have found ou
that very acceptable drink is made b.
} putting about two teaspoonfuls of Oa
| meal to tumbler Of water. This they
| the hunters and trappers-aver to b,
/ the best drink they can use, as it is a
| once nOuTishing, unstimulating an(
satisfying"
CORRECT-ELI PERKINS VIEWS OF
: BRIDAL ToURs.-Ei Perkins write
thusly to the New York Graphic wha
he thinks about bridal tours. "ThC
} other day old Mr.. Thompson-Bald
headed Thompson, the fellows cal
; him-of Lexington, took his third wife
: He was just as happy when he led thi
J lamb to the slaughter as when he LEI
the first-apparently After the cere
mony he started on the proverbial tril
: to Philadelphia, by way of Jersey City
l I say this because he might have gon'
r by way of Niagara Falls. He took hi
' bride with him. That was kind ant
/ cOnsiderate of Thompson. The mos
r heaFf-rending thing in the world is "A