The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-07-19

/" the unification of the races" for the
following reasons:
| I. We do not believe that such a
good faith, as it will be hot a voluntary
concession but an unnatural compact to
accomplish certain purpose.
Most of the disasters under which we
labor have resulted from the policy of
the Republican party in subjecting us
groes, and to the rule of carpet-baggers,
scalaWags and other evils which have
resulted therefrOm. In other measures
many of us are prepared to act in ac-
cord with that party. We are not pre-
pared to confess that our opposition to
its policy has been influenced by purely
factiOus motives.
The negroes were made voters in
despite of our protests, and such peace
able resistance as we could make. The
result has been to confirm us in the
justice of our convictions. Carpet
baggers, scalawags and ignorant venal
negro representatives are the legitimate
fruit of comforting the rights of Ameri-
| can citizens upon a race utterly untitled
| to appreciate or exercise them. Until
the negroes have proved themselves
better fitted to vote, we are ut II loss to
selves or them by comforting greater
privileges on them. We cannot see
! that the representative negroes are in
any way better than the carpet-baggers;
on tho contrary, it has been repeatedly
asserted in the New Orleans papers that
the present "bayonct" legislature, COM
posed largely of negroes, excels in igno-
rance and villainy any which we have
yet had.
We, therefore, repeat that we do not
believe our people to be devoid of both
principle and judgment, and until we
are prepared to acknowledge as much
we do not believe that such a compact
can be executed in good faith. If not
executed in good faith, it can only
serve to excite and embitter the negroes
by arousing desires which can never be
gratiticd.
II. Admitting that we have been
wrong; that our conduct has been in
tluenced solely by prejudice, and that
the negroes are in all respects our
equals. In taking so important Il step as
the admission of people of another race
into our intimate social relations, as we
arc bound to class all those privileges
which we are now asked to conce,le to
the negroes, it is best to consider what
effect it will have on lis, and in what
way it will benefit them.
This experiment, which wcare asked
to make, is comparatively untried with
us. Those privileges which the negroes
now demand of us, have never been
given to them practically, even in the
Northern and Western States. Unfor-
tunately for civilization, it has been
tried in other States, and the result has
been, not the elevation of the in ferior,
but the debasemcnt of the superior race.
Mexico and the West India Islands, |
ire calling to us now to deliver them |
rom the consequences of such mis-
axe, the rule of Il vicious mongrel pop
'i;tlion. AnlaISanlatlOn has been the
'esult of equal social relations in all
'ges and all nations, and we are not
prepared to advise the infusion of the
blood OF three millions of negroes into
he veins of the American people.
III. Tho negroes, AZ the free Iaborcrs,
nave proved deficient in the qualities
ot industry, economy, and honesty.
The fields which We're once cultivated
by them, and which produced the
wealth OF the South, are now, with II
few exceptions, waste and unprouuc-
tive. More than halt the cotton crop
of the country, is made by white labor,
and every year the number increases.
1t is admitted on every hand, that our