Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-07-17
5ftistellameuus &rading.
ADDRESS OF GEN. G. T. BEAUREGARD.

ADDRESS OF GEN. G. T. BEAUREGARD.
| Fello,u- Citizens Of Louisiana II have been
made the subject of ungracious and illiberal
observations here and elsewhere, because of
nv support of resolutions recommending a
closer union of all the members of the perma-
nent population of the State, to promote faith
ful administration and wise and provident
legislation. The ends proposed are not only
unobiectionable, but patriotic and praise wor-
thy. The complaint is of the means Those
means consist in candid and frank acknowl-
edgment of constitutional and legal facts,
which none can deny, and the conforming of
our conduct to those provisions Of the existing
Constitution of the State of louisiana which
are as follows:
cart. IS. All persons shall enjoy equal
rights and privileges upon any conveyance of
a public character !; and all places of business
or public resort, or for which license is re-
quired by either State, parish or municipal
authority, shall be deemed places Of public
character, and shall DC opened to the accom-
mediation and patronage of all persons, with
out distinction or discrimination on account
of COLOR
cart. 1876. All children of this State, be-
tween the ages of six and twenty-on 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 previous condition"
These articles have been enforced by legis-
lation, which gives to any party whose rights
Hereunder have been denied, "a right Of ac-
ton to recover any damages, exemplary as
we'll as actual, which he may sustain, before
any court of competent jurisdiction" 1t can
not, then, be denied that all the citizens of the
State have been placed upon terms of equality
in their civil and political relations. No
preference is given on account of complexion,
capacity, employment, pursuits or the holding
of property to any individual or class. The
superiority that the possession Of these may
attain, depends upon the voluntary recogni-
ton by persons differing in complexion and
capacity, and of different employments and
degrees of education. The suffrage Of every
man of lawful age is to be counted at every
election as of the same value My PROPOSE
ton is, if possible, to unite these various con-
ditions of men into a common effort to I'M
prove the condition of the State; to remove,
if it can be done all questions that are special
to any of these conditions from the contest,
and to fix the hearts of all upon higher and
more important aim. The strife, hostility,
distrust and estrangement that have followed
from such questions, have placed our State
under the control of the depraved, dishonest,
over-reaching and corrupt. The reputation
of the State has suffered, its credit blasted, its
finances disordered, its honor stained, and pub
lie and private prosperity retarded under the
influence Of the strife and the use made Of it
by the artful and selfish adventures, who
have employed power to accomplish these dis
astrous results. In our distracted condition,
after the general elections Of last November,
we appealed in vain to Congress for relief;
the Administration has, moreover, thrown its
powerful influence on the side of our corrupt,
usurping State Government, and we can evi.
IDENTIFY hope for no assistance from our sister
States We must, therefore, look only to
ourselves for salvation, which can only be Sc
cured by making firm alliance with all class
es of our population, to rid us of those vam-
pires who are sucking the very life-blood of
our people, whites and blacks.
1t is manifest that nothing but the forbear-
ance of the colored people prevents them
from subjecting common carriers, and all
keepers of places public resort, to such losses
and annoyances as would speedily compel the
practical acknowledgment Of their rights or
the abandonment Of business. A multiplicity
Of suits, the result Of which ESQ far as our
State courts are conccrned) could not be
doubtful, would soon exhaust the endurance
Of the most violent prejudice. Meanwhile,
during series of years, the obstinate denial
of these claims of our colored fellow-citizens
by the whites has been the means Of arrayng
whites and blacks, almost solidly, in bitter
political hostility against each other. 1t has
driven the blacks into an unnatural coalition
with horde Of unscrupulous adventures,
who have thus secured the political power Of
the commonwealth. How have they used it
: TO what sad condition have they not reduced
the State. 1t is an oft told tale, which |, n
son of louisiana, holding her honor dearer
than "the ruddy drops which visit this sad
heart" have no disposition to repeat.
/ may be mistaken in supposlng that a
frank and cordial concession Of absolute and
practical civil, as we'll as political equality
between all citizens, without discrimination,
on account of race or color, as proposed in
this movement, would remove the last barrier
which opposes the political cooperation OF
good men, of whatever color, or for the regen-
Grafton of the State; but / am earnest in my
conviction that am not mistaken. Expert
ence seems, at all events, to have demonstra-
ted two propositions quite conclusively, viz:
/. That without such cooperation the redemp-
tion of the State is impracticable. q That
such cooperation cannot be secured on. any
other terms. Besides, am profoundly con-
vinced that no sound and lasting system of
political philosophy can be constructed under
existing facts in Louisiana, at least which
does not recognize such equality. Every such
system must square itself so as to consist in
all it's expressions and implications with the
fundamental fact of impartial suffrage. When
we are asked why we refuse to admit colored
people to the enjoyment Of public privileges
on a footing Of equality with other citizens, it
is not sufficient to say that in so doing we
merely exercise right for which we are COM
PEELED to give reason. There must be some
reason or motive at the foundation Of all hu-
man conduct And if at the basis of this
course of conduct participated in by the mass
of the white people of the State, there docs lie
reason so powerful as to defy the provisions
of the constitution and laws and the DEGREES
of courts, it certainly concerns the colored
man to inquire whether, carried 10 its logical
consequences, it does notthreaten other rights,
of which he already has the full enjoyment.
Yet would ask any one to state why COL
ored man should not participate in these pub
lie privileges, which would not be a better
reason why he should not serve on jury,
wbv he should not hold responsible offices,