The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-06-21

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the power of the white man to grant
voluntarily those rights which the law
guaranteed. It was upon this basis
theEproposed to Join together. lie this
was to be done at q mass meeting the
colored people would not omit They
would wait until the white people would
make up their minds. They would wait,
if necessary, for years:
Mr.. Marks, relinQuishing the chair, i'll
a most spirited speech urged al accep-
lance Of the situation without mental
reservation. He had publicly proclaimed
his belief in this line of policy more
than a year ago. There was no middle
course. We must meet the cOlOred
men fairly and h%Onorably, with no con
ditiOns or restraints. Harmony could
only be restored by a perfect equality.
He himself had suggested every i'm
pOrtant feature of the report. If it
were necessary he would be personally
responsible for them. Half way meas
ures would avail nothing. The gentle
men must meet the issue squarely, or
give up the entire programme.
MI. }. II. kennard, i'll a most bolster
Gus and irrelevant speech of half an
hours length, endeavOred to show that
in suggesting to the p]roprietors of
fOundries and the officers of corpora
lions that no distinction be made be-
tween the races, the committee were
acting in diSObedience of the cOnstitu-
ton and in violation Of vested rights.
This tempest in a teapot drew forth
from DR.. ROudanez one of the most
earnest, characteristic, and powerful
| rebukes that it has ever been the for
tune Of the writer to hear. His bitter
protest against a seeming triting with
a question involving the salvation of
thousands, his defiant assertion of the
cOlOred mans rights, and the dignity
preserved by him throughout, would
have silenced many a far ADLER man.
Capt. Fenner to explain that
the course he suggested was only one
of the manner of achieving the object,
He was no bOlter, and if the other
course was deemed the most iudiciOus
he would stand by it.
Hon. J. Henri Burch, suggested that
in the vote which was about to be taken
the cOlored gentlemen present should
take no part. 1t was to decide what the
white men were going to do, not the
cOlored, and the latter should remain as
disinterested spectators. His closing
remarks for moderation, sound common
sense, and genuine %elOquence, would
nave been CrcdltaDle TO even the most
distinguished gentlemen present.
Col. James Lewis in a short address
recited many of the grievances under
which the cOlored man at present
struggles, describing with no small dc,
gree of sarcastic candor his own posi-,
ton, and urged if those present evel
hoped to be relieved of the calamity
which hung over them to do this act o.
justice.
Gov. Antoine considered that the re.
port expressed all that the cOlOred MAJ
asked, and that it's adoption would a
once establish a unity between the two
races. Previous to this several of the
white gentlemen insisted that when thu
vote was taken every member of the
committee should participate.
The previous question was then called
and the majority report was unanimous
ly adopted. On motion of DR.. ROuda
nez the President was authorized to ap
point a committee Of fifteen to call
mass meeting of the citizens of New Or
leans at such time and place as the9
might select. To this committee wa
assigned the duty of having printed an(
prepared for the signatures the allow
report. Upon motion, unanimOusl!
adopted, every member of the com
mittee affixed their signatures to tn
| HOp11mnOt Their names 1rn