The Opelousas courier., 1873-10-25
ssOrder Hseigns jn Warsaw. ''
IN. O. Herald, Sept. 26.1

Somewhat of the spirit which impelled this
celebrated telegram of a merciless and rapa-
cious military chief, from the city which he
had crushed with shot and shell, and the exc
cution of thousands of the brave citizens,
must prompt those who declai@ against the
proposition adopted by the Conifnittee Of Sew
enty, and the supporters OF the McEnery gov
ernment of this State, cOnvOking State Con-
ventiOn.
The argument is, first, that previous efforts
to obtain justice and Vlndcate the right have
proved so Intellectual.
Secondly. we have more serious domestic
care demanding our attention aud our entire
withdrawal from the distracting conflicts OF
politics.
Boiled down, these propositions involve the
pusillaninity of abandoning all efforts to
maintain the right on the first repulse OF
striking our colOrs at the first gun; of re-
treating IN disgrace and dismay at the first
charge of the enemy.
There is little use in discussing such a pro-
position before our people. We need only
state it. Nor does it rest upon facts. The
cause has not yet been surrendered, nor has
the battle been gained by the enemy. The
question of the legality of the usurpation OF
Kellogg is still pending before Congress. As
a political questiOn-and it has been so reco3-
niZcd by Congress, certainly by the Senate
it would be in the highest degree discredltahlc
and unmanIy if we abandoned the issue, which
we have provoked and have presented to Con-
greSs for its solution.
And what is now proposed is simply to con-
| vene an assemblage of representative men OF
the State, with view of presenting the true
| facts Of our case and exposing the enormous
frauds and violence by which our people have
been detlauded of their rights as ireemen and
as citizens, and subjected to a government
which is the opprobrium of modern civlliza-
| tion.
We can imagine nothing more damaging to
! tnti would btA
| abandonment of Il demand, such us we have
made in Con greSs. 1t would, i'll fact, involve a
| gross contumacy and dlsrespect to that body
Nor is there anything worthy of considera
| tiOn in the suggestion. that in the assertion o1
| our political rights, aud in the performance OF
the duties of all freemen, we should be sacri
| fcing our material interests. There is no such
consequence; aud if there was, the obligation
| to assert and maintain our political rights
would still be a paramount one to that which
would narrow down our whole concern, and
absorb all our energies and interest III the
| pursuit of mere present comfort and materia
| welfare.
Even in the practical view of the subject
! the resistance to the present usurpatlon ou9
| to he prosecuted with all the earuestness and
! vigor that can be brought to bear against it
The main cause Of the present embarlass
ments and impOverishment of our people, IL
all their commercial and all other relations, il
distinctly traceable to the maintenance i'll it:
! government of the cOrmOrant horde whicl
| has been inducted into power through The
frauds of the Kellogg party aud the vo5nc'
OF Federal power.
Can we ever have prosperity, thrift and pro
gress in this State when it is subjected to thu
greed and plunder of this rapacious crew
What will the fertility OF our soil, the indus
try of the people, the growth and extension
of our commerce avail us if the rule of such
government is to be continued! Who doe
not see and acknowledge that the great evil
tue main incubus, the overpowering obstacl
to our progress and restoration, is the exist
ence OF such government! Why, then
should we spare any efforts sacrifices to re
lieve the State of this ''source of all our woes.