The weekly Louisianian., 1874-06-06
TIE NEGRO as A RULER

"THE NEGRO As A RULER.
r.
Undm this caption, the New @,
Neans Times, in i'll Issue of sanda
writes q tart, ad eaptandum articl
upon the colored race as a polite.
~element-fonowing the same line Z
thought in its Monday issue, on til
subject of legislation in thos
Southern States where the colore;
people are numerically strong an,
supposed to. give complexion to TIL
local laws and government It. i
not our purpose to revise the pre-
tended, historical sketch Of Near,
rule, given by the Times, nor K
rebuff in detail the inconsequentia
conclusions reached by that jour
nal under the circumstances. Tht
purport of the article, to wit: THAI
the colored race, as a political ele.
ment, are unreliable and unsafe
making vicious, improvident, and
oppressive laws; and their rights
to the franchise, a public prong, and
its bestowment upon them unwise,
we will consider. We do not claim
freedom from either mistakes OF
vices, In excess over the white, as
qualities OF colored citizenship.
They may, through ignorance as to
the best methods of subscribing the
public good, or indifference to their
privileges and rights, initiate bad
laws and bad administrators of the
same. Such may have been the
case in Louisiana and other South
ern States; but such mistakes, at
tended with such evil consequences,
are not peculiar to our race; for the
Caucasian has illustrated and
evinced the same weaknesses and
political vices, in the history of the
country. The Tammany frauds in
New York, under Democratic rule,
and the Credit obilier scandal,
under q Republican Administration,
parallel and shadow all the NAL
administration and misrule that
have existed in the semi-revolution-
airy States of the South. Yet, no
colored man, directly or indirectly,
is charged with connection there
with or responsibility therefor.
Will the Times be consistent and
say the franchise to the white race
is a public evil, and questionably
bestowed, because, I'll in these in
stances, it has been abused? Again
the Objectionable legislation Of the
wherein it really exists,
though made in many instances by
men who were elected; largely by
The colored voters, is, in many in
stances, not ~distinctively Republi-
IAN, and in no sort, d$inctuely ex-
oressive. of either the will or the
or conservative Of the inter-
'sts, of the colored race. This Of
legislation has had its origin,
'lmost without exception, in the
mind Of the white Republican or
generally both-andh has
'een made in their personal inter
and not in the interest of our
and even where colored
aen may have eo-operated therein,
hey can legitimately be held re-
ponsible, but not so the race,
HON they misrepresented and who
nffer the effects OF bad government
with their more fortunate
nd more highly favored white fel-
'w-citizens. Another view of
legislation complained of {
be justly taken here. The t
citizen has entered upon q
duties. and undertaken to Q
I've the novel problem of SELF
'vernment, not only under the :
advantages Of an involuntary !,
norance, that was his misfortune :,
It his fault, and unused to the u
w duties demanded by loyalty :
the Government that freed .
and by self-preservation, but ~
the absence Of the sympathy of . =
> educated and more experienced L I
lite brother and with his full op- =