The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-05-22
A PLAINTIFFS VIEWS ON WHITE
LEAGUEISM. a

subject, and condense from it the fol-
lowing: saE 2aesn M ga
The object of this embryo party is to
deprive or withhold from a part of the
citizens of the country their right to
Whatever may be mems opinions
about the propriety Of making citizens
of all men and granting equal privileges
to all, the question is no longer debata-
Bile. 1t is engrafted upon the State and
National constitutions, and guaranteed
by legislation. No reasoning man can
believe that any agitation of that issue,
would bring about a change, The Eas-
tern, the Middle and the Western States
have made citizens of the black mel.
The united action Of every white man
in the South, would not induce them to
undo this work. They consider the ac-
complishment of it q great triumph Of
reason and principle; and. they attribute
to themselves the glory of This triumph.
Aslong as the National and State com
stitntions remain as they are no legisla-
ton of the white men of this country,
can be passed to carry out the purposes
of the White League. Any act In any
way curtailing the right of the black
man to hold Office, would be null. The
White Leaguers must acknowledge this.
We have then q party organizing, to
uJLAnoAa4 n4 rorarnr1or4a ,,rirnsn1n
which cannot be carried out by any law
of the land. Itagitates aauestion which
is never to be settled, except by the re-
mogal Of the black man from tile coun-
try. It makes an issue which must com
tinually present itself at every election,
aud which being vital to The black man
must be continually met by <him. 1t
makes unit Of the black people in OPP
position to those who compose this par
ty, and forces them to remain under the
control of those leaders who have up to
this time induced them to believe that
they are their only friends. What did
we lee among foreign born citizens at
the time the attempt was made to ex-
clude them from, efiee3 However wide
apart they were from each other as
Democrats, or Wigs, or Abolitionists,
III as Catholics and Protestants, they
united and were one in opposition to the
doctrines ofNative Americanism. Like
causes produce like effects, under like
circumstances. What has actuated the
conduct Of men at n time, islikely to
govern their action at another time.
Native A~mericanism denied the right of
office, on account of birth; White Lea
gners deny ii on account ofrace. Neith-
err take into consideration the capacity
of.the man, or the principle which he
advocates, The foreign born citizens
contended that when oneof their num-
Vel, who was intelligent, capable and
virtuous, offered himself or was run for
Office, ii was wrong in principle and
against the good of the country that be
should be voted down by the very peo-
bic Who, by enactment OF naturalization
laws, had induced him to- make their
country his country, and had obtained
from him the remuneration ofllis mother
land. They properly compared such
treatment to that Of the shameless hus-
band who, after enticing from her home
the child OF doting parents, holds her
inferior TO his kin. The black men vii
hold the same language. II among tlie
millions Of their race God has created
some with intellect and good impulses,
and who, moved by noble ambition
have qualified themselves BIZ education
and the practice of virtue to participate
in tile affairs of government, II would
be wrong III principle and against the
interest OF the country to exclude them
for reason OF their race. Yet White
Leagaers would do this; and hoWeYel
favorable to the OlOred candidate might
be the comparison With his white DppO.
nent, ostrralcism must be his LOT.
We must then expect TINT White Lea
gueism will If successful, frt1strase AL
attempts to get the good black men e
corporate with the whites inref0rm Oh
our State laws. And IL not this the
most desirable political Qbiect9 And
can this end BIZ obtained witaouft lie CO.
operation of the black men It's adj
mitted that there are d greater Hulnbel
dc hacks than Of whites id this State
reports and registrations prove this. 4
rsacesatd eaIOr afe4 to be the issue, in tbs
election Of delegates TO the General AS
sembly. aud 10 white man votes for
negro aud no negro votes for q white
man, there must be . majority of blacks
in the Legislators Ard with the knowl,
edge on the partof the blacks that AZ
their white colleagues hold tile doctrine
that they the members 0f the majority
should not occupy their seats. hope
monld there be Of obtaining from ANY
D az them cooperation III shs passage
of aaay wholesome law, or i'll The rep6al
of any bad lav They would be told
by their leaders that the present stat
utes in relation reflections, 10 revenues,
to printing, etc. are necessary III pro.
tect him III his rights. That IL these
safeguards were removed, the White
Leaguers would runsoeer him andwonld
intimidate him dit the polls would b
resistance to tile payment Of mxes with
hold the funds necessa q maintain
tire courts and the executive officers Ut
tlp land would rnip the few papers
wliell sustain his rights And would
ii besurprising II find him placing inl-