The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-08-21
The Problem for the South.

SAN1 ~N@AA IN VIZ
White League, and they announce {
platform which may be briefly described
as a protest against the way the negro
IS using his political power, and a threa1
to resist further progress in this direc.
ton by force, if necessary. There is q
fine flavor of old times about this; but
these are not the old times, and one il
compelled to ask oneself what is likely
to come OF this movement, should it be.
come general. It is however, perfectly
easy to answer such a question. Twenty
years ago the impulses which are evi.
dent enough in this Louisiana move
would have found ready vent. A few
abolitiOnists would have been over
hauled and strung up, a sharper tuIn
would have been given to the patrol
regulations, a few defiant speeches would
have been made in Congress, a " Union
meeting would have been held in New
York, and then, the original motive
power having exhausted itself, the thing
would stop. But now there is no such
wide field in which the excitement OF
the angry Louisianians can be dissipated.
1t must work itself out at home, and
now 1t Will do so, may yet become a Sc
rIOus, II not q threatening, question,
Because it is to be always remembered
that what these white 1eaguers of the
Crescent City are protesting against is
something which owes it's existence to
the operation, or to the perversion, of
either of the laws of their State Or the
laws OF the United States. When they
undertake to put down the evils they
complain of, they are not unlikely to
make some mistakes as to what is sus-
tanned by the actual law, and what by a
perversiOn of law.
The latter can be safely and properly
commended against; resistance to the
former must set in motion the whole of
the vast machinery of the Government
by which the nation protects itself
against anarchy. So far as these young
men by lawful g oppose unlawful
things, they will getOn peaceably, though
we are bound to say they will not ac-
complish much. But when bv unlawful
means they attack that which is sus-
tanned by ever the forms of law, they
will accomplish nothing but their own
ruin. If they are bound to fight rather
than submit to what they deem to be,
and what unquestionably is, oppression
in a lawful guise, they can fight; but
there a be but one result. They will
fail of their end and be terribly punished
for resortlng to violence to achieve it.
1t will make no difference whether Gen
eral Grant or a Democrat is President.
II the Southern whites undertake to re-
slst law, even bad law, by force, they
Will suffer IN proportion to the energy
OF their effort. The country will not
stand, as yet, anything that looks like
insurrectiOn, and no President, not ever
impnlsive and indignant Mr.. Greeley,
were he alive, would trife with a move
ment that bore that appearance.
we have ne intention of offering our
Louisiana friends advice on this point
least OF all the advice which every one
seems inclined to tender them, viz: to
have patience. We hope they will not
have patience. 1t is the worst possible
remedy for misgOvernment. tits merely
an opiate which may checkthe conscious
ness but not the ravages of a disease.
But we are convinced of two things
0ne, which we have mentioned, that the
form OF law must be respected and a
second, that the negro can never be de-
prived of his right to vote. We notice
that the London Saturday Review thinks
that it would be easy practically to pre-
vent the negro from exercising suffrage
but that is one Of the errors to which the
Omnlsclence of the Review exposes it.
The thing can never be done, because
negro votes are always Impossible prop
erty of either party or the other, and
they will be bought, or stolen, but will
never be destroyed. One might as we'll
ask two gamblers to abolish the knaves
in a pack of cards because whoever holds
them can ruin his opponent. The negro
vote is something which the South must
assimilate, and without violence. It
| would be as easy to wipe out the story
of the Rebellion from our history as to
destroy that vote.
The process of assimilation, therefore,
is what the old plantation politicians
and their young descendants must mas
ter. Ii they are worthy to live under a
free government, they will do it, II
they cannot do it, they are unworthy,
and must gradually step down and out,
Their difficulties are enormous. W.
confess it with sorrow, and, since we OF
the North are largely responsible fol
ficulties are, they cannot be avoided, and
| they cannot be overcome by violence,
There is no space for violence in the
economy ola republic, and last of all in
the economy of this republic since the
Rebellion was put down. Moreover, the
task of the South is not a hopeless one
1t is one On which all whites, and many
of the negroes can be united. Hard
work, much thought, great self-eontrol
and the full appreciation of the respon.
sibilities of citizenship with all Their
trying demands-these are what must
be laid on the altar of good government
Costly sacrifices and rare, we grant, but
capable of winning from the DestinieE
a rich return of w~ell-earned favors. "a
Alone AND PATIENT SUFFERER.-"Be
you the police force !" inquired a dilap.
idated old man as he entered the Contra
Station Saturday and addressed aE e 2 ser
the case, when be continued: "Wel
I'm clean tuckered out. It's that wife
of mine. I'm a fool-a blasted old fool
sir! I'm so and she's 30. She wants ii