The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-09-25
Facts as They Are.
From the COurier7JournaI, Sept. 10th.

InOISlIdCCS Will It's IOI telling Tie JIltCfk
There is not a ghost Of q chance for Ht
Democrats to carry the Mert House o.
Representatives., and the South has itspfJ
to thank for it. As to whether We are
right or wrong in our surmise, we leave
the next two months to decide; but, in
the way of candOr and cOurteOusdealing
We are ready enough to explain why We
placenaHeda and unpalatable t%ruthsabove
partisan considerations, and do not gov
ern ourselves according to the rules OF
repression enjoined 10y the old-line-par-
tisan code of ethics. No party, not eren
the Democratic party, can SdIUe the South
the South must SAFE itself. Its redemption
IS less q matter Of parties than of inherent
social reforms. Sharing all its sentiment
allsm, we dare not put the prOmptings
OF impulse against facts within our "
knowledge, and we refuse to be a shareI
in any misleading shams OF either a So
cial or political description. If the South
can not reorganize itself on the substan-
tial basis of laws it can not on any par
tisan basis, and the country is indeed
upon the road to an empire. This is the
cue to all III writing.
The Southern people might as well
recognize now the fact that we shall
eve get on our feet qnless We can unite
among ourselves en- keeping the peace. We
might as we'll feel the full force of the
fact at q time when, in the shape of a
serious disappointment, the consequent
ces OF our short-coming are fresh before
us. We have been for years pulling in
a weak, complaining way, like an invalid
who is afraid of strong medicine; when
we have all the while stood in need of
calomel, or the knife. For the first time
since the war III local authorities, our
Governors, our Judges, our grand iuries,
are thoroughly aroused, and, whilst their
activity comes too late to save us the
tall elections, it gives the country at
large a guarantee Of the beginning of a
new era, whose policy, if it be adhered
to, will ultimately bring us out of the
woods: In the meantime it seems to us
more important to support the move
ments of Governor Leslie in Kentucky
and Governor Brown in Tennessee bv
the organization of an ddeQuate bubble
sentiment than to rub little g~oose-0yeasc
0ueT ON sores thinking to conceal them bp
the ram hope of current partisan successes.
Our "indiscIetion - is a positive differ
ence Of opinion between ourselves and
the News as to the situation of the South,
as to the possibilities of the present po-
lltlcai season, and'as to the origin and
remedy OF our troubles.
The News, it We mistake not, thinksit
we'll to gloss over, e%xtenuate or deny
what we think the South can not afford
to tolerate Or ignore. It would make
the best OF appearances, which have no
" best" to them, for the sake of an cleo
ton which is lost already whilst we,
with the hope OF the broad, open future
before Us, would take the bull by the
horns and rholy n tho 1STo n,,4 II L. u
tGncles that the outbreaks and disturbances
echjch are running aus, materioLu and DO
hhc0tty, are the exclusive OfSprinqs of
Radical mOI0dministrati0n ne b1eliere
them to be almost equally ch0rqeoble to q
spirit Of turbulence In the poorer classes of
Southern society Chich the better classes
haze not crerted themselves to queU and
ertl1pGte. We would go to work at once
GovernOrL Leslie and Governor Brown
have begun, and carry the work through
Its logical consequences; it considers
appliances. and admissions essential
to this as imprudent, and would let the
rest, or at least until after the
vote in November. In a word, we are
for a cure, no matter what it costs, whilst |
1t would be content and happy for a
'pasmOdic partisan advantage. We do
not put the Democratic party, or u
party, above all else; it seems to do so.
as we argue from opposite premises,
We are not likely to agree. Yetwe could |
wish to work in harness toward the
emancipation of the South with a man
20 sincere, large-hearted and able as the
EDITOR OF the News, and, in no cOntrO-
spirit, but with the earnestness
IT genuine sympathy and respect, do we
'espOnd to his structures.
The Democratic party of the North
o-day occupies a position very like that
occupied by the Wing party of the South
n twenty years ago. The old
party, than which for patriotism
snd Intelligence no superior V e existed
n any country, had the original disad-
'antage OF being a conservative in an
nd slow. Accident had supplied it with
eaders of genius, like Clay and Web
ter, Crittenden and Corwin, CLAYTON
nd Everett, Badger, Reverdy johnson
nd John Bell, who kept it alive in spite
t itself. But, a~bnormally, it had to
AIRY a great deal of dead weight, and
rhen Seward and Greeley appeared with
heir freesOil bantling, and proposed to
Introduce this to the Wing household,
he fate of the party was sealed, first in
he South by the complete breakdown
t the organization, next in the North
the formation of a new sect. The
ditor of the News will call to mind how
asy it vas to beat a Wing candidate in
doubtful district of the South by con-
ronting him with the speeches of Sew
I'd, backed by the editorials of the New
'Ork Tribune. The situation is now re-
ersed. The Democrats Of the North
and where the Wings of the South
joOd; and the operations of the Kuklux
re to-day to the North what the utter
noes of the Abolitionists used to be to
South. We need not waste words
| an idle effort to settle the question of
espOnslbility. We are dealing with
tets. Great injustice was done the
outhern Wings; but, nevertheless, they |
ere driven to the wall by the persist {
ice and volition of the clamor. A sec {
oanal war, which the people resolutely ,
'fused to ~foresee, vas the result; lust !
an empire, which the people now dis {
ISIS as an absurd suggestion, is in re- {
rye for us 1t we cannot restore the lost :
Iulllbr1um OF the law, organic and To- !
j. How shall we do it 4? t
The South has lost on the black suit al
qys, and dtcdys aciU;; ace cannot aCim on .
; TIE t'eTy cot0r seems fatal to as. All q
al zoe cdn hope to do tCltk the negro is to c
'ep HIM ont OF disturbances ; and are q /
l!ty do this By 8u!iecting him to the oper- ' '
or strictly dmpdrtal justice, drill =
O ourselves into especial ,forbear0ncc du-
ng tbs predatory period. We wanf to $
t him alone, severely. We hare not done |
is. We haze altoWed him to be NoIested !
g~agab0nds no better than himself anti 7
has become professional neartur and J
srer7 failing Radical resource. Tie Den- Il
ty IS continued defeatin the North, where II
{h!ght is to be made, and this penalty ace il
presently pay, accompanied by the t