New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-23
..wHlrE vs.. BLACKv NOT TAG TRUE
ISSUE.

12vlUT, VI Ot' AoAUAy, wUNu was pUoAAoACA
in the Picoyume of the ninth instant.
In this extract it is asserted that the
views of the Picayatne are correct, and that
the sole object of the negro is to enforce
equality. The doctor says he was one of
the largest Shareholders before the war,
and employs a great number of negroes
now, and, though they regard him kindly,
he could not control the vote OF one of
them, for they are banded together for
the race issue alone. He declares that the
sole issue is "white vs.. black" and claims
that this issue will have the advantage Of
compelling unanimity among the whites.
The views OF Mr.. Lawrence will be found
more c~lear-headed and more in accordance
with the true craftsmanship which seeks to
improve and not to destroy Louisiana:
MAGNOLIA PLANTATION
Parish of Plaquemines, August IL, 1874.
To the Rditor Of the Picayuns:
The letter published by you from my old
and highly esteemed friend, DR.. A.. j. Tay-
lor, of st. Landry, advocating an organiza-
ton of the conservative elements of the
State upon the basis of race, for the purpose
of conducting the pending political cam
paign, not only suggests but demands con-
sideratiOn and reply. A conservative mar
in my temper, and, like Dr.. Taylor, a
planter with large agricultural interests,
that imperatively demand good govern
ment for their protection, a response from
me to the letter of my old and valued friend
may not be inappropriate.
Before the wal l was in conviction and
party utilization q States right Democrat. l
have taken no active or prominent part in
politics since, until 1872. when as a Liberal,
/ was nominated and supported as a Fusion
candidate for Congress Tor the first dis
trist. In conjunction and co cooperation with
Colonels John McEnery and Ogden. and If
I mistake not, DR.. Taylor and other promi.
| nent gentlemen, I made the canvass upon
| a platform of principles. broad and generous
| enough for the PEOPLE, irrespective Of
race, to stand upon, and which dis
| tinctly conceded to the negro his equal
| civil, political aud industrial rights. the
declaration of principles announced by
| the conservative white and colored Cit
| liens in 1872 is 80 a~ntagonistic to
the temper and programme suggested BY the
| White League that l am forced eithar to
| question the identity or consistency OF
some of the gentlemen now so actively and.
| as / believe, honestly champiOning the pro-
scriptlye policy under consideration. Il is
better to be true than to be consistent, and
l should be willing to waive questions
of consistency az OF minor Importance il
this movement could be indicated on its
merits and by it's results. In my judgment
a race organization, political in its charae-
ter, white or black, is at all times question
able and dangerous, but at this juncture Of
affairs is evil, only evil, and full of mischief
to both races and to the State.
The condition of public affairs in Louisi-
ana is anomalous. For the first time since
the establishment of the Union we lave IN
a time of profound peace q de tacto State
government. For nearly two years the
political complications have been so grave
that the national Congress has hesitated to
decide the so-called Louisiana case on it's
merits, and declines to determine or recog-
nize the legal status of a State government
that assumes to enact n administer laws
for the people of Louisiana. The embar-
easements springing from the presence OF
this latent doubt relative to the validity of
the existing order of things is aggravated
by the oppressive enforcement of unwise
and vicious laws. With very great unan-
unity the ills herein indicated are referred
by the intelligent and conservative voters
to the Radicalism now dominant in the af-
fairs of State, and as a very natural and
legitimate conclusion, relief is sought in an
attempt to overthrow this corrupt and op-
p~ressive political management of public
| dualrS. COuC6uo INC OAlbltuCc VI Iuo evils
complained Of-and they can hardly be
exaggerated-apd further, that the remedy
is sought in the right direction, yet the
thoughtful, sober minded citizen will shrink
from either expecting or seeking relief upon
a programme that contemplales dividing
the citizens of this State into two parties of
nearly equal numbers, and arraying them
one against another on the basis of race, or
as DR.. Taylor has represented it, white VS..
l lJonl~y TJn r,oro-,nnf nlVnnofnA hr M
Taylor is exceptionable, because it proceeds
upon an estimate of the negro citizen that
is under the circumstances inadmissible. l
am prepared to admit that the enfranchise-
ment Of this race Immediately upon their
emancipation, without preparation for
either their new duties or privileges, though
dictated by the supposed military and pOlit-
ical necessities of the nation, may have been
somewhat premature, and certainly did de-
volve upon the country a grave political
problem, hard to be solved. FOurther, l
admit that the negro citizens deprived of
the counsel and sympathy of the resident
white men of the South, and compelled,
by the necessities arising from their politi-
cal ignorance n inexperience to take the
best leadership at their command, did, I'M
fortunately, by the forced necessities of
their condition, 80 orudely and imperfectly
perform their initial political functions as
to commit, largely, the management of
public affairs in Louisiana, in many in
stances, to corrupt and INSCRIPTIONS
white Adventures and vicious and incOm-
petent men of their own race, and az a re-
suit from these political mistakes of the
negro citizen, the negro and the white man
alike have been involved in the distresses
and Outrages of misgOvernment. Further,
the men thus elevated to political power
have not only wrOnged the State by OPP
p~ressive administration OF public affairs,
but have taken advantage of their position
and the misplaced confidence of the cOlOred
voters to develop distrust On the part of the
negro race against the resident white peO-
pie, and also by industriously charging
their wi crimes upon their colOred sup
pOrters, they have succeeded in inspiring
an acrimonious n bitter spirit in the old
white element against the negro race. Thus,
by this double deception on the respective
races, and by trading on the reciprocal
p%rejudiees OF each, they have maintained
| control of the colOred voters and through
them of the political and civil machinery OF
this State. Add to these damaging admis-
sions to the first political endeavOrs of the
colOred voter. still another, to wit: That
the negro, like his more highly favored eau
casian brother, from Indifference or thought
lessness, has torgone the direct exercise OF
his political rights and has RENTED the
same to the rings that SO conveniently and
willingly assume party management, and
thus, like the white man, he has not unfre.
quently done by proxy in politics what he
should have done in person. These admls-
sions are as full as the facts, and embrace
quite enough to prove that new citizens
have not always and sufficiently appreciated
their political rights and obligations; but
they do not justify, when fairly construed,
a judgment against either competency or
integrity of the negro voter. Such lapses in