The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1874-01-10
The Late Election i'm St. Lamtxry

1t appears by the published count of the
votes taken at the election held on the 29th
ult., for a member Of the Legislature, that
there were seven hundred and thirty-three
votes cast. Of this number, John Simms, the
Radical, Kellogg candidate received 502 votes,
and the three independent candidates the bal
ance, say 224. In other words, the Kellogg
candidate, a colored man, received a majority
over all his competitors (whites) of 278 votes.
This result can be accounted for in several
ways. l. There was really very little inter
est taken in the election by the people gem
orally, whether white or black. 9. A great
many of those opposed to the Kellogg usurpa-
tion-and this number of our citizens was
very large indeed-would not vote because
they did not wish to seem to recognize any
authority in the Usurper TO order an election.
3. There were others-and this number was
by no means small-who despair of ever hav-
ing fair election or fair return thereof un-
der the administration of the party in power
in Louisiana, and therefore refrain from exer-
cislng the right to vote. 4. There were others
again, among the substantial people of this
parish who are opposed to the Usurper and
his ring, who were utterly disgusted with the
recklessness of men in putting themselves for
ward, three in number, as candidates, when
the common enemy had but one man in the
field. They thought that they saw inevitable
defeat resulting from this want of organiza-
tion, this worse than foolish independent pol
icy, which had the effect of scattering and di-
viding the forces of the opponents of fraud,
oppression and usurpation, and therefore they
would have nothing to do with the election.
We presume that no man who observes in
the least what is going on around him failed
to see how fairly the Supervisor of Registra-
tion conducted everything. He actually gave
this large parish ten voting places! Why, be-
fore the war, when the voting population was
less than it is now by several thousand, our
people found it necessary, in order that the
utmost facility in voting should be extended
to the voters, that there should be upwards
of thirty precincts or voting places.
Then, again, the voting places were located
in neighborhoods where it was known that
the Radical element most did abound. No
sane man was astonished at this. The Radi-
cal-Kellogg party in this State is too closely
identified with such offences against law, JUS
tice and morals as fraud, deceit, untairness,
usurpation and even violence, for any man
whois not a fool to be astonished at such pro
ceedings. If it had not been for the activity
of some of the candidates, and particularly of
the Kellogg or colored candidate. aided by
some of his ,rhite allies, we do not think that
there would have been one hundI ed votes cast
in all, notwithstanding the great avantages
given the Radicals by the Regstrar.
We have been considerably astonished to
hear it rumored on the streets that the Num-
Der OF the Kellogg eoIored candidates schite
allies was increased at the late election Nv
several votes. We had supposed that all con,
servative citizens, who condemned and alb
horred the runous, immoral, fraudulent,
and usurping administration of the Grant
Kellogg party, had taken long since firm
and determined stand against it and all who
sympathised with or sustained it. If we were
mistaken, and it seems that we were. we re-
gret it. 1t is far better, though. that we
should know who are for us and who against
us before another struggle for the redemption
of our State comes on. 1t is better to have a
declared enemy out of the camp than hidden
and secret one within it.
Politics makes strange bed-fellows some
times. Love of office produces the same effect
very often but we think that before the next
contest between the honest, substantial and
conservative element of our State and the dis
honest, fraudulent and reckless element thai
sustains to-day the Grant Kellogg usurpatior
comes on, some of the ambitious, new ''allies'
of the Kellogg candidate will wish that theil
deeds in this election were washed in Letht
and forgotten" or we are much mistaken il
the temper of our people and the signs of thu
| times.