The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-07-03
Pence or War!
LFrom the Sow orleans Times.I

From the New Orleans Times.
Two epigrammatic brevities have re-
Gently obtained currency in Europe.
They run thus: /" Germany's strength
makes warineYitahle.' Frances rest
lessness makes peaceimpossible." Now,
though strength need not necessarily be
aggressive, nor restlessness< turbulent,
yet nations, as we'll as individuals, when
predisposed to quarrel, a generally
manage to find a cGsus beu. If the ut
terances above made are really based on
national sentiment in Germany and
France, the peace patched-up between
these nations cannot long continue. 1t
is, however, Improbable for us here in
Louisiana to trouble ourselves very Sc
riOusly with events which we can neither
hasten nor prevent. We have quite
enough home troubles and difficulties
on our hands, and as We have not been
very successful IN subduing them, we
should assume on foreign affairs a be-
coming degree of modesty.
At the close of our internecine wal a
new impending conflict arose from the
ashes Of the old one. 1t was based on
the expectation of a possible struggle
for mastery between the two great classes
of population-black and white. The
conquering forces of the North who sub
dued our whites and gave freedom to
the blacks, came out of the contest with
no little of vindictive feelings against
those against whom they had fought,
and determined in a game of politics,
half sentimental and half r%etaliatory, to
play the blacks against the whites, for
the political and social humiliation of
the latter. T ..t ain. st".s Il
For this there was some p~rovocation
on the part of the whites. In the first
stages of reconstruction they refused,
through their legislatures and otherwise,
to accept the real issues determined by
the arbitrament of war. They refused
to provide for the civil and political
equality OF the Negro under the four
teenth amendment, and the fifteenth
amendment was forced upon them. In
short, the logic of Federal coercion has
been cOnspieuously prominent in fram-
ing and carryingouteyery Congressional
measure which affects the relations of
the races, till at length, as Mr.. Lamar
observed III his late great speech in
Congress Every black man oftwenty-
One years possesses q vote and exercises
the same right and the same individual
freedom as the wealthiest and proudest
white man in America. There is not O.
trace of privilege throughout the land
Morally, mentally, politically, negro lib
ertyis universal, thorough and complete,
and their equality before the lawisWitll-
out an exception" He adds that { to go
further is to make it a privileged race
and asked: Would it not be wise and
statesmanlike to pause before you push
your policy to further extremes. and see
the results of it as time will disclose
thems?" .5aI Fl .sgfatHtaat29r 90. 4.
But the old, sentimental and ~retalia-
tory spirit, on which much of our ma
tional legislation in favor of the negro
was based, has of late been dying out
throughout the North. A popular con-
viction had got abroad that enough had
been done for the negro; that he had
failed in many respects to come up to
the point of public expectation that his
guaranteed liberty does not mean en-
enactment ON the liberties of his white
neighbors thatciVil and political equal
ity having been bestowed upon him, lie
must content himself without further
and exceptional privileges. 1Ea
This change in Northern public senti-
ment is certainly favorable to the asser-
tion and maintenance of those common
rights which belong to white people as
well as blacks, and as these rights have
been abridged to the prejudice of the
whites rather than the blacks, theformer
should wisely avail themselves of the
changeinre-asserting the principles and
privileges OF self-government. But just
where this wise action should come III,
the ministers of confusion and disorder
are listened to; and instead of attempt
ing to win over the negroes from the
weakening influences of corrupt leaders,
they force them back into q more solid
phalanx by organizing against them q
political ii not material war of races.
They should take heed, lest in PLAYING
with fire they burn, themselves. Their
course is. calculated to rekindle old
preiudices throughout the North, and
nothing could possibly occur better de-
signed to strengthen the hopes Of the
schenling politicians who have. here
wrought SO much injury already.
Last-diteh tactics may be very senti-
mental and.Weh intended, but they are
sare to prove mischievoRs inlthe end.
Like Frances restfessness they make
peace impossible. But they do more;
they eombinean opposition which might
otherwise be divided, and make success
still more impossible than neace.
Men of thought, of position, oof, prop
ertg,. should ponder these things, and
see that sensation -florgers and chronic
failures do not lead them into pitfalls
where all their interests will be imper-
illea. al1a 5i5t5.8 jf'9i5s
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af0ER NORTHERN SYNPARHIzERs-Er