The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-09-04

honestmen. Theyregard me as friend,
and would give | believe, due cOnsidera-
ton to any proper suggestions made by
me. But | state to their credit that no
personal friendship for me would in
duce them either to abandon as a class
their political convictions OF vote for
other than men of their choice yet |
think they would be perfectly open to
frank and kindly appeals which look to
the accomplishing friendly relations with
the whites and the securement of good
local government to the State. | can
very readily perceive why the colored
people, as a class, should have given
their first political preference and allie
glance to the national party which play
ed s 10 important a part in securing their
personal freedom and political rights;
and to a supplemented, trustful race,
their surroundings and antecedents con-
sidered, the adoption Ofany proscriptive
or cOercive measures, direct or indirect,
looking to the control of their political
action, seems not only suspicious and
threatening, but Indicative Of a danger
to them that will simply drive them
further from the party so acting.
With our political and social relations
still unsettled and imperfectly adjusted,
can either our institutions or society
stand the shock and waste of continued
strife? With our commercial and ag-
riCultural interests just struggling into
a mOr healthy condition, hopeful more
for what they promise than for what
they have attained, can the industries of
the State afford to bear the disturbance
and provoke the conflict that prOximate-
~ o. ultimately are invOkedin this po-
litical race movement?
The generous charities and gentle
cOurtesies that have been extended to
us during the current year suggest peace,
and not strife, as u appropriate role.
1t is not long since, when more than one
hundred thousand of the citizens of
Louisiana were the subjects OfflO0d and
overflow, and the heart Of the nation
opened with generous muniticence, be-
ginning notably at Boston and extend
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
limiting it's charities only by our necessi-
ties-mOved to the relief of our suffer-
ing people. And but a little while for
the first time since our civil conflict at
the national cemetery at Arlington, Vir-
ginia, and under the auspices and with
the consent of the national government,
living federal hands-and as expressive
of the nations gentle courtesies to the
hOnOredd ead-scattere flowers, equally
and alike, upon the graves of the brave
hISh IL olS LC OlUO Hlu ULIC SldN.
Practical kindness to the distressed Iiv-
ing from the prosperous section, and
re%verential tenderness by the victors to
the brave but vanquished dead, alike
demand from us that we love one an
other.
Charles Sumner, the great apostle of
emancipation, in his last u%tterance to
the race for whom he had done so much, |
exelaims: "Pile up the ashes, extinguish
the flames and bury the hate ~engendered
by the a Band yourselves together,
not in factions, race against race
May / not, in all delicacy and in good
taste, with propriety quote and apply
this the dying injunction of the great
Senator to the n~egro-to the white and
colored citizens of Louisiana?
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, allow me to
add that the ~deliverance that we need
and seek from misgOvernment demands
the cooperation of the good men of
both parties and both races, and the
spirit of a successful contest, while
bold, earnest, and in the rebuke
Of individual wrong doors even severe,
must not be narrow, prOscriptive or I'M
Just. Laying aside all bitterness and
prejudice, standing upon q platform
that guarantees equal and exact justice
to all classes of citizens, prescribing n O
man, OF race, or color, having in view
thesTestOratiOn of our State to it's
normal and legitimate condition in the
majesty OF Il rights, let US demand
hat honestly and capacity shall admin
ster the government of the State.
EFFINGHAM LAWRENCE.