The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-04-17

LIIC DAdSh u4sbH SbduOSs NS1UlGE DGI1OC
racy, Liberalism nor Republicanism car
bridge the chasm lying between the two
We visit each other under flags of truce
each being conscious that the real con.
test is for the permanent ascendancy Of
the one yer the atler.
This issue is the only one of any value
to the people of this State; and cannot
be made too soon. Some will say it in
wolves bad feeling and bloodshed. As
to the bad feeling / am not aware that
any other feeling has ever prevailed be-
tween the races since the ballot was
placed in the black mans hand. That
it may cause bloodshed is possible-not
probable. But suppose it should, have
we lost nothing worth the risk of blood
shed to recover?
Who rules the State? Who has rob-
bed us of millions? Who taxes us ?
Who has ruined our public schools ?
Who sells our property year after year
for taxes and penalties amounting to
confiscation? Who has shut the doors
or courts OF justice againstthe distressed
taxpayer who seeks relief against ini-
quitous taxation?
Who has made the name of the State
odious at home and abroad? Who has
made it fashionable, nay statesman-like
to give and receive brides?
W iU ms n1ddo a onC6 fi1onoredd iiuudai-
clary subservient to party demands?
Who has made the Legislative and
Executive departments of the govern
ment a shame and disgrace to common
decency +? Who has outraged public viz
tue II prostitutes power and position
10 the base purposes of rings and stock
lObbers? Further enumeration is use
less. Let the black man answer for these
evils lie at his door and "is bone of his
bone and flesh of his flesh"
Are not these evils of sufficient mag
nitude to justify us in uniting as white
men against them, even at the remote
risk OF shedding blood? am opposed
to extreme remedies, but will not hest
tate when the hour comes. Of one thing
[ am convinced and that is, that the
sooner the negro finds outthat the white
people are determined, as a race, to rule
the government of the State, the better
it will be for him.
But does it necessarily involve such q
consequence? Most assuredly not. Who
is to begin the fight? IF the simple or
ganization ON the score of race will lead
to this result, why have we not begun
on the negroes? They are practically
organized as a a and only lack the
Calling them Republicans does
not make it any the less an organization
of negroes, and against the white race,
called Democrats. On the one side are
negroes with a few dirty whites thor
Oughly united, while ON the other, are
the whites divided and afraid to unite
as a race because-because-well be-
cause a few office-seekers might be dis
appointed in getting the negrOes to vote
for them. This is the true source of all
stuff about bloodshed.
So much for the suggestion of blood.
Another comes TO the front and
it is impracticable, you cannot de-
pend ON the whites, etc. These are gen.
orally fOHndto be Ofiee-seekers, and can
be seen e%aucussing ON the street corners
with leading negroes whose votes might
be lost to them Il they encourage such a
scheme. At any rate, this objection
comes from politicians principally, |
among whom nOreform was ever known |
to take well atfirst.
look to the people fer the success of
such a move and not to politicians, and
more especially to the country people
have not become contaminated by
the filthy trade of politics; Ihave talked
many of them on the subject, and |
have yet to find one who will not 60 into |
it. On the contrary, with singular unan-
they agree thatitis our only hope.l
We have an organization of this kind !
N 0pelousas, and Washington / think, |
to- support none but white men
For office, and to unite upon one white
man for each effice. tits theirintention
to avail themselves of the attendance |
upon the District Court, ON the 4th Mon
lay of this month, tc secure public en-
of the measures they propose
and to give every white man in Che par
sh an earnest CALI to join them in a bold
effort to place non but honest white
men in office.
al public meeting will be held on that
lay and the matter submitted to the
in the hope that no honest, coun-
5ry-loving white man will refuse to en-
list under the banner of the "White
League Respectfully,
E.. e. LEWIS.