New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-17
1T JUSTICE BE DONE, AND TRUTH WIN,
DICTATED,

EFT JUSTICE BE DONE, AND TRUTH WIN;
Dictated.
1t is not true that, upon the opening Of
the present order of political affairs in
this State, the newly enfranchised class
Of voters were opposed to electing to Office
old residents of the State of the white
race. The first exercise Of the right OF
suffrage by them was in the choice OF
delegates to the convention of 1867 On
that occasion, we believe, there was scarce
an instance, where white men, long resi-
dent in the State, and citizens of the
State before the war, were candidates for
the convention, that they were not elected
almost exclusively by the colored vote.
Let facts speak for themselves The dele
gates elected to that convention from the
parishes Of Morehouse, Ouachita, Ca!d-
well, Catahoula and Bossier, were men Of
that class, and they received the solid
vote of the colored men. White men Of
the old stock were elected in other par
ishes, together with old resident colored
men, and this was the case in Claiborne,
Point Coupee, Iberville, ST. Martin, and,
perhaps, in few other parishes. So far
from there being prejudice or antipa.hy
against the old resident whites on the
part of the colored men, it is well known
that frequently applications were made By
the latter to the former to become candi-
dates for the convention.
To give an instance, this occurred in
the parish of ST. Landry: Two prominent
men Of that parish, who had frequently
held public cfice-men deservedly popu-
lar, of the first responsibility, and long
identified with the interests of the State
were urgently solicited to become candi-
dates for the convention by the colored
voters OF that parish. To one of those
gentlemen We know that delegation was
expressly sent from numerous body of
that class Of voters, earnestly appealing
to him to stand as candidate, and pledg-
ing the entire colored vote in his behalf.
We think the same delegation waited upon
the other gentle man; but at all events he
was solicited warmly to come forward as
a candidate; and had these men con-
sented they would have been overwhelm-
ingly elected From private considera-
tons. however, they declined. 1t is
susceptible Of proof that had liberal con-
sentative men, like the gentlemen of st. |
Landry referred to, come forward then
and showed to the colored men DISPOSE
ton to aid and advise them, and to pro-
mote their interests and welfare in their
new condition of life, the convention of
1867 would have contained majority of
delegates Of that character. But in
large majority of the parishes of the State
this liberal spirit was not evinced. In
for the interests of the
State, the feelings and sentiments of
that class Of its people opposed
openly or covertly to the reconstruction
avs Prevailed. These laws they held IN
and looked forward to the
supreme Court of the United States to so
lecree. This class of people were as
little inclined to abandon the doctrine OF
he divine right Of the slave owner, which
hey had read of in their newspapers and
leard from their rostruns and their pull
,its, as the Bourbons have ever been to
1--WE up the divine right Of kings. Cliques
nd, combinations were formed to prevent
olored voters from exercising the right Of
uffrage, and in 1868 this purpose was to
great extent carried out by threats and
In 1872 it was attempted
0 be carried out by strategy and fraud.
IAN the men who have thus persistently
pposed the colored voters right to cast
vote at all be surprised that he prefers
D vote for those who accord him that
ight? If he has been forced to support
Or Office persons not approved by the
;ourbons, who is to blame? Let the
rief history of his exercise of the right of
uffrage answer whether or not he has
isplayed selfshness and exclusiveness in
,ference to race or color. Let the truth