Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1874-07-11
1.-THE Wicked flee, when No Man
PurSIeth."

Being called to the Chair in tn,
Ward meeting, at this place, on Mon
day last, it became our duty, in ex
planning the object Of the meeting, t,
deny charge which had been brought
against the White Mans Movement
that "it was being organized to driv,
the negro out Of the country" hi.
assertion, of course, we denounced as
RIOS outrageous and malicious false
hood. Mr.. w. l.. JONES, head man
of the Negro Party in this Parish. be-
ing present, concluded that our re-
marks were intended for him, and
called upon US to explain. We now
rise to explain; and will always be
found ready and willing to explain
anything that we may say or do in
our labors for public good. In the
first place, Ne did not know that Mr..
JONES hal ever brought such q charge
against tho White Mans Party; and
in the sccond place, we would not
have noticed it, even if we had
known it. For it is not expected that
anything good will be said of this
movement by the leader of an oppos-
ing party. He further wished to
know if we intended our remarks to
reflect upon him personally? To this
we answer most emphatically no. We
have naught to say against his per-
sonal character. 1t is a fact, well
known, that we have ever treated and
regarded him as personal friend
But be has assumed a public position
as President of what purports to be
the Executive Committee of the Re-
publican Party of the Parish of Rich
land. Whether this Executive Com
mittee will Execute the Parish of
Richland, remains to be seen. By
this position, however, which he has
assumed in the administration of pub
lie affairs, his public acts become a
proper subject for newspaper CON-
ment. And, in consequence of our
position as public journalist, duty
impels US to rise above all personal
considerations, and say to our young
friend, that as public leader in poll
tics, he is certainly rendering himself
obnoxious to the intelligent white peo-
pie of our Parish. The Radical par
ty, of which he is chief Executive, in
this Parish, is composed of ignorant
and unlettereG negroes, who "know
not what they do" Though the few
white men, who head it, be pure and
spotless as the snow. flake, there are
not enough of them to give it the
faintest shade of respectfully. The
mass Of material of which it is CON-
posed, especially in Richland, consti-
tutes it an ignorant Negro Party.
Now, we are prone to attribute the
cause of Mr.. jones' course to an err
ror of the head rather than the heart
AS an evidence of his better heart
qualities, as a pubic servant, the best
citizens of this community not long
since hOnored him with such honors
as they had to confer. In like man. |
ner did we commend him, when com.
mendation was due. And we stand
equally ready to condemn his public
acts, when the public welfare demands
it. But, the task is an unpleasant one
and when we sec young man, with
such bright prospects before him, thus
his political grave, we feel
ike gathering around it with bis many
friends, and singing:
He built him boat,
And lie set il afioat,
Without amybody's adrice for to do so;
And then he got in
Slap up to his chin,
4ad that rns the last of poor Robinson Crusoe.
Oh, Mr. Robinson Crusoe!
Poor Robinson Crusoe!
What made you do SOP
In conclusion, we will say, that
"a public servant and one too
whom the intelligent white people of
his place have. honored, Mr.. JONES
has a right to be heard in bis own
behalf, and anything that he may
wish TO say to our readers concerning
lis course in arraying the black peo-
Die against them, will most cheerfully
&c given q place in our columns
rhe columns of the BEACON are thrown
'pen to any man who may wish to