The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-08-07
"Fhe Middle Policy"
From the New Orleans Timps1

NIh nv ~N'N IILIltS.l
Extremes are always dangerous. It's
i'll the golden mean that safety lies.
Ultraisms have been the worlds bane
ever since this earth became inhabited.
Through them prosecutions have found
their inspiration and martyrdom it's vic
tins; through them the peace of the
world is constantly disturbed and it's
progress is .je0parded. Through ultra
isms in political speech and opinion
since the war, the South has been filled
with u%surpatiOns and the rule of plum
dererS has been maintained. This has
been an evil, universal i'll its operation
one which affected all classes, without
regard to race, color or previous cOndi-
ton. 1t is to the interest of all that a
better order of things should be brought
about; that these radical ultraisms
should be exchanged for a cOnsiderate
tolerance, under which well disposed
citizens, of fair, conservative views,
might be chosen as the occupants Of
official station.
Our idea on this subject are well
known, and we are gratitied to observe
that they receive the emphatic endorse
ment of the best and most influential
classes OF this community. In this fact
we find an encouragement which we
hISlIIS dpplGCIlUC-d StlDIllIIIU "IllCII
gives vitality and emphasis to our per-
severance.
But i'll addition to the high approval
of the most considerable and respectable
OF our white fe1lOW-citizcns, an equally
fervcnt endorsement comes from men
OF color who have Il enough to per-
ccive the mischief which misgOvernment
has wrought, and are DESTROYS o ~jOining
the better classes of the whites in bring
ing about an era OF prosperity. One in
Huential cOlOred man writes to the eff
feet that he finds only one free, unham-
pered, conservative paper in this city.
He distrusts all kinds of Radicalism,
and as he recognizes in the Times an ad-
.yOcate of middle policy, equally distant
from each Of the Radical factions now
creating such a clamor with their Lea
CUES, he gives our course his hearty APP
prevail. This middle policy, he thinks,
is the only one which can redeem our
State and r~e-establisll an honest, repre-
sentative self-government in u midst.
Deprecatlng extreme views on either
hand, as likely to ultimate in a wal of
races with all it's attendant evils, this
earnest cOlored man, in his own rude
way, calls upon the well-disposed Of
both races to deal generally and justly
by each other. The idea that the blacks
can ultimately maintain c%ontrOlov the
whites he prOnOunces absolutely rldlcu-
lOus. Even if equal i'll every require
mcnt of citizenship, four millions of n
race could never hold the mastery over
thirty-six millions of the other. Hefur-
Their says to his cOlOred friends: "The
white man who excites you to contention
with the white race is working for his
own selfish ends and your destruction.
Heed them not. Let no unworthy man,
be he white or colOred, fOisted into office
through your votes, OF you are virtually
responsible for his misdeeds. Put no
incapable or dishonest nan in Office"
. This must certainly be accepted as
gobd advice, and not the less so because
it comes from a cOlOrCd man, and is ad-
dressed to the people of his race. We
verify believe tnat there are enough of
cOlOred men i'll this State who are ready
to give and act upon such advice, to
turn the tide of success in favor of really
representative nominees through whom
the redemption of Louisiana could be
achieved.
Capacity and honesty" should be
the watchwOrd and refrain in the COM
ing contest, as we'll for blacks as whites.
Those who have joined together for our
plumber in the past, or who are now
1eagued for our plumber in the future,
should be condemned with such al en-
phasis that they will never again appear
in the domain of candidaturG.
Let there be peace between all of-Our.
people and q recognized community OF
interest between capital and labor, and
the prosperity of Louisiana will again
become assured. -Hs .s.E5