The weekly Louisianian., 1874-07-04
THE WH1W ~sLEAdUE-17s
;SIGNlF7CANOE
THE DUTY OF TIN coLonED VOTER.

TIE DUTY w I'M CO1OA&~ soAA"
Immediately after the close OF
our civil strife, sprung up a political
organization in some Of the Southern
States, known as the Ku Klux, and
subsequently there was formed a
similar organization,
"The Knights Of the White Ca
melia." These were secret organi-
cations, and neither justifable in
their purposes, creditable. in their
nor beneficial in their &C
ton to any class Of the community.
They have now passed away to-
find a successor in the. White
a combination. not secret,
and ostensibly neither as vicious in
its purposes, nor. as violent in ite
agencies as its predecessors. We
do not attach the importance to
this movement, given to it, by
either its friends or its enemies;
still. It is, Of sufficient strength, and
isofar significant Of evil to the pub
Lie quiet, ii not to the rights Of the
individual citizen, as to entitle it to
a fair and frank consideration at
our, handsus.6 ,:&sn. .~.5r.r, ~"
| -os'1,The White Leage,e"> is the
name selected by heA!Ani-Repub-
lican elements Of Louisiana, to
designatte' d political organization
that rests on the distinction Of race
and color; ~ostensibly proposes to
Epfotbct The rights Of the white citi-
zen, by organizing an exclusively
white mans party, and, with such
an organization, to conduct the APP
|proaching political campaign Of the
State. In order to understand the
significance of the movement, we
will admit the existence of certain
evils growing out of the character OF
the laws and government OF the
State. since tbs era Of reconstruc-
ton, and we concede that many
members of this organization, be-
lieve not only that the distresses
complained Of, are referable to the
dominancy Of the Republican party
in the State, but, inclusively and
specially, to the dominance OF the
colored over the white vote. We
further concede that the same par
ties, entertaining the above men
toned convictions, honestly but
enormously believe that the remedy
and relief desired are to be found in
the withdrawal from the colored
voters of Louisiana, of the political
control, heretofore supposed to be
possessed by them over the State
government. Another class of the
aaherants of the White League.
while entertaining the purposes
above expressed and adopting the
indicated means for their accom-.
plishment, are actuated, not by
honest convictions, but by a bitter
and unreasoning prejudice agains'
the colored people, that will mo-
permit them to see anything reason
able or creditable in the coloree
voter, or anything legitimate anle
equitable, in the exercise, by him, o
either the political or civil rights
conferred and guaranteed by tn
Constitution and laws. These gen
tlemen may be sincere but they al
neither just nor generous in thei
estimate and treatment of our race
Still another class, constituting tn
noisy, vituperative demaggoggues o
the organization, are to be found IL
the League, who, without the frank
ness and simplicity of the frs
class, and without the sincerity o
the second-with cruel purposes
selfish ends, and ruthless and I'M
scrupulous means-propose to com
pass, not the good of the whit
man, alone or at all, but the ire
trieyable injury Of the colored-
and all this, too, with a malicioa'
relish for the wrong doing first
but finally and most, for the per