The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-07-24
Position of a Practical OppO'
nGE1fs

The following letter from Major L. A.
Burke was addressed to the Bulletin
and published in that journal yesterday
morning. The writer will be remem-
bered as the candidate on the McEnery
ticket in 1879 for the office OF Admins
traitor of Improvements. While we TO
| not accept all his conclusions as correct,
we give him the credit of being Il fair
opponent. If his party had a few more
such leaders they would probably be
more successful. We republish this let
ter that our readers may see6hat the re-
cent White League manuals by no means
unanimous among the opposition IN.
O.. Republican.
New ORLEANS, July Ii, 1874.
To the Editor of the New Orleans Bulletin:
Sir-You have exhibited a disposition
to publish tile views Of different cores
| pOndents concerning the political out
| lOOk, and as | believe that all cOnServa-
tive elements are aiming at the same re-
suit, "gOOd government permit me to
| refer to my telegram to NJ. II. Hinman,
Esq, from Grand junction, June Is,
1874, in explanation of recent events
| connected with the independent Club
movement, viz: If you make a cOnsery-
ative platform, avoiding nice issues,
supporting only men OF known integrity
and capacity, pledged to reduce and
limit the expenses OF government and
taxation, mel of Democratic prOCliYitieS,
reform convictions and liberal ideas,
should, in my opinion, consent to lay
aside party differences, and unite i'll one
| common effort to redeem the State and
| parish under the banner of the indie
pendent party.
If you have a strong element for re-
%pudiatiOn, compromise it by a clause i'll
favor Of ~suspenGing the payment OF the
principal and interest of the debt for
live years, thus giving people time to
recupelate, but pledged to the final pay
ment of the legal debt.
As to plan of organization, | would
recommend all Democratic, Reform,
Liberal and independent clubs in each
ward, to assemble, vote for cOnsOlida-
ton, and appoint a. commissioner OF
election for O.icers OF central clubs, at
ter which sub-clubs form as desired. p
1t seems that the Democratic party
insists uDon making Il straight out fight
under the Democratic, White League
banner. ..". " -.
/ In my opinion the organization of q
political party based upon race dlstinc-
tons is a political blunder, calculated
W place III GlC uduOS VI 1lhN1tuI uClud-
| gOsues the means of alternating that
powerful current of kindly interest in
Dictated by the people of the North i'll
the Boston contributions, House vote on
the canal bill, appropriation for survey
of levees and mouth of river, and in the
congressional donation for overlooked
sufferers. .. visit -l.... ri.
I believe that such a desperate expe.
dent will prove destructive to the &c
geiopment of our material interests, tend
to defeat the leyee and canal bills, in
sure the passage of the civil rights bill
and place the President i'll a position
where he dare nOtoppose it Withhis veto
In my opinion the questiOnp0f race
supremacy in the valley of the Missis,
sippi will find its speedy solution in the
rebuilding OF our leyees, and i'll securing
an outlet to the sea, a tide of emigration
will then roll into the Mississippi valley
such as Illinois and Texas in their palm,
lest days have eve experienced.
Holding these convictions firmly, and
believing it to be contrary to the theory
Of this goyernmentthat a contest should
be waged against any person on account
of race, religion, or nationality, / have
.declinedst to join the Democratic ranks
Immediately over-zealous individuals
assait the men who hold to these 0pin
ions, and charge tIem with Il predilec-
ton for the Radical party. ..
Permit me III all kindness to invite
the attention Of the Democratic leaders
to tie. fact that thirty per cent Of the
voting pOpHlationof the South have be-
Leone voters since 1861. They have
trained under Democratic leadership
since The war through nine years Of dis.
aster and defeat. ~ u.
TO many of these young men tile g1o-
ries OF the Democratic party are only
Traditional. We now Seek for peace
through the burial of dead issues, and
Eyearn for the restoration of the era OF
material prosperity in the South: Be
/ lie fie e4issse flat this may only he accom-
plished by eleTatingto office men Of wis,
dom, integrity and capacity, we place
these qualifications above party >consid-
eratiOns.
we supported Mr.. Greeley upon the
platform OF national reconciliation, and
the rehabilitation of the South, and We
would support General Grant to secure
the same objects. ,.f
For the above named class of young
men, therefore, the Democratic lash has
no terTors; the whip should be put aside
and let us reason together. ~s-.z
Intolerance will only invoke OppOsi-
tion, and the Democratic party may re.
quire this clement in the coming strug'
gle for national success in 1876. #,a.
Concessions hat will not impair the
future efficiency OF the Democratic OF,
ganizatinu will secure o. union of the
conservative voters of this parish. q
failure to make them may compel the
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