The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-07-15
louisiana.

louisiana.
The New Orleans Louisianian,
weekly newspaper conducted by col
ored man, and devoted to the interests
of the colored. race, in well-consid-
cred, temperate article, deplores the
the organization Of the political asso-
citation known Is the White League.
1t admits that portion Of the men,
bership consists of men who are acting
in good faith, desiring the best inter
ests of the State. and that they are in
dueed to enter the leagues because
they believe not only that the dis
tresses 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"
1t proceeds:
Another class of the adherents of
the White League, while entertaining
the purposes above expressed, and
adopting the indicated means for their
accomplishment, are actuated not by
honest convictions, but by bitter
and unreasoning prejudice against the
colored people, that will not permit
them to see anything reasonable or
creditable in the coIored voter, or any
thing legitimate and equitable in the
exercise, by him, of either the politi-
cal or civil rigts conferred and guarap-
teed by the Constitution and laws.
Still another class, constituting the
noisy, vituperative demagogues of the
organization, are to be found in the
league, who, without the frankness
and simplicity of the first class, and
without the sincerity of the second
with cruel purposes, selfish ends, and
ruthless and inscriptions means
propose to compass, not the good of
the white man alone, or at all, but the
irretrievable injury of the colored-
and all this, too, with malicious rel
ish Tor the wrong doing first, but
finally and most for the personal ad-
vantage, in Office or gain, that may
accrue to themselves.
The article concludes as follows:
The colorcd people, as such, have
made no organization upon the basis
of race, and seek no EMS in antagon-
ism to the rights of their white breth
rem, but only such as belong to the
colored and white equally and alike
We shall exceedingly regret such or
ganization on the part of the mis-
guided and prejudiced Caucasian as
shall constrain. for our self protection,
change in either the temper or pro-
gramme herein indicated by us. We
shall stand firm. however, III the main
tenance, by all legitimate means, OF
our full and equal rights as American
citizens, but shall be careful not to
assume the aggressive unless forced
to do SO III defense of life. and rights
even more precious than life. Pru-
dence, patience. fairness, and pluck
will bring out all things fair and even
One Of the strongest points in the
article from which we have quoted is
the assertion that bad government has
not come upon Louisiana through the
dishonesty or incompetency of the vot-
ing classes, either white or black, but
through the neglect of the people tc
take part in political affairs. After
the collapse Of the Confederacy, many
prominent Southerners left the coun.
try in disgust at defeat; many more
refused to take part in the elections
and so the State governments fell into
the hands of the negroes and the poor
and ignorant whites The Louisian.
ian shows clearly enough that the
proud ex-slave- holder is responsible
for the mIsgoyernment to which in too
many cases he is now subjected. Neg.
lect of political rights and duties,
neglect arising from foolish prid,
which would not permit to go to the
polls side by side with the newly en-
franch;sed HACK man, is the source @
nine tcnths of the white man wrong.
under the existing Southern State
governments.