The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-12-16

ing been forever abolished, he, as citizen
possessing all the rights of white citizens,
had the same interests and the same du-
ties as white men. Our orators and our
press piled him with the obvious reason
|; ling or. these subjects. We invited him to
our meetings, we called him to our plat
forms, we placed some of them upon our
7 tickets. Election after election they turn
ed deaf ear to US; treated all our adj
yances with distrust and suspicion I'M
hesitatingly followed the leadership of
men whom they knew to be unworthy and
dishonest, aud with scarcely an exception
Invariably voted like body Of trained
!, soldiers obeying word of. command We
still hoped that time and experience would
give them discretion in the exercise of a
precious right, which they never exercised
here or elsewhere except as gift from our
race. We thought that right which
) they owed to the white race would not be
persistentiy used by them to accomplish
Il the ruin of white men. In this hope we
have been most grievously disappointed
The negro has proved himself as destitute
4 of common gratitude as of common sense.
Instead of improving in his capacity to
make an intelligent and patriotic use of
the ballot, we do not hesitate to affirm
that he is to-day less qualified for the du-
ties of government than he was seven
years ago. In the beginning we are will
ing to believe that he was guided by a
childish faith in the bad men who arroga-
ted to themselves the control of his vote.
i But. though he has long siuce lost that
faith though the baretaced rascalities of
those men are now known to him though
ne denounces them as liars and thieves, he
still retains them in positions of power
and trust for the avOwed purpose ofbreak-
ing 'dowa the industry of the State, vast
ing it by exhorbtant taxation, and finally
tdriying its white inhabitants to other
States r,.
i F. Any one who has been to their meetings
or overheard their private conversations
knows that they dream Of the gradual ex-
odus, OF the whites, which will leave Lon
isiana to their exclusive control like an
other Hayti. The increasing spirit of caste
founded on the most absurd inversion of
the relations of race, showsitself in every
form. Their incessant demands for Offices
from the State, city, and Federal Govern
nlent, for which they are unfit and to which
they have no title other than the color of
their skin; the, development in their con-,
ventions OF spirit of prescription against
white Radicals and even against Honorable
republicans who fought ill, the Northern
armies for their liberation; their Increasing
arrogance, which seems to know no bounds
their increasing dishonesty, which they
regard as a .statesmanly virtue; their con-
temptuous scorn of all the rights of the
white man which they dare trespass upon
/ --all these signs warn us that the calamity
which we had long unprecedented is now
imminent, and that we must beprepared
for all its consequences Designating all
minor questions of principle or policy, and
having solely in view the maintenance of
our heredity civilization aud Christianity
menaced by stupid Afrcanization, we
| appeal to the men of our race, of whatever
language or nationality, to unite with us
against that supreme danger. A league OF
tho whites, is the inevitable result OF that
| formidable, oath-bonnd, aud blindly ODE
| dent league of the blacks, which, under
the command of the most cunning and I'M
scrupulous negroes in the State, may at
any moment plunge us into war of races
"a conflict in which we are resolved that
we and ours shall not be the victims. In
deed, it is with some hope that a timely
and proclaimed union of the whites as a
race, and their efficient preparation for any
rors OF a social war, and teach the blacks
to beware of further insolence and agrees
sion, that we call upon the men of our race
to leave in elegance all, lesser eonsidera-
lions, to forget all differences Of opinions
and all prejudices of the past, and with no
ob]ectln view but the common good of
both races, to unite with lis in an earnest
effort to re-establish .whitg, mans
government in the city and the State
Were the negro willing to ito the
voice of reason. we could demonstrate even
to his understa 1ding that the Iprrednmi-
nance -four race In cavern ,nept il indis- !
pensable to his well being. We could show
him that in every Southern State ruled by
the whites his rights to Life, liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness are more, firmly
SECURED than they areundef the black dom |
'ihation in Louisiana We cnnldssh0w him
that the Negroes right to vote, to labor, to |
secure a tenure of the profits of his indus
try, are far better guaranteed by the white |
rulers of Virginia than by the black rulers
of Louisiana; that in Georgia and in Texas |
every jot and title of his legal and consti-
.tlttiOnal franchises life, his immunity |
from wrong and oppression of every kind |
'---are far better guarded than in those
States III which his race is in the ascend
ancy. e;would show him that where
the White man rules tile negro is peaceful
and happy; that where the black rules the l.
negro is starved and oppressed; that where |
'9Rr race bears sway his race is mentally,
morally, and materially progressing; that
where his race governs there is increasing |
ignorance, distress, and brutality.
But it is worse than idle to reason with
these people. They haze become mad
dened by the hatred and conceit of race,
and it has become our duty to save our
selves from the fatal probabilities of their
stupid extravaganza and reckless vanity,
by atraying ourselves in the name of White
civilization, resuming that just and legiti-
mate superiority in the administration Of
our State affairs to which we are entitled !
by superior responsibility, superior num- I
bers, and superior intelligence; and while /
we declare 1t Is our purpose and fixed de-
termination not to interfere in any manner
with the legal rights of the colored race,
or of any other race, we are determined to
maintain our own legal rights by all the
means that may become necessary for that
and to preserve them at all
hazards.
IN CONSTITUTION. .:
We the undersigned citizens OF rLonlsi-
ana and Of the city of New Orleans, adhe- !
ring to the platform Of principles of the
Crescent City White League, do hereby,
for the farthefance Of the objects Of that
leagte, unite ourselves to form club un-
der the following Constitution and By
laWSi:n.rf ayguou"l -t.!.4 4u or
ARTICLE 4. This club shallbe called "The
Crescent City White League of New Or
ARTICLE II, The object Of this club.is to
assist in restoring an honest, and. inteli-
gent Government to the State of Louisi4
ANA; to drive iihcom petent and corrupt men
from Office; and by a union with all other
good citizens tho better to maintain and
loEaua 4LaL- CoIat;k INN ne +L, LII, itol