New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-18
The "White League.o

ten portion of the people of Louisiana.
Much az they have suffered from pestilence
and food and political misrule, their own
folly has been by far the most prolific
source of calamity. They fought against
the inevitable not only with persistence,
but with ferocity. To them the spectacle
of colored man exercising the franchises
of citizen, ana claiming the rights aud
privileges that belong to freeman, is so
revolving and so utterly repugnant to their
political traditions and social usages that
they deliberately invite every evil that re-
sistance can bring rather than accept peace
and prosperity as the result OF acqulescence
nation of the cOlored people as abe su-
prene object of political effort, and any
settlement of the political and social rela-
tiOns of the races that comes short OF this
is not desired.
The new political organization in Louisi-
ana called the "White League is simply an
otfshoot of the ku Klux klan. The hide
GUS costumes and the instruments of tor
ture are wanting but the spirit of proscrip
ton and intimidation are the same, and the
objects to be attained are precisely similar.
Every white man in parish is asked to
become member; if he refuses he is told
that hencefOrth he must expect to be treat.
ed as q negro. The alternative having
been placed before him, he must take the
consequences OF his own choice, and if he
prefers to act with an alien race rather
than with his own, let him look to that
race for sympathy and assistance and pro.
lection. This is the method of proceeding,
and to the average Louisiana ruffian it
seems to be entirely iustiiable. However,
we are glad to see that the better class of
| the opposition newspapers are speaking out
| boldly against the organization. Even in
! the country parishes there are men who
are brave enough to declare that the organ
| ization is illegal and will bring disaster
declares that party organizations found
| ed on mere race distinctions are
unwise and inexpedient, and that
in closely contested election it
| viii be difficult to prevent the hot-headed
zealots of the white League" from bring
ing on conflict which a majority of the
people would deplore, and from the results
of which only the peaceable and Industrious
| voters and property holders would suffer-
The Mansfield Reporter considers the new
| scheme a desperate move, which it ls not
| prepared to indorse. 1t argues very SEN
sibly that the whive people of the State are
| largely in the minority, and that in any fair
| election, in which race distinctions are
drawn, they could not possibly get control
of the offices. The Adrertiser, published in
Lafayette parish says that the white people
/ VI tudU pdElSu uoNO AOV ACSpoAuOu WIN
| much alacrity to the call for an organiza-
ton of white League" and that a num-
Der of prominent citizens have signiHed
their disapprobation of the movement.
The Adrertiser tells the white League
that the evils which they propose to correct
are not local, but general, and that any
movement in that direction should be COM
prehensive and conciliatory. I'VE are not
| aware" SAYS this courageous Democratic
| hot fIoro lOnaI
IN this parish that require the formation ct
a white or any other league"
The great majority OF the colored people
of Louisiana are quietly at work on the
plantations; not one out of Thousand OF
| them hold any office, or ever expect TO be
anything else than useful labOrers. AS a
class they have been singularly peaceable
and patient through all the turmoil that the
shabby politicians have created; and yet,
| notwithstanding this. We find that some of
| the interior towns are patrolled by self
| constituted police appointed by the White
League. The object Is simply intimidation,
| and the men who are engaged in it are GER
tainly making themselves amenable to the
penalties prescribed in the enforcement
act. Judge Bradley's decision in the Grant
parish murder case will surely not apply
where the openly avowed intention is to
! hinder and embarrass voters in the free
1
This ruthanly madness will certainly
create reaction in the North. just now
there is sentiment abroad which is de.
! manding reform in the Southern State gov
ernment. The honest men of all parties are
ready to compel the expulsion of men like
Moses and Durell from the places which
they have disgraced. AS tar as the federal
power can be used in the Southern States
it must be thrown in the scale against
thieves and plunderers, no matter whether
they claim to be Republicans or not. Il a
man known to be rascal is a candidate fol
any responsible place, the federal office
holders must not give him their personal
much less their official support. If the re
suit is the election of the Democratic candi
dates, there will be no complaint provided
they prove to be capable, honest and eff
cent officers. But any attempt to coerce
men into voting for particular persons by
threats of violence or personal prescription
will be met with a resistance which will
not cease until the political party which
employs such methods shall have beer
| utterly routed. and the most active anC
vicious of the White Leaguers consigned tt
the Neutrality-suspicious. american.