The weekly Louisianian., 1874-08-15

mucn p0Q le8l latlon and much or
pressiyo administration. And no,
all these ills are charged by our pc
litical opponents on us as. race
and it is alleged that we. are incom
petent, if not. dishonest; ard on thi
state Of facts the p~roscriptiye, vici
Gus. organization Of the. Whit,
League, which is gradually absorb
ing and taking in all the anti-Re
publican elements in the State, il
founded; and the battle-cry. is {
white mans party, a white mans
government, no bread fer the pres,
eat 10. he negro worker, and nc
right rs soon as may De, political
or otherwise, for the colored citizen,
This cry OF declared Incompetent
cy and insinuated dishonesty has
been toned up by more than one
instance Of such fragrant and historic
treachery and infamy on the part
ct men elevated by our votes, that it
has become resonant through the
land, and even honest but tim;d
friends question whether our en-
reimbursement Us q people was not
premature, and halt and tremble
lest We should fail under the fiery
ordeal to which the enlightened
and ezacting public opinion Of the
nation has subjected us; and we
shall not have passed successfully
our probation, and confirmed the na-
tional hopes that sprung, as the first
fruits, cut Of the national good will
that made ,ls men ord brethren, un-:
less We speedily show, as a people,
not only the political force that
springs from the united action Of a
million Of patriotic voters, but the
presence o f'that c;fcumspect spirit,
mental forecast and wise discretion
that constitute the reggqlativo ele-
ments of popular institutions, and
give that conclusive attestation Of
competency for se'~f-government-
he ability to perceive and to cor
rect the mistakes, and the DISPOSE
ion to right the wrongs OF the past.
This is the Immediate issue press
ng right at our doors in the pres
mt campaign, which in its conse-
luenccs moro than in any former
Instance, will determine our force,
'alue, and place es q political elo-
rent in the great republic. Are
re equal to the demands made
pom us? Does the Republican
supply the conditions
f q fair and successful experiment?
a Judgment upon the sequi-
les OF our cause and the<forces of
race-for myself and my people
tho have most At stake, and for the
reat party Of progress that seems
est to. apprehend our needs and
rights; and finally, in behalf of
1e great nation which would halt
nd stand appalled, at the disaster
{ our failure,-wo affirm too much
as not been bestowed upon the
people, and no legitimate
will be. disappointed by
:. t.
We undertake from to-day to vim t
cate both our competency for and q
ght to citizenship. We purpose :
make this viudication by exhibit !
g a moral courage that admits, :
q qnibble and without a b
entail reservation, both the mis- t
kes and the faults with which we, u
any sort, are justly chargeable q
! intelligence that not only de- :.
cts the evil and sees its corrective, a
1t a prudence that f~oresees and VI
events the recurrence Of similar e
lis. Aye, more than this, to
'ubting friendsand censuring foes, -
, say, we viii finish our work by n
bordinating personal ambition, p
preference, and purity n
ejudice, 50 that the hands that
end shall be cut of, and the evil a
Q shall be plucked out, and we =,
Il not be content with honorable 81
rs, but will do, Of our own me- il
N and the counsel and help even 2
our ~adversaries, what is best for =;
. people, without distinction of n.