The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-05-29
A POLITICAL RETROSPECT.

been inaugurated at this time, in oul
midst, than the attempt to reorganizt
parties on an issue of color alone. This
we have long looked upon as an issue OF
the dead past. The platform of the Lib,
eral Republican Convention assembled
at Cincinnati in May, 1879, its subBe,
quent ratification by the Democratic
Convention at Baltimore in July of the
same year, and the fusion of the Re-
formers, Liberal Republicans and De-
mocrats in a united party for Louis
lana in September following, we hoped
and believed had put this question at
rest for all time to come.
On this basis we fought the campaign
of 1872, and expected to continue the
fight until success had crowned our eff
forts. But such itseemsi is not to be the
asa. Certain gentlemen amongst us,
many OF them members of the State con-
VcltiOn Of 1872, finding that immediate
success did not crown their efforts, have
seen fit, in their wisdom, to cut loose
alike from the Democratic, Reform and
Liberal parties, to stigmatize now "as q
cheat and swindle,n that which they 80
highly commended to us scarce eighteen
months ago, and to organize themselves
into a new political organization based
upon color alone. There was a time in
st. Landry when there was room for
such an issue, when the colored man and
the white man stood arrayed against
each other; but, as stated above, that
time has passed, and if such an issue is
now revived it will not be by the negro,
but by the white mar who steps forward
and throws to the breeze tile banner of
the White League and commences an
r~snrefenting persecution against all 9th
ers white or colored who differin opinion
with him. Now, to demonstrate how
utterly uncalled for is any such issue at
this time, we need only refer back to the
action of the colored voters from the
very day they became possessed of the
elective franchise in St. Landry.
We know that several of the leading
white men of our parish were in favor
of going into the Republican party from
the very day Of its origin in our midst.
They viewed things In the light of ac-
complished facts. They saw that col
ored men would require white leaders,
and with them the question was, shall
we aspire to this leadership, OF shall We
stand quietly by and see it pass into the
handsof the carpet baggers amongstusq
Accordingly some few of our leading
white men were presenta at the organizes
tian Of the first Republican club in our
parish, and ii they did not become lead
ers and members thereof, it was simply
because ct the bitter hostility of the
great nasJOrity of our white population.
Finding it impracticable, not because
Of the opposition Of the colored man,
but on account DC the denunciation Of
the whites, the matter was dropped by
these gentlemen, and at once carpet
baggers and Freedman's Bureau Agents.
became leaders Of the organization.
When the election for members of the
Constitutional Convention am on in
the fall Of 1867, the leading colored men
of the parish again proposed to put at
least two prominent white citizens and
property holders on their ticket, which
was not accepted, simply because such
was the bitter hostility of the great ma
jority of the whites to anything like
union or Cancellation, as to prevent any
man from adopting such a course the.
whites refused to- vote atail, every thing
went by default, and a full representa-
tion of cOlored men and carpet-baggers
went as delegates to form onr fnnda-
mental law. After this the next general
election was holden in April, 1868. The
Republican party was then In the most
perfect state of organization. 1t en-
braeed every c0lored man in the parish,
q few resident whites, with q sprinkling
Of carpet. baggers. Notwithstanding the
general desire on the part Of these latter
To import candidates of the ultra radical
stripe from New Orleans for District
Judge and District Attorney, without
requiring any pledge OF promise what
ever, the conservative element Of The
party determined to concentrate their
votes on JAS. M. Porter for Judge, and
Geo. Nv. Hudspeth for District Attorney.
At tile same election other white
men could have been put on the Repub-
Iican ticket, and would have been put
there had they possessed the moral conr-
age to have allowed their names to be
used as Messrs. Hudspeth and Porter.
AT tho election Porter and Hudspeth
were the only Republican candidates
elected. Porter made one of the most
efficient, popular and hafdworking
Judges ever elected to onr District
Bench, buthe lived only abouttwOyears.
ITudspeth discharged his duty 10 eff
GENTLY that. at the expiration Of his term
of office, NE d nominated unanimously
by the Democratic party, and was re-
elected, receiving alike tile white and
cOlored vote 1T heeIection in 1879. The
next general election holden in st. Lam
dry was that 10 1870. Not a single col
ored man or carpet-bagger was elected.
Z. o. Hayes waselected Sheriff. Adolphe
Gagrignes reelected Parish Judge, "A.
u. Durio and Lucien Darby, Democratic
and DR.. Thee. Chachere and
Or. g. n. Tatman, independents were
elected to the Legislature. These can