The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-07-24
Yes We Cam.
From the New Orleans Times.I

FROM lIG new orleans llllleS.l
Some Of our friends have told us that
we cannot make any impression on the
colored people of this State by any sort
of management, however just and fair.
We answer, fatty, yes wecan. Because
lnlsjudged measures and unfortunate
combinations heretofore have failed, it
does not follow that we'll judged meas
ures and wise combinations will fail
hereafter and forever. Our motto is,
ceaseless activity in the right direction.
1t will certainly prevail at last. Con-
slider the circumstances impartially. If
you threaten the negroes with eXtermi-
nation OF a deprivation OF the right of
suffrage in it's full extent, which they
value more highly than any other earth
ly privilege, will they not naturally COM
blne to prevent such a result? To them
it seem to be q question of life and
death, and the vote of a thief counts as
much to them as the vote of an honest
man. They huddle together and draw
to themselves every possible element of
support. They cannot afford tOcut loose
from their bad men, each with his little
circle Of supporters, though they may
know their character and really wish to
be rid of them. We do not, however,
advise unitication OF any of the foolish
ness OF forced measures distasteful to
both races.
The negroes will not go against their
own interests and those of the State
when they know, beyond peradventurc,
that they are safe in taking the other
course. The failures heretofore are due
to their distrust, DISGUISE it as we may.
They have not felt tlat they were safe
in discarding their bad leaders, whom
they knew to be bad perhaps, yet knew
to be friendly. Now, it does not need
the formation of a s~tereotyped party
with an inane platform and a bushel of
the formation of an earnest, solid, out
spoken sentiment of independence,
which shall permeate all classes of socie-
ty, and permit every man, white or black,
to think, act and vote as he pleaseS with
out anv penalties, political or otherwise
being heaped upon him for 80 doing.
Who believes that when such q senti-
ment is firmly established the negroes
will any longer fear their former friends
and present patrons? True, the colored
mountebanks will rave and spout and
play upon their fears and prejudices, but
such things will not carry the day al
ways. Let us challenge the advocates
OF violence to show a reasonable hope
of success on their line. They do not
deny that the colofed men are lawfully
entitled to vote, or that they wiU be pro-
tccted IN that right by all the p0,Cer Of the
General Gorermnent. They do not deny
that the colored elements is numerically
superior. If they propose to beat the
majority by a league Of the minority,
the project is idiotic if they propose to
beat the majority by intimidation, by
unlawful means, or by driving them
from the State, the project is criminal,
as we'll as suicidal, to our agricultural
interests, But the shysters can be beat
en- by a combination of the better por-
ton of the Republican party, white and
black, (Which combination we have good
reason to believe the latter would strong
Iy favor,) with the large conservative
element, which would be
strong enough to carry the Legislature
triumphantly: This need not be by any
set alliance or contract to appOrtion
the offices, but it should be by a common
understanding and resolve to knock
convention tickets into pi to scratch
numerically, and to settle ON a platform
with only one plank, viz, to clean out
the bad candidates. This is our opinion
Of how to do it," The other course
will in our opinion, be a fine exempliti-
of chow not to do it,