The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-10-30
The Lesson of the Canvass.
From the New Orleans Tfmes.1 !

| From the New Orleans Times1
Through the sober annals of the past
| history teaches the philosophy of exam
pie; through the changes of the present
| the shadows of coming events are cast
before. In our political armament the
omens begin to brighten. Public opinion
seems gradually rising to the height of
the great argument before the country,
and Is emphatic in its condemnation of
! the Radical extravaganza and corruption
| which have added so much to the bur-
| dens and hindered so materially the
prosperity OF the American people. The
era OF prejudice is giving way for the
era OF reflection, and the extravaganza
of party claims for the philosophical
process Of testing the merits OF tree by
its fruits.
In their departure from the Republican
simplicity OF The Fathers, the Radical
Republicans of the day have framed an
Indictment against themselves with
counts too numerous for easy computa-
tlOn, and against which no satisfactory
pleadingcan be urged. When the rulers
OF a people are once weighed in the
balances and found wanting through the
stern conviction of public sentiment
their doom is already sealed.
Our country is great and glorious and
strong. 1t can bear much, but it cannot
bear perpetual misrule, accompanied by
a perpetual increase of its public bur
dens. Public sentiment now demands,
not only that our Federal Government,
but the government of the States re-
spectively, shall be republican as we'll in
spirit as in form. 1t is tired of the delu-
slVe pretence Of a peace which is no
peace; OF an economy which is not
economical of a word of promise, kept
to the ear, but broken to the hope. The
birds of heaven carry the report, and the
waters whisper in their flow tAe story of
the coming change. There must be a
yindication Of the Republic through re-
tOrmatory efforts or republicanism is it.
felf fraud.
Here in Louisiana the ailments of the
body polite produced fever of excite
ment which, in some instances, assumed
type at once unpleasant and danger
Gus. But the crisis seems now to be past,
and with more hopeful indications the
calm counsel not LONG since spurned in
dlgnantly by the patient is now prac-
tlcally accepted, and those who gave it
find vindicatiOn to which, if so in
clined, they may hereafter point with
pride.
The lesson of the canvass IN this State
Is one OF concession, of cooperation, of
reconciliation. 1t is c0ndemnatOry of
ultraisms, no matter by what class held,
and especially OF those race preiudices
on which all attempt was made tOfOund
Il new school of political Ostracism. The
tone of public opinion and the
pronounced approval of the TerrebOnne
plan are peculiarly significant in this
connection. They show that the Lion
or the Leagues is not so furious as he
was, and that the waters muddied in the
stream below, re proving less and less
We find cOlOred men abandoning the old
idols which have proved powerless for
good, and demanding that the cOmmu-
nifty Of interest which necessarily exists
between the races should he recognized
and advanced for their common benefit
on the other, the candidates of a party
in the platform of which the term
- white assumed an emphatic promi-
nence, have become convinced of the
virtue OF concession, and are now will
ing to work with cOlOred allies in the
grand labor of redemption.
In the late speech OF General Gibson |
at Poiute-a-la- Hache, that worthy and !
capa BILE gentleman said to the cOlored |
people there assembled.
l greet you as my fellow -citizens. |
greet you as my equals before the law. |
greet you as LOuisianians and American |
freemen entitled to all the rights and |
privileges which the Constitution of our
common country has ordained to secure |
Us all, and which the recent amendments |
Dt that immortal instrument were in
tended to secure and do secure to your |
| I .IyySl Il
rights do not depend upon the shifting
policies of party, but repose upon the
mperitshable basis OF the Constitution:
It is high time, fellow-c citizens, that we
we're coming together. 1t is high time
hat all honest men should consult for
Ihe benefit OF themselves and the State.
am glad to tell you that in my own
parish, where | was reared and own a
the white and cOlOred men
nave castaside the claims of party-have
sacrificed the interests of party to the
higher interests of country. We have
lut one ticket in TerrebOnne. Upon that
ticket half are white and half cOlored-
jhe cOlOred men represent the laborers
tnd the white men the land Owners-thus
United | hope the benefits to flow from
such an union will commend their ex-
smple to you.
These pregnant passages are signifi-
'ant. In contrast with some of the ideas
hat prevailed in the recent past they
sound like the echoes of a new evangel.
t may be that Gen. Gibson is in advance
IT some of his associates and cOntemp0-
aries; but evidently the current of
public opinion runs in the direction that
lis barque is borne, and every day he
will find an increase OF companionship.
What we want is q government fair to
I'll and oppressive to nOne-a govern
nent in which all the great interests of
he State are equita bly, represented, and
which all classes and colors can conscien-
lously support.
It is advisable to keep continually be-
ore the people the buTdensome cost of