The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-05-01
REFORM "DR LEWIS" AND HIS
PARTY.

we did him for his respects paid to MI.
jackson" in his talk at the Courthouse
last Monday.
We first have to complain that he
treated us unjustly and discourteously.
When. he presented us his Manifesto for
publication it was published by us out
of friendship and courtesy to him. He
knew from conversation with us that
we we're opposed to lisnew party move
ment and would not endorse his Mani
festo. We could not publish it without
comment; but our remarks were con-
fined to the merits of the case, aud we
had nothing to say to or about MT
Lewis The question was q public one,
and we discussed the questioR-not MI.
Lewis.n His Manifesto and our com
ments thereon appeared in this paper
on April nth, and any replysof his land
one was expected) could have been pub
lislled on April oath. He selected this.
as the medium to conveylhis poll
teal doctrines TO the public, and it cost
him nothing--the cost fell on "Mr.
Jackson '.Dr. Lewis had written for
the press before, and he is also versed
in Til" cIap-ttap'' and +" special pleading"
of the lawyer. In addition, he is pub
lie and politicalspeaker. sMr. jackson"
is simply an editor of a country paper,
and not SO pretentious q. one asto assume
to reform the politics Of this ~greatcouil-
try. The gentleman selected this paper
for the discussion, and FLEW the track
at the very outset. Ten days afterpub-
LEGATION Of the articles, iii d public meet
lug called by himself alone, through this
paper, he pulls,a copy Of the paper IRON
his pocket, which had probably received
ten days Of his thoughts or prophecies
and proceeds to 'pay his respects to MI.
Jackson not to the question at issue.
Why did he leave the ground lhe first
selectedg Was it because he was weak
there and afraid to commit what he, had
to say to paper, for the public eye; or
was II because Mr.. Jackson would
have iOsahown inhis Hclap-trapn and
Especial pleading meeting9 Did he
warn " MI. jackson that he was going
to discuss him personally, and for him
to come prepared to reply to the speech
he had been ten days getting ready?
Monopolizing the meeting and adjourn
ing it Immediately after he stopped
talking, did lie give "Mr. jackson or
ANYBODY else an opportunity to speak
Who took partin this meeting besides
himself and thefew claekers OF his
we think therefore, edo notproplresyit IT'D
that the gentleman treated us unjnstly
and discourte0nsly in opening the ques-
ton III this paper, and then making .
personal assault on us i'm q meetingW where
we were allowed no part and which we
permitted him to eall through this pa
per.
lii attacking rs, did he read, bur e N
tire article I Eos he read only such
pafes dis suited him. Did he road bis
owl article iii 7allq No. We wotld
have been satisfied Tor him to- have
read both, and let the audience be the
Judge, except his cIaekers.
But how did lie succeed with clap
tran i and special pleading ON what.
lie did read Z He said that there would
az DO iiostiIity t0s1he blacks. He said
ID /; but twenty minutes after the meet
ing adjourned, lghite men who bad con-
sorted with Radicals and drank and
dfned with colored niggersn said that
ttc. only way tb make niggers vote
right was to backshot hem Is there IS
fO1eano ltostilitS NJ the blacks, what
ii the use or sense In Having q white
mans partyq Ills talk did not aorres
pond with the outside talk on this point,
~Buckshotting shiggers'1 always brings
Federal bay0nets; and thoagh some
rnay think it right bucksliOt them,
they cannot think IL pleasaht To lie in
Federal prisons, while their advisers,
aiders ana abbettOrs either 70 seot-free
Of ran aR ID Texas. The Grant parish
prisoners now lying III dungeons in
New Orleans, should be consulted about
this matter. The speaker said IL the
movement failed, he was going to
Texas. One of che secretaries Of the
meeting Inns said the same thing, and
others also we are informed. They
had better go before it fails, and thus
save trouble To both themselves and the
country.
nd; 4 41,.., sttatt1 ua ,1arsnnaI vim.
lenee Of naturalization to the blacks, they
certainly 40 intend an infringement Of
their constitutional and legal rights,
otherwise, we repeat, there Is no sense
ih tile movement. How do they expect
To defeat the combined cOlored vote in.
this State, by Il fair election 7 The
coIored population was iii the majority
lit the census of 1870 and that majority
mas been largely iacfeaeed since by ac-
cessions from Texas, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi. and Virginia. If they do.
not intend d fair election, why pretend
to he honest Ii an unfair election is
attempted sill not the Federal authori
IT, interfere as it did ii the election of
1919. The speaker, DIR. LOWS" ne
knowleagsd That le went into the
Liberal party Che had lust come out of
the Reform party III order to gheat the
gers,r hut hat II proved d lniser.
able failure. He says liberalism
amounted II nothing more than q miser
abs cheat, detected by the negroes at
it'll birth. And yet be- vent into this