The Opelousas courier., 1875-07-10
"EarlytRirds.,. "

ernatorial candidate in 1876.
This matter had been mooted before the ar
tlcle to which we refer was published. In con-
nectIon with the rumor, however, the Bulletin,
In its article, mentions certain names of prom
inent Republicans as advocating the scheme
such men, for instance, as Pinchback, who is
to be the candidate for Lieutenant Governor,
and Jim Lewis, both muIatto leaders of New
Orleans in the Republican party, J. Madison
Wells, and others. It would seem that these
men have an idea of suppressing such carpet
Daggers as Casey, Packard, Kellogg, etid onaase
ge'auS, and that these must be content to take
back seat, ii they take any at ALL in the ranks
OF the new party.
A perusal of the article revived a suspicion
that we have long entertained viz: that
! there was design among some of the Radi-
cals III TINS State to create new party-a
party to be based upon new issue-an issue
between the achite cdspet-bagger of the North
and West and the scaHa,cag.
There is in this as in every other Southern
State, class of white men, mostly natives of
the soil, which has attached itself to the Radi-
cal party-not through any devotion to prin-
cipie or strong convictions Of right, but for
the sake Of office and money. This class we
call seallawags, to contradistinguish it from
the class known as carpet baggers The ranks
of the scallawag, since 1868, received con-
stantly, in nearly every parish in the State,
accessions-nOt numerous, however-from the
opposition. These accessions consist mostly
of men who, up to 1868 and for some time af-
terward, claimed allegiance to the Democratic
or Conservative party, and professed to act
with it; but from their subsequent conduct,
we believe that their allegiance was never
genuine or sincere; that they always medi-
tated treason to the party to which they pro-
fessed to belong. They only waited a good
opportunity to desert; they were at heart
Observation-Disclosures for lucre and for office.
When the will of the true, the honest, the in
dustrious and law-abiding people of the State
was disregarded, throttled aud overcome by
fraud and overpowering force, first, in the
they Tefe cheated otttt
of a victory in 1872, and afterwards, in those
by which their hard won victory of 1874 was
rendered fruitless, these deserters from the
ranks of the Democracy found the opportuni-
ties for which they had sighed, and Joined the
army of carpet-baggers and scallawags The
seallawag has always, ultil recently. found
safety only in keeping up q close union with
the carpet-bagger. He has Of late, however
become jealous of the influence of the carpet
bagger among the colored people dissatisfied
with the success of the former in reaching the
highest places of trust and profit in the State
to his exclusion. Under the influence of this
bn J,oa fISnSI,
section Of the Radical party is sufficiently
strong TO dictate the policy thereof, in this
State at least. He believes that the battle-ery
in the next election should be-: Native white
and colored Radicals to tue front y
BY this means he hopes to steal from the
carpet-bagger or foreign Radical the influence
which he has acquired over the colored race
in the South.
We are of opinion that there will be an at
tempt made in the campaign of 1876 to unite
the coIored people of this State under the lead
ershipfof such scallawags as j. Madison Wells,
Thomas G. Anderson and others of like nk,
alied and abetted by such Radicals as Jim
Lewis and the presumptuous, empty and ag-
gressive Pinchback. That this little scheme,
will fail of frultion we have little doubts. The
:
people for several years past have been get
ting glinlpses through the mask worn by such
men as Anderson-calling themselves aud
called BY those belonging to their ring, now
4 Democrat and anon Independent or
4 Conservative but never !. Radical lat the
true features behind.
Our iIlustEions Senator, when lie puts on
this last mask that is being prepared with SO
mnch care for him by his friends, will find
that the people see no difference between q
scallawag Radical and q carpet-bag Repnbli-
can They have both for eight years neatly
been engaged in the disreputable and dishon-
est work of cheating the people out of the re-
suits of fair elections and out Of their money
They have both stood by and bounded on the
ininions of tyrant in the work of crushing
under his heel free, enlightened, brave and
generous people. They have both rsjoiced ut
the work, as they saw it drive US to poverty,
helplessness and despair.
Sealiawag is but another name for traitor.
The fate Of the one is deserved by the other,
and We sincerely believe that at the election
Of 1875 both will meet with their deserts.
The day, we predict, viii soon be seen when
tile petty, dishonest schemes of political adj
ventarers, whether they be Radicals Of scala
wags, whether they call themselves Demo
Gratis, Conservatives, pr by any other name,
win no longer be permitted To stand before
public opinion, and will 90 down before the
crushing viii Of an oppressed and indignant
people. ,...
Ttgr f.Rnps.--It is with pleasure that we