Litchfield enquirer., 1875-03-04
THr MINoR1TY EEpoRr.

HIT MINORITY EFFORT.
 The minority dissent from the views of
 the majority regarding the intimidation of
 voters at t e recent election, but agree
 with them in considering the action of the
 Returning Board in giving the House to
 the Republicans unwarranted by law.
 Their report is much too long for our
 space. Speaking of the social, and politi-
 cal conditions resulting from slavery, the
 war and attribute the fundamental diff
 cu1ty to the prevalent lack of education:
 The whole spirit and policy of American
 institutions has been to encourage immi- l grafton in the fullest and freest manner.
 In our States the native of foreign coun- I tries IS not only welcomed and attracted
 by all peaceable inducements to take up
 his residence, but he is in a brief time
 clothed with citizenship and accorded
 quite his full share of political influence | and consideration. But the citizen from l the North, who moved into the South. was
 quite commonly opposed in opinions to
 the old residents on public questions.
 This opposition made him the natual ally.
 and his superior education made him the
 leader, of the colored population. It was only to be expected, unless the nature of men were in this case to be thoroughly changed, that he would be regarded by
 the native white citizen of the South with distrust and dislike, especially if he came
 into their State for the purpose of enga- ging in politics on held national office.
 A still greater difficulty attended the
 problem. In every Northern State the people had founded their institutions up-
 on the theory that universal suffrage and
 universal education are inseparable. In some form of statement this action is de-
 clared in the consultations or laws all of
 them. It has become a maxim too trite
 and familiar for repetition. No consider able number of American citizens of North
 ern birth could be found who would not agree that their own institutions would be proved disgraceful and disastrous fail ure but for the common school. Yet the representatives of these same States. | while imposing by natural authority uni versal suffrage upon communities to all whose previous opinions and habits it was
 totally alien, made no provision for secur- Ing to the freedmen the defense of educa-
 tion. Of the number of males over twen- ty-one ln the State of Louisiana in 1870. there were by the census, white 87 .O66: colored. S7 ,121; making total of 174, ,187 Of the whole colored population over
 twenty-one there were 157, ,O49 who could not read and write. If half these were female, we have colored voters who are re- ported as llliterate, 8,524 out of 87,121. These masses of illiterate voters must of necessity to very large extent, be instru- ments in the hands of others who can in- huence thelr passions or excite their fears.
 This condition has not improved since 1870. There is reason to believe that the llhteracy of the colored population is dim inishing and that of the whites increas-
 ing and the whole condition is not much, if any improved. The total number of child ren in Louisiana between six and twenty
 one years in 1874 is estimated by the State Superintendent of schools at 28c. .3S7. The The number of children enrolled in public schools in 1874 is "A, ,3O9. The report of the State Superintendent at the beginning of last year shows an improvement in the educational condition of the State over the two or three previous years, but yet exhibits sad array Of facts. In several parishes there are no public schools. In others there are scarcely any. The enroll ment above reported 1s a mere shell in
 many parishes, including all attendance of only few weeks at school.
 With these elements great part of the political history of Louisiana for the past ten years might have been predicated by the most ordinary intelligence. Some of the occurrences which we are constrained to report are of a nature so cruel and bar
 barous as to excite astonishment in any
 people making the least pretension to civilization. But blood shed. lawlessness,
 attempts of minorities to gain political power by force. delusions. influencing great bodies of people, unrelenting hatred of opponents and the use of these as in-