New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-02
TIE CONSERVATIVE INFLUENCE.

session..
THE CONSERVATIVE INFLUENCE.
We have addressed certain considera-
tons to the Republican leaders of color.
They were to the point that a great con-
test lies before US, in which the interests
of that race are chiefly at stake. 1t can
not be supposed that We intimated any
thing else except to establish the quail
fication line of official choice or repre-
sentative nominations. To us the inside
color of representative is Of more conse-
quence than his external complexion. If
a man be honest and intelligent we would
prefer him, were he black as the inside Of
q steamboat smokestack, to a rogue,
though he were as white as Tweed, the
Democratic centennial thief. We
have urged upon the colored lead
ers that, whether they nominate
white or black men, they should see to it
that each was man Of good repute
among his neighbors, and that he should
give evidence that he was permanently
interested in the public welfare Of Louis
lana. We cited several reasons for this ad-
vice:
l. That the right of suffrage might be
subjected to such qualifications as to
place the colored voter in a permanent
minority. We cited the specific qualifca-
ton under the constitution Of Massachu-
sets. It has been replied by the
Baton Rouge Era that before this qualifi-
cation could be imposed there must be an
amendment of the State constitution.
We are of course perfectly aware Of this,
but our argument goes to show that if
the white people Of Louisiana choose to
do as those Of Mississippi have done they
can scare away from the polls those who
would resist the amendment.
It would be perfectly easy by such a
system of rife tactics to call State con-
vention and repeal every provision except
those guaranteed by the constitution and
laws of the United States. The Era doubts
the effect of such qualification upon the
colored vote, even if admitted to the polls.
We give our authority. 1t is the same on
which we predicate the colored majority
Of 10000. There are in Louisiana 229, 652
white people who can read and write.
There are 42,703 colored people who can
read and write. Now, as the voters of
Louisiana, and of most other communities,
are about one-fourth or one-ffth Of the
total population, it will follow that this
proportion will establish itself in the rela-
tive illiteracy Of the white and colored vo-
tiers. This disqualification, with other
consequences, social and political, is
impending. We have cited it to show the
propriety Of guarding against its possible
occurrence.
We were DESTROYS then to see such
State ticket and such representatives
nominated by the Republican party as
would meet the approval of all conserva-
tive men, whether they voted for it or not.
We do not suppose that any possible in
tegrity could shield Republican from
abuse by the Democracy, but the next
election will be decided by the conserv
alive interests of the State. They recog-
nize the Democracy as political freeboot-
ers, who respect neither private right
nor public justice. Their warfare is a
violent and armed assault upon their polit-
ical opponents, with prescription Of such
followers as may falter. The Conserva-
tive interests know that with Democratic
success every department Of the State will
be occupied by violent and intolerant
men: that labor will be terrified and de-
moralized, capital Withdrawn, and immi-
grafton permanently excluded. Let US,
then, give the Conservatives such nomina-
tons as they can approve, and we may
anticipate their support to the Republican
ticket, either by an active canvass in its
behalf, or the scarcely less efficient mani
festation of good will and disposition to
accept and participate in the advantages
Of a Republican administration.