The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-09-02
TO the Colored People.

We think it our duty to set our !,
olored fellow citizens right on some
aestions which are being continual :
y barped upon by Radical Office seek
,rs in their speeches in clitbs and
elsewhere throughout this parish.
We are charged with desiring to
leprive the colored people Of their
rights under the law. We pronounce
such a statement, no matter from
what authority it may emanate' "a
false in every particular. y" the con-
trary, it is onr determination, and 1t
is also to our interest, to protect ana
defend the colorcd citizen in all the
rights which we enjoy, but no more
It is our determination t" d" So, for
the reason, that whatever may have
been our views and feeling on the
question Of slavery at one time, We
can now only look upon it with feel
incs akin to horror. 1t was not our
fault VIC found it here, we nsed 1t AZ
We found it, Int since It has been
abolished, we are more than satisfied
that free labor ia to the interest "f
this country, and We would never ex'
change it for slave hhor-tIerefore
We would never agree to return yon
to slavery if We succeeded in getting
control If this Government, and we
have only to point as u satisfaction Of
this argument to the States Of Vir'
cinia, North Carolina, Georgia, AIN
bama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas,
Missouri and Kentucky, all Southern
States, and filed with negroes, where
the Democratic party has had full
control for the past years, and where
the negro enjoys more liberty, is more
prosperous aud happy, has himself
and children better protected ant
educated than here in Louisiana, 81
in South Carolina, the only two Re-
nu)L;can States SOuth.
Those two States are, in fact, tn
worst govcrned-the taxes are higher
there is less protection of libert.
and property than any Democrat
State Of the whole South, and we nc
G a refutation Of this statement
Aud on the charge of returning 20
to slavery if We get control of til
Government, We have only to ask
p show many free men Of color live
y here as free men before the war, VIII
r. were never molested or sold int
slavery, who owned property, an
& came and went as they chose y F:
least a thousand ; and if We did NJ
3 do it then when We had full contr'
;. Of not only this State, but tho en'''
J. Government, and it would have pai'
;. is it reasonable to suppose We will
e it now when We do not control tn
~ Government, and when it is again
# our interest to do so. What we VA
;. in getting control of the Govcrnmer
r. and We are going to get contro! OF
Of this year certain, is his: We wa
4. first, that honest men, competent me
"a and men born and bred among I
n should control and direct affairs,
- that tho State aud parish governmer
~ should be conducted economical
at and Justly. We want to reduce
i. number Of officers in this State j
lst one. half, and their salaries also 81
no half. We desire that the money c
lie lected in taxes shall be Legitimate
- expended. That the children ut
"a colors shall lie educated, not that
OF money shall be stolen as it was d.
d. hy Myers, whom you elected Jud
Of and who was appointed Treasurer
Of your School Board BY Blunt, "
Of to-day, supports him in Ills defe
nd Of this charge Of theft. We ku'
,he and you must know that good citiz
yill ship comes with and from an edu
the ted people, from those who can r
M and write, and to secure that citiz
md shin We are "a anxious that your G
lren should be educated as that
ote should be, and We are willing tn
pe. ourselves for that purpose for
"A time. We do not desire to nurde
nor maltreat any colored man; have y
tod er done 30, but will, on the contr
, s., protect them from violence and II,
,rd no matter from what source It'll
.. come. We were born and rel
9th among the colored people, know
i'm. our farms depend upon their labor
,e,v cultivation, aud intend to defend !
law just and legal rights from every
mo sailant. So much we will say Of :
We intend to, and will do. T
,ere Now We expect that yon vii
If your duty in assisting US TO j
heir about what we 90 greatly desire,
,uld what will add 50 much to your la
If. ness and prosperity, as we'll as q