The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-08

ance with the Conservative native
whites who. tiri1g of the dictation and
tyranny Of the Bourbon element. might
seek emancipation therefrom by unit
ing with the Republicans We believe
that the Conservative native white will
soon see the advantage Of protecting
the black voter in all OF his civil and
political rights, and then, after satisfy
ing him that he Is honest In his inten-
reasons as these, and many others,
Southern Republicans should not be
too hasty in abandoning their party or
ganizations. At least, not just yet
A Constitutional Convention.
tAttakapas Register.l
The police jury Of Tensas parish for
mally resolved to memorialize the Leg
islature to provide for the calling OF a
State convention to revise the constitu-
ton. The press appears to receive the
suggestion with favor. and the move
ment may be said to be under full head
way. The objections to the present
constitution are stated in general and
unspecific terms, and originate chiefly
in the desire to do away with the last
vestige of reconstruction in Louisiana.
OF course the movement will be at
tended with new agitations and con-
tlicts, detrimental to the general well
fare, but the spread eagle orators de-
mand change, and we suppose it will
be eventually conceded. The treasury
might be allowed to rest or recuperate
after great depletions by Legislatures,
but here comes ground swell for a full
fledged convention that will probably
outdo score of them. But the tax
payers may enjoy as much glory as they
choose to vote and pay for.
Poll Tax.
IPointe Coupee Pelicanl
The State of Virginia has amended
her constitution so as to insure the col
lection Of the poll tax. No one Is per-
mit:ed to vote until he presents TO the
inspectors of election the receipt Of the
tax collector that he has paid his poll
tax. This tax, in addition to others, Is
paid over to the free school fund, and
thus the cause Of education is NUM-
ficently provided for. Among other de-
sirable amendments to the constitution
Of the State, we hope to see the example
set by Virginia followed in relation to
the poll tax. As the law is now admin
istered, few white men pay the tax,
and we doubt even il much OF what
is collected is ever paid into the State
treasury. One thing is certain, that the
school tax is not sufficient to give uni
versal free education to all the children
of Louisiana. Additional funds must
be raised, and we know of none that
will be lighter on taxpayers than the
forcible collection OF the poll tax. Re-
he can exercise the right OF suffrage,
and in this parish alone an additional
sum of $1,000 will be collected for the
school fund, and which amount will
keep up half dozen tirst-class schools.
Let our legislators look to this.
Mixed schools.
[Natchitoches yIndicator.]
We are glad to note that the public
schools of New Orleans have been re-
modelled and that the white and colored
Democratic party of this State is a
strong free school party, anxious and
willing to afford ample facilities for the
education Of the youth Of all classes,
creeds and colors-but they insist that
in order to render these schools efficient,
the colored and whites shall occupy diff
ferent school houses but the same
facilities, both as to character, qGalifica-
tion and fitness of preceptors shall be
afforded each.
The taxes are paid, as bulk, by the
whites-their money pays the schooling
and they will require that the schools
shall be conducted as they deem best.
It is useless to talk Of social equality
colored people don't demand that
themselves, and all the noise about it is
confined to few such pig headed asses
as Antoine and his class. We earnestly
entreat the colored people to have
nothing tc do with those violent bitter
negro leaders, for harm will result from
their leadership in future as it has in
the past.
We fully understand that to make
good citizens Of the negro he must be
educated and we are therefore anxious,
as he is to remain with us as factor,
that he should be a good citizen. We
hope this last exhibition OF color equality
will not be repeated, for it only harms
the cause of public education, and
through that the negro race.
Bayou Plaquemine Again.
[Iberylle South
The Vermilion Banner is advocating
the opening Of Bayou Plaquemine, and
claims that it would be a great advan-
tage to the interior parishes by giving
them a nearer route to New Orleans
than the one travelled through the At
chafalaya and by way OF Old River.
Previous to the war a large amount of
money was spent on the mouth of
Bayou Plaquemine by the State, in its
efforts to construct works that would
prevent drift from entering its mouth.
These works have been all washed
away or caved into the river. The
State had two steamboats, and some
seventy-fve hands constantly en-
Dloyed in cleaning out Bayou Plaque
mine. Grand River, Bayou Sorrel and
other streams, in order to keep naViga-
ton open. A large amount OF money
was spent annually on this stream, and
inferior and sometimes very dangerous
navigation of the Bayou Plaquemine