Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-27
louisiana Affairs.

\ ST. Louis paper publishes IL letter re-
Gently written by Rev. DR.. William O..
Eliot, an eminent Clergyman "f that city,
giving his impressions of the state "i affairs
in Louisiana, derived from personal ob>erva
ton in New Orleans. DR.. Eliot'S high
character is well known. a. well rs his anti
slavery record in slave State. Few per-
sons" he says himself, "baye worked harder
or at greater sacrifice than | have done in
nv limited sphere for the colured race, both
in slavery and freedom" His views, there
fore, with regard to the prospects OF the
race, particularly as affected by the new
Southern policy of President Hayes. are en-
titled to respect. lie finds in Louisiana that
all those elements which give authority and
success To Observation-Disclosures prop
erty, social and political aSccndrncy-are on
the side of Nichols, who alone tan really
govern the State. To give any elect To
Packards authority would require the aid
of much larger force of troops than IL now
in the State, and would require ls perma-
nentiy. That, in time of peace, could not
be called Republican government in any
sense of the term, and the results OF such an
attempt-eyen if it did not lead, as 1t would
he likely to, to the reduction of the State to
the condition of Il mere military province
could not but be deplorable in every respect.
DIR. Eliot, therefore, considers the Presl-
dents new policy as the alternative OF what
has already become intOlerable, and would
become still more 80 the longer 1t should
be tried. So it would not be reasonable to
expect thut any policy could wear an al
together rose -colOrcd look which had to deal
with such bad and badly mixed elements. lie
frankly admits there is Il " doubt If the out
look is altogether pleasant" As the negroes
were maniiestly unfit to take part in the
Government oi the State, 81 they will have
hard work to maintnin their rights ~ voters
and citizens. lie regards the reign OF open
violence us at an end, but thinks that the
colorod voter may be cheated, bribed or dis
cournged out OF the real exercise oi his
rights ut the ballot box in many sections
No number of troops has avalicd to PIE
vent such abuses already They spring up
naturally out OF the state Of society, and
tho only hope of Improvement lies IN grad
ually improving society itself.
DIR. Eliot thinks thi~ will best be accomp-
lishcd bv according the iull fright vi self
government, thus pntting NIL classes on their
good behavior and allowing the ordinary
yuol Influences of stable civil communities
10 resume their sway. That Is the American
system. which the war interrupted at the
| south, but which ought To he restored, the
moment ir il safe To do ~. The negro :
vote. which no power can tako away from
him, will always be valuable, and the
whites will vet find that IN very seli-dcience
they must educate him. No seli-goyerning
community can afford to let from onc-iourth
| Ia orc-haf ui it, citizens grow up IN ~
| norancc. In proportion rs the negro be
! comes intelligent he will use his political
| mowers to the advantage OF himself and the
community. In the meantime mmlgrati,n'
which has heretofore been repelled by the
miserable condition OF southern politics,
will come in, with capital aud skill, to
strengthen all good influences and to make
/ the South precisely like the other most Ia
! yored parts Of the Union.