The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-03-22


| on the wall'' for future legislators.
Before proceeding to draw up the ar
guments pro and con, it is fit and
proper to say something about the in
fuences which have operated upon the
members of the present assembly and
which will have to be contended with
in the next assembly, and fear in all
future assemblies so long as our civiii-
zation and our institutions last.
The timidity of capital is proverbial.
There is class of men iufesting all
civilized communities whose sole OBJ
ject is to enrich them selves at the ex-
pense of others, without regard to the
principles of honor or morality. The
Shylock of Shakespeare is the type of
this class. Their business and occupa-
ton is to prey upon the necessities of
their fellow men, either as individuals
or in communities, and they are ever
ready to invoke the letter Of the law
in order that they may have the pound
of flesh. The disorganized and
chaotic condition of society, in this
State since 1861 has afforded to this
class of men opportunities of which
they have not been slow to avail them
selves. They are the men whose voices
| were loudest for war, and who when
! the conflict came were to be found
we'll, anywhere else than ON the field.
1t is much easier to say where they
were not than where they were. Some
were in public offices, some were ssforty-
negro' exempts, and some were gov
erment agents, specializing in cotton,
tobacco, or upon the necessities of the
wives and children of the men OF the
army, ever ready to prostitute honor,
| virtue and morality for gain.
The failure of tho Confederate cause
in most cases swept away their ILL
gotten gains and left them with appe-
tites unsated. The short respite be-
tween the close of the war and the es-
Enlistment of the military or recon-
structed government afforded them
small opportunities and when, bound
hand and foot, the people of this COM
monwealth were subjected to be plum
dered by the hordes of Northern adj
| venturers, thieves and escaped convicts,
these worthless appeared upon the
scene as camp-followers, with appetites
whetted for plunder. They lived upon
easy terms with all men of all parties.
Like Jay Gould, of Erie fame, they
were Republican when with Republi-
cans, Democrat when with Democrats,
but always for Jay Gould and Erie,
and enriched themscl YES at the expense
OF both parties. Rights and privileges
and franchises and monopolies were
created in their favor, and wealth and
influence were the rewards of their
easy virtue.
These are the men who arc now the
capitalists of Louisiana, holders of her
bonds and obligations, and so sensitive
of her credit as to fear to trust her
the Jew of Shakespeare, they are ever
ready to invoke the letter of the law
and to raise the cry that "vested rights
cannot be divested.'
Mr.. Editor, we know these men in
dividually and in mass. We are
mindful of the time when Il sacred
sense of our duty made every true son
of Louisiana, regardless of his social
instincts and of the right of hospitality
which has been so eminently a charac-
teristic of our people, treat each and
every white member Of the Republican
party as an alien and Il public and pri-
vatc enemy. We have some respect
for the strength OF the convictions of
tho few of our own people which led
them to array themselves against us,
but we can have mono for those who
were with us but not of us. Mr.. Edi-
tor, they arc sharks, and rs such they
must be known and marked.
I There is another class Of men among
us, not perhaps SO dangerous but equal
ly unreliable, and here I desire to be
very careful in order that may not
be misunderstood. Looking back into
the past, we can recollect that during
the years of tho war there was Il class
Of men who, unmindful of their duty
to the country and Of tho respect OF
their fellow men, could never be
brought to enlist. tidicule and re.
monstrance and entreaty, jeers and
taunts and acts of CONSUMPTION, were
directed ut them in vain. While other
men We're lighting the battles of the
country, they remained at home to
look after the women and children and
negroes. No act of CONSUMPTION could
be framed which they could not man.
age in some way to evade, and although
they were ready to share to the full in
the benefits OF our success, they pre-
ferred, as Artemus Ward humorously
says, "to send their wives relations to
the army 1 do not wish to be under
stood to include in this class every
man who was not in the army, old OF
young, but the men who should have
been and were not there.
We know them, Mr.. Editor, by their
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