The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-08-03
Letter from Claiborne Parish.
HOMER, LA., July y, 1873.
EDITOR or NINpICAToR:

fl had not seen it would not have
believed that the State of LonisiaD;
copld have SO soon relapScd tut" such ;
condition of discomfort not to say hope
less Gispair, after the Democracy ha(
obtained full possession of affairs; but
so it is. And it tells badly for the socall
ed better class-tlc oldest and best -
who were to completely redeem the
land despite the evil days, so soon as
they got into power. That every thing
is in snch an unsatisfactory not to say
shameful condition, is indeed lamenta-
ble-not much better if any, than in the
darkest days Of Radical rule; all OF
which no candid man will hardly pro
tend to deny. Aud this al! is tho more
dcplorablc when we remember the per-
soHael of the two regimes, and the high
promises attending the accession of the
Democracy. The general rule already is
to get into office at all hazard, and in
any possible way; whereas, to honestly
try to accomplish something for the
common good, forms the rare exception
to the general rule ofcurreDt demagosue-
ry and duplicity which now so disgrace
fully rules the hour.
In this immediate locality, the great
effort is to organize the party in such
manner as to keep certain ring-lnastcrs
in office; aud to make this the more
sure, the main point is so to manage the
thing as to again, if possible, entrap
Republicans into voting the socalled
Democratic ticket. Particularly is there
great reaching out in this direction for
the colored element. But this is likely
to be failure. Many freedmen voted
the Democratic ticket at last election,
as an experiment, under the promise
and in the belief that it might bring
about change for the better particu-
larly among themselves; know l so adj
vised them. But many of the white
people openly and candidly confess now
that no great or general good is visible
even to their own race. and the colored
people vehemently aver that none has
come to them, but if possible increased
insecurity, with death and destruction
heaped upon more and more-and they
swear almost to a man that they will
not again vote the Democratic ticket, if
they can help it. And why should they
The truth is, hundreds and thousands of
the white people throughout the State
the trlest Democrats-are already dis
vuestpd with the so-called Democratic
reform, under the present selfish and n.y.
pocritical organization of the party, and
would gladly give the whole party thus
organized aud thus inspired the go-by
for ever; but they see no practical chan
uel through which to float ont into better
waters. The Republican party, as Il live
political organization in this State, can
hardly be said to have safe or decent
existence-except perhaps in this Con-
yressional Dsstrict-and the Greenback
party hardly can hope to have much
separate strength in the South in the
pending campaign; so that many good
white men, who really sec No practical
relief or redemption in the act, may
nevertheless for the time-being hang on
to and again vote the Democratic ticket.
even under the present miniOns and n.y.
pocrital organization of the party.
But l tell you there is discomfort
among the people-the white masses-a
real and practical discomfort among
them, toward their so-called party lead
ers and rulers; and it will ere loDg-aes-
pite all the muzzling which selfish party
drill backed by pulling and servile par
ty press may apply, and in defiance also
of all the vain and wilfully false promis-
Is which weak demagogues may continue
to make-break ont and assert its rights
assert and yindicate its own redemp-
ton.
And nothing-no one influence would
30 much speed this much desired end
as an able, manly and honest press.
There are now but few-very few-such
newspapers in Louisiana. Your OWL
permit me to say and the Ouachita
Telegraph, are about the only honora-
bic exceptions which now recall to
mind in the country parishes and it is
special curse of Louisiana just at this
time that such class Of newspapers are
SO few and far between within her bor-
ders.
They had mass meeting here in Ho
mer recently, the smothered spirit of
which showed that the people-the hon.
est masses were just ready to rise and
crush out all selfish personal dictation
and tyranny, and spit upon the promises
and pretensions of weak and false lead
ers; and the time will come when this
will he done, and may be done in great
measure at the approaching election.
All that is wanting to make it practi-
cal success at once, is firm local leader
ship and a fair voice through the public
press.
For you know, to accomplish political
success upon a safe basis, and properly
to vindicate the rights of the people, it
is essential to have fair and able news
paper press, and competent voice on
the stump-all free and untrammeled;
but this the people of Claiborne have
not, at present.
You know the part l took in the last
campaign, and 1 think you will say that
l did it in the most unselfsh good faith;
but as great contempt as l had for
what the Radical rule had then become
to be in this State, I am candid in say
ing that had I known that Democratic
rule would turn out as it has, and that
the hand which I helped into power and
place would so soon turn aud attempt to
sniite me, would at least have remained
quiet If could not longer have con-
sistently helped the Republican party, I
should certainly lot have extended a
helping hand the other way. But with
anything like al honest and fair deal,
l would not yet regret the past then
took. If the. Democratic party would
show vim and honesty of purpose-such
as the tone Of your paper, and that of
few others indicate-and deal fairly and
squarsly and humanely with the colored
people, and all former Republicans. then
would I still gladly stand to it, without
fear and without falteripg. But as it is
can honestly see no wholesome out
come-no general good nor special fair
ness-iudeed no honor in doing so.-
There cannot be, the way the "machine''
seems likely to be run
proposed here recently to put mp my
name for the Democratic nomination for