The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1879-04-26

IN. o. .Picayune, April 1871

street, is in no sense u representa-
tive body. Its members are not
delegates; they are simply persons
who choose to be present and to
take part in the proceedings.
They are from anywhere, or no.
where, as the case may be. So, far
as has yet appeared, there is no
reason why colored man from
Ohio, or Canada for that matter,
should not occupy seat upon the
ho"r and participate in the irregu-
lar, rough and tumble sort of de-
batting which is going on there.
This sO-called convention, then, is,
properly speaking. simply a mass
meeting. As matter of fact, out
side Of the colored Republicans
resident III this city, it is composed
mainly Of waifs and strays from
the country who have come d ,wn
here on various uncertain missions,
aud Of witnesses who were brought
here to testify i'll the recent polit-
ical trials IN the Federal courts,
aud rs .uie. are therefore, par
tlcularly malcoDtented and unset
lied. They aie men who have
siaked their all upon a game Of
polltics and who have lost.
The purpose Of the booy under
consideration is, of course, to dis
cuss the expectancy Of a general
African exodus Norlhwestward.
The address presented yesterda,
by the committee especially Sc
lected for the work appeared to
favor the contemplated hegira;
though it's advocacy of the project
was not altogether outspoken
The arguments advanced BY the
counmIiles w4r- altogether of
political character. Boiled down
to their ultimate residuum, they
amount to about this: The color
ell people Of the South ought to
leave it. because they can no lon
ger control it.
t IL true that the address as
serted the majority of the negro
rcae over the white in Louisiana;
but that itself is a political issue.
1t is true that violence and intimi.
dntion in every shape were alleged;
but always in references to elections
and political affairs. Mr.. Murrel,
of Madison, who seems to be the
eagle orator of the gathering, af- |
frmed, without contradiction, that |
the colored politicians alone had |
suffered, and they alone had been !
driven from home.
We are not going into the merits
Of the threadbare question of in
and violence. 1t is our
object only to bring out in strong
eilef the fact that, from their own
showing, the would-be leaders of
The proposed exodus are actusted
solely by political motives. Pro.
lection in industry aud the enjoy
nent of educational advantages
md religious liberty are facts con-
,eded. There is no agricultural
in all the wide world SO
highly blessed in those particulars.
But these men are not content with
prosperity; they insist upon do
ninion. They have been taught
% expect rs much by an ambitious
md reckless party, which has call
ID them its wards and which has
made them its tools.
Upon this latter point we might
8 well join isSue once for all. The
Whole c. untry might as well UNDER
tand the fixe.I determination of
he white people of Louisiana up-
N this subject now rs ever. Black
supremacy will not be tolerated
ere. The experiment has been
RED. and the record OF its failure
; the foulest and bloodiest chap
or in the history of the state.
iers in this very assembly we fiud
be clearest- headed, frmest- nervsd I
nd every way ablest colored men I
q Louisiana, if not IN the South, 1,
penly charging, on the floor, nine {
zen distinguished statesmen and
,llow-ciiizens Of his own race With {
q attempt to extort a bride from a
i'm upon q certain historical occa-
on. Take that as a sample of G
le lot. and tell us what degree 1
resistance is uDjusti6able in a
eople threatened with . return of 4
lch an element to power. But q
,e conclusion. SO far as the white 4
eople Of the State are concerned, q
as passed beyond the region Of i
is on the list Of fixed I
I'D stubborn facts. TbAv Ara ma | 4