St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-09-13
The scare about the Morality of Lou
isiana

AS soon as the proposition of John A
Morris became known, there sprang III
an army of the most Jealous defender
OF the States morality that was eve
before seen. 1t is wonderful indeed tt
think of the suddenness of their ap
pearance. We read of the zeal of the
Crusaders in the first years of the mid
die ages; of their persistent efforts tt
recover possession of the Holy Land
and to drive out mussulman invaders
We see under how many devices they
succeeded in arousing and exciting the
enthusiasm of some of the Christian
Nations. Palestine was to them q
sacred place. The Saracens had rudely
entered it and exercised dominion over
! it. They were intolerant of Christians.
These resolved upon inaugurating a
| holy car, to serve a religious end. They
We're OF one mind and assembled in
great multitudes. The greatest crimi-
mails were not excluded. They were led
on by Peter, who left them at Constanti-
nople, just as another Peter, had denied
his master. Suffice it to say that several
failures followed, before the contest
ended. On the lottery proposition, a
fevtrish zeal displayed itself which
seemed for while to enlist anchorites
and buodlers pellmell in one enthu-
siastic mass. The air was filled wild,
sounds of preparation for the onslaught,
and many stood round curious to see
whether we were to have the "pomp
and circumstance of glorious war;"
thrust upon us with desperate precip-
itation, Or not. Those who had not
committed themselves, by au expression
of opinion, awaited the development of
events with modest stiffness and hu-
mility,' hoping time might come
when, under the protection of our laws
they might reniure to speak,
The first ebullitions of the Crusaders
have cooled down, at least so far as not
to boil over so profuscly. They might
have known had they paused to think
OF it, that the water that boils over in
variably tends to extinguish the fire
that causes it to do so.
1t seemed for awhile that Louisiana
was to be a military camp and that the |
army Of occupation was to be led on by |
sky pilots, would-be exenplars, aspi-
rants, and promoted boodlers, who bad |
imagined that they alone should senti-
mel the morals of the people. Their
course reminded us Of moral inculcat-
I'd by Goldsmith in the Vicar of Wake
field, which teaches that, that rirtue
chich requires to be guarded is not worh
he sentinel. Why did not this occur to
he minds of these gentlemen They
assumed it as fact that, the masses of
he people are corrupt, or, corrupHbte.
md from this premise they proceed to
the adoption of measures, which they
,omplaisantly direct, and by which they
propose to safeguard them
rom the vociferated powers and in
luence of the Lottery.
We hold it to be an insult to eyery
ne they presume to project from cor
upton or, to even hint that their pro-
ection is necessary. With what grace
an they approach voter and ask his
cooperation, when their argument is
hat, they propose to preserve him from
is susceptibility to bribery?
All their acts show that, they have no a
in tie people; that they be- {
eve they can be bought by the Lottery, i
nd by it. made to forget or, despise /
heir duty to the State, as good citizens s
nd patriots.
We say all these hasty measures are {
regnant with insult to every man of {
Intelligence. Why SO eager to obtain
lodges from yoterse t
Why not be content to leave them d
ee, and seek their cooperation by ap-
ealing to theis better informed intelli- Il
ence and their reason? Why not say e
} them, You are all lreemen and should Y
It as such when the time arrives for Y
,tiDg on the Lottery question,-hear q
shear both sides of the question and u
We show you that we have right on Il
lr side, and that the other has not, we G.
,sire and will expect you to vote with o
J? q
Instead of this, or some such course, tf
ey seek to bind the voter by pledge, Y
st as the Godfreys, Peters and Con III
DIS enlisted the soldiers organized for o.
Q recapture Of Palestine, by investing re
em with red cross so that they might 't
pointed out known and claimed and pl
al
Fellow citizens if you are proud of 'e
ur liberty do not surrender it up to 90
'agues, which later, will denounce Oh
Il as traitors, if upon mature refec- ca
N, you determine to be free. We ask
u to wait and patiently hear beth tn
les, then, and not until then, let your m
n-sease of right direct you. er