St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-10-04
A Plea for Justice.

p
ana talented young friend, Henry L
Garland. Jr., now of New Orleans, pub
fishes an article in tho Opelousas Couy
: aer last week, over his name.
e.. AS he makes mention of this paper
saying it's Editor published the "mouth
sngs of j. J. Lyons against Gov. Mich
oils and Judge White" with approval
and speaks of them as being couched il
"beautlful and sensible language" We
feel at liberty to notice it, As the com.
munication of Mr.. Lyons appears in the
Democrat, it does appear as if we used
the language imputed to us. But, the
truth is. we copied it just as published
from the Crowley Signal for which We
should have given credit.
MIR. Garland writes with fairness. and
unguarded frankness. The general fen
or OF his article admits that Gov. Mich
oils and Judge White did get the money
from the Lottery, directly or otherwise,
aud that 1t was used by them, or, their
friends to suit their purposes. But he
says they have done good service with
it.
This, in our opinion may be smart on
their parts, but was it honest? Was if
not getting something, for notline7 ?
How would it sound to say: We beat
the Lottery by breach of confidence
and think it was right. Latitte accumu-
lated wealth by piracy, and it would
have been right to induce him to regard
US as friends for the purpose of robbing
him
Men who gamble are criminals, but
If Governors and Judges can dupe them
and get their money to fight them with,
it is commendabIe.
1t is not wrong to deceive one IL
censed to conduct business it we after
ward think we can by denouuc-
ing it, serve our ends.
Such is the logic of our young friend
His entire communication is an admis- |
sion of the charges the Democrat and
other papers of the State, have set up
against the Governor and Judge White.
Hear him:
If it is contended that one should
not receive assistance from those whose de-
sigGs he does not favor, merely SAY that this
principle is just too refined, metaphysical and
lightiown for application in practical life The
editor OF the Democrat has himself doubtless
II the course of his political career acceuted
he support OF men whom he knew he could
lot support III return.
The first sentence of this quotation
We are willing to submit as it stands.
10 the second We answer, we have been
by voters We ERcU zee could
Tot support in return, but the only sup
,ort we ever received were rotes. We t
lever received money under an Implied r
Which we did not feel in ,
onor bound to return. We never re-
eiyed money from friend, which we s
cit it to be honest and honorable to use |
n war against him. Had we fuuud if 3
ur duty to crush his business, We would
ave repaid his money. We never were
uilty of base ingratitude under any
There is a great differ
nee friend Garland, between seeking I
otes which we cannot return, and y
btaining money which we will not :
ppay. When We have been supported /
y votes, we have always been thankful, =
nd never yet have we abused them for Z
lelF aiu VI, sousnC 10 feQulL6 them by / |;
:
We are not yet in that class in the =
,bool Of politics. The Governor and :
udge White, and their defenders are q
ur Seniors. They seem to have matri- q q
liated in a class that we can never i
Ike lessons in. =,
Our distinguished young friend ap- i
ears to bave been impelled by his zeal. n
'ther than by his powers of discrimi- :,
alton. Ii he persists in upholdiug :
lch principles, he will find that, with =,
! his talents, be can never attain to 5,
gh positions in Office by the support =, =,
the voters. They will never accept =, :,
lse ingratitude, and denunciation as a r
compense for solicited devotion. Mr.. .,
orris never imagined he could buy sr
ov. Nichols and Judge White, but he b,
i'd the right to expect that, although Vi
,posing him, they would find respect di
| expressions concerning him. o,