The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-09-19
A Citizen Speaks.
Editor Messenger

hiaty years OF Illuminating cOmpliances
to the demoralizing mastery of the ne
gro vote, refused to submit any more to
negro suffrage public and civil scan-
dal. In their Indignation they at last.
declined to tolerate that their Intelligent
vote should invariably be opposed to by
that of 4 race, which has not after twen-
! ty eight years Of the free Use of its poll,
teal right been found worthy of that
privilege "We refuse, said they tu be
ruled by an inferior race" and then
proved their purpose to be the masters
Of their destinies; And now that they
have become ST.. il behooyes them. not
to allow the revolving farce, of elections
wherein the immortality Of the motives.
and the ignorance of the cheap vote
were disgrace to the parish. With
business and right, they have proclaim
ed themselves of the superior race:
And in doing this, they hive not only
forbidden the polls to those who were
not worthy to its access, but also have
closed its doors to small combinations
which followed in its AXE
Every one knows, what these combin-
ations were. on the eve of an election:
dabbling of double dealings, a candi-
dacy, now and then, endorsed by the cn-
, neny. an INDECENT mockery of universal
suffrage. a series Of small political mur-
ders, an ambush against political faith.
The operation consisted. in promising
the four and five minor Offices of tho
parish, TO Il dozen or more Of the small
political fries, TO deceive" with sympa-
thetic and frathetic phrases. others.
honest members of the political world
thar these same machinators of the
combination, hated With an Interested
cordiaity TO stand for the honest, before
the general public. and m;lrder them
politically in dark corners. wl:cr can.
didates were being weighed. as 20 those.
who could prove ''jlstful" and to those
who could be of no "use," thcSe last.
''lea geneurs' 20 fool every body. in the
name of the purcst Of principles. f re-,
duired from the machinators Of these
combinations a marvellous supp'ineSs OF
convictions, III those days when negro
stupidity Gnd ren0lity weIc stock in
Trade; for then, it was Iccessary, in,
order to have share of The official
spoilS, to allow thc distributySh TO be
made by hands of two different colors.
and which also were needed to place in
The electoral scales some republican rhu.
bard, so rs to more easily throw in
some democratic scnwa.
BY this successful revolt, which
brought about this gloriods separation
of the distinics of the white from those
of the negro race, all excise has been
removed from these combinations; for
the white people of the parish are near.
ly all democrats, they are the strongest
aud have no need to concern themselves
of the far struggling and dis,rmcd white
republicans. They need rot now treat
them with caution, they have nothingto
gain in counting on the '.doubtfuls," or
conviction, airstradling neither the re-
publican nor the democratic horse, and
were used as messengers to rally those
Of the two opposing political parties.
who were to do the bidding of the MA
chinatOrs. at the closing scenes of CAM
paign. Now, in II few months an cleo
3 tl,s,f ftt@f TO .i..h La
tiers, Will be called upor to cast their
vote, will take place; will they give n
glorious proof of their rightful suprc-
macy! Or, will they, under the gaze.
of that race, which they have deprived
IF its right to vote. on account of its.
unworthiness, will they recanG and prove.
to be unworthy Of that claim, which we
believe is theirs: Will they show. that
they had right to have been scandaliZ-
ed. Or will they forgetting their in
dependence, which mus. be their guide,
show the emptiness of their pretentions.
which centuries of civilization seem to
justify: Will they forever cut short the
arguments of the fervent advocates of
White Supremacy, and render their de-
vOtion to the cause, ridiculous and fruit
less: No, our race, cannot betray its
birth-right, it will show itself. on the
day of the election Tree and independ-
ent. and will authorize no combinations
which would give it Il false appearance
of negroism. 1t will vote for men of its
own choice, and no. for men picked ou,
b. rfachinators, il .wiA on that day
proclaim its political redemption. Ant
who then. will dare after such a iustifi
, cation of its acts blame it for hayip,
washed itself of the unclcan stain @
ncgrV uffra"c. CIIrZ.s