The Opelousas courier., 1891-07-25
Remarkable Conversation.

! The following conversation occurred
not a thousand miles from here be-
| tween two citizens whom we shall de-
signate as Postmaster and Opetousas.
We give it as specimen of the drift
of thought among some; not as our
own:
PM. Well, what do you think of your
! lottery chances now2 Don't you begin TO
| feel that the Jig is up with Morris!
/ o. I've seen no reason to change my opin-
/ ion, nor to give up the issue. AS to Mr Nor
| ris, have never been his mentor, nor can l,
like some / know, who aspire to be the heneh-
men of Nichols, condescend to do his bidding
P NJ oppose the lottery for several reas.
ons, but confess l might overcome some OF
them. For instance, l will not urge the
morality view of it, which is strongly urged
by many of my anti" friends. believe
/ there arc worse deeds, one may do, than TAX
ing lottery ticket.
/ O. | am not astonshed to hear you ac-
knowledge it. You ought to, and doubtless
do, bear in mind, the fact that for succeeding
| wears you have kept a cotfee-house-a trap
door to hell-through which you have ruined
the character, the morals, the frugality and
happiness of many men, and through them
have consigned children to ignorance and
families to absolute destitution, misery and
: death. I suppose you thought while doing it,
1T was jolly enough, SO you mduo moAoJ w
elothe and school your children.
1t would sound little curious now to hear
YOU inveigh against having others to vote for
lottery money, with which to aid Them IN
. having their children instructed. Don't yom
think SO?
! pm. AS said before, am not disposed
to place auy stress on that feature. The OBJ
| lection do insist on is, that if the Revenue
amendment be adopted, We, ants, might just
as we'll give up voting unless we face about
, and vote for the Lottery candidates
{ o. You would think that, dreadful alter
native, wouldn't you' But did it every occur
6 to your reflections. that that is the condition
Won have already placed very many others
in2 For instance, by your adroit and boasted
j system of ballot-box handling, you have de.
prived me OF my vote. and oy system OF
oatt-de15dace and the ciiques approval have
{ counted it in direct opposition to my wishes
) Thousands have been served in precisely the
| same manner suppose you consider that
right
S end iustifies the means. We want white
= supremacy and must, and will have it, wheth.
! er we have to change,ballets or not.
/ O. Why did you not, in view OF such
! necessity, establish qualifications for voters.
7 impartial if you will, but not WrluersaE The
: last Constitutional convention held in Louisi-
ana was Democratic by all odds, and gualif-
cations might have been provided, which
7, would have limited the right to vote, to per-
6 sons possessing proper qualifications.
r P. M. No, sir; the federal government
Il would not have allowed US to DO SO; we NAG
: to accept the equal citizenship OF the colored
Q man, or, we would have been prevented from
II having state government OF our own.
" O. You certainly have not reflected on
!, what you are saying, for you must know thai
the Federal Government has never attempted
TO interfere with state, in fixing the qualifi
o cation of voters. The states have that er
4 clusive right, and it nas neveryet been drawn
in question.
P. NJ You are mistaken. I'm sure you are
II Has not the Federal Government made citi
ST zens of all the negroes!
II o. Certainly so, but do you not know that !
is one thing TO be citizen of the United States ant
is quite another, to be uotef IN q statey Ih
it foreigner who has taken The oath Of ia,te,stio'
is 10 become citizen of the United States, can
= not become one, until after the lapse of tn
prescribed number of years, and yet ou
le State Constitution of 1879 says he may vot
ID after taking the oath of intention to become
to citizen This makes him voter, altheug
= NOT d citizen of the United States. Wome
= and children are citizens, but not voter
RS mi. Well, think it is wrong, and tina
De he should not be allowed vote until he is
~ citizen.
L cognize him as such, and how could that
III done without giving him the ballots
mi o. You ought to understand that wome
are citizens but our Constitution does nc
make them voters. am a native, born cit
zen and you, by changing ballots and stufhn
III boxes, have denied me my vote, suppos
81 Won think You have the poaue, 10 do ths
- without law, which you have no right to
ce under it, or, in other words, to trample tL
OF law under your feet, to make your aesu tt
as rule of my political action, and the measul
If Of nv right as a v0ters
P M You ought to be on our side an
al then YOU would not be so unfortunate
ho O. I seek to be on the side of the law.
id it Is npt what it should be, we should chang
ut and make it so, am intensely 10 favor
W white supremacy, yet respect the law
Won have the power to override 1t, you CO
ad change it and so shape il as to be able to ~
ur under it,
= - Anti-Lottery question at all hazards, co
", what it may.
es @. Yesi nave heard it said that you vi
Y attempt to do so, by loud talk first, and
needs be by terrorism. This suppose u
-. consider good citizenship, IN state 81
ho under constitution, solemniy recognlzil
al the equal political rights ofsall male citizens
ut lie United States, who may not be disfra
ed chized by conviction of crime, or insanity, e.
- - p, NJ There is another way we can do
" which is better than that.
ese O. Please tell mo what it 10.
of Pm. We have an : anti doyern'
,nt haven't wet
- o.. Yes
5Ie pm. He has the appointment Of the q
es) yassing officers of the parishes, hasn't hes
iii o. Yes.
Pm. They appoint the commissioners
election, don't theya
M Pm. They hold the election-count q
MS. make returns of the votes, don't they!
M o. Yes.
= P. III. They handle the ballot boxes
eF that is about all the machine work OF 81
our ton isn't its
pod @. Yes But they swear to do all acco
ING TO laws we have made ourselves.
u. - z. NJ What then is to prevent US =
can carving the election I'd like to know
OF o. The will of majorities, and q proper
Dpv gard for your oath. But infer from all !.
L; intimate that you propose to handle one-l
the white voters of the state. just as
have been handling the Republican pa
Don't YOU think there is some danger in 8
al experiment. Do you think the better |
ID Of the true democratic party, will tamely
inc, NIT TO having their ballots changed and
T. returns made, by officers who you insinr
will not hesitate TO do such deeds2 My
science and regard for plain law tell me
la0h $. 4 course is not right
ff1fH ~ = Il sroirr d tn dafaa6 Hh6 Lot