The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1892-05-07
Suffrage.

right of suffrage. Under those eonsti.
tutions we got along very we'll for a
few years, but time came when dem
agoguery began to be practiced and
felt. 1t rapidly gained ground under
the constant efforts of candidates foist-
ed ON the people for their family, or
personal influence, when they had no
commanding merits or acknowledged
qualifications, and ut last resulted in
universal suffrage. These accomplished
demagogues reyelled in the Offices,
without fear of successful opposition
by men of merit, devoted to principles
alone. At first this unlimited su ffrage
extended to white men only, but il
was not long before denagogues sue
ceeded i'm polling the ballots of men oil
color. No one who ever knew, can
have forgotten the precint of Rapides
notoriously called the ten mile precinct
The dominant party never refused the
votes that were polled there, notwith-
standing the efforts judicially made to
have them declared illegal. They
thus became recognized voters and all
opposition ceased, when the Constitu-
tion became voiceless, and destitute oil
vitality on the subject. Then came on
the secession agitation, and the poll
ticians made Herculian efforts to con.
vince the people that separate gov
ernment was essential to prosperity
and the enjoyment of liberty. An
election was held, and then it was thai
ignorance was inveigled into war,
that politicians and demagogues might
glorify themselves. The war caused
the defamation of our happy people,
Tt terminated in defeat and financial
disaster. We had honor left, to sit in
solemn contemplation of trampled con.
stitutions and vacant fire. sides Then
came on military regime, under
which we had to exist with submission
to the will of commander, unres-
trained by constitutional Limitation OF
power.
Then succeeded provisional civil
government which endured for some
thing over two years, and was con-
Quoted under regulations we had nc
part in forming.
Then, in 1868, came on another cleo
tion at which food of ignorant voters
foisted upon us constitution recog-
nizing the principle of universal suf-
frage. The first fruit of this system as
extended to the colored race, was a
carpet bag governor and sable legis-
lature. We are merely reciting facts,
and indulge in no comments Affairs
went on in this way until A. D. 1876,
when Gov. F. T. Nichols was brought
to the front. He was inaugurated
Governor on the 9TH of January, A. D.
1877. In 1879 constitutional conven-
tion was called It was composed OF
Democrats, there being an important
number of Republicans elected to it.
Down to the time of the, assembling and
adjournment of that convention, the
Federal Government and the Radical
party were responsible for the exis-
tence of universal suffrage. But with
the adjournment of it, began the res
possibility of the Louisiana Democracy.
Every intelligent person knows that it
was entirely in the power of that body,
to establish the right of suffrage as il
pleased, inpartiality alone, being the
limit of its authority. 1t saw proper
to follow the folly and madness of Rad
ical rule. The consequence is a popu-
lation of less than 1000, 600, (940, ,263)
by the census of the State in 1886,
which shows about 465, 900 whites, and
ACC, 900 colored, persons total 955, 600
Out of these, we had in the year 1888,
l25. .407 white and I28, $50 colored vo-
ters. making total of 253, ,557. Oh
these 99,945 whites write their names
and %. .OJO colored write theirs. Thus
we have, according to the registration
Of that year, (Is88) of those who dc
not write l26, 1928, or 70 less than one.
half of the total voting population oi
the State. These are the persons
made voters BY constitutional con.
vention Of, Democrats. Was dema,
gogery and lack Of foresight and states.
manship ever So signally displayed
The consequences are plain to be seen
and the necessity tor change requires
no argument.