The Opelousas courier., 1894-08-11
MEETING OF WHITE
SUPREMACY LEAGUE.
OpELoUsAs, LA..Aug. 4. 1879

OpELoUsAs, La, Aug. 4, 1894.
The officers, members and sympathizers of
the White Supremacy League met at the Opera
House at l o'clock p. m.
Hon. Gilbert L. Dupre. by request, called the
meeting to older.
DR.. ". K. Irion was made Chairman with the
Drs. VIM. Childs and W. F. Cl0pt0n, Messrs. Ho-
more Fusilier, J. B. 8. Manuel, yr., Erteluce La
fleur, J. A. Smith. U. T. Blackshear, Felix Mil
Ter and G. W. Ward.
On motion of Hon. G. L. Dupre, Messrs. Chas.
8. Elms and Fl. III. Burleigh were chosen as Sc
cretaries.
The Committee on Organization submitted
the following report, which was unanimously
adopted:
OPFLOUsAs, La. July II, 1894.
The undersigned white voters of this parish
have this day organized the White Supremacy
League CT the parish of st. Landry. The object
of the organization is to do away with the DOM
cure the supremacy Of the white voters in ali
elections, and especially OF parish and district
officers. Our experience with the negro as q
upon him demonstrates that he is a CO corrupt and
~c0rrupting influence In our elections, and the
fact that. numerically, The negro vote equals
the white vote in this parish and that this I'M
ing white men makes his influence in elections
q constant menacing danger. The election just
held and the facility with which the negro vote
was organized and s0lidly massed at the polls
by tina limited use of money and the unlimited
use OF whisky in the hands of a few white men
for their own selfish ends and against the best
interest OF society shows that the negro voter,
instead OF using his freedom and the opportuni-
ties given him for education to cast his ballot
inteliigently and honestly, is, II possible, becom-
elections of supreme Importance to our parish
and State coming In the near future, elections
that will deeply concern our permanent as well
this parish viii certainly be controlled by the
negro vote, holding the balance of power, and
be directed by a few interruptions white men,
once taken by the white voters throughout the
parish.
while the negro voters are willing tools, still
they would not and could not organize them.
selves and vote s0lidly against the interest Of
the white people were it not for the aid and
leadership OF o few white men in this parish;
and they could accomplish nothing. with the
negro vote unless there be some division among
the white voters. Unfortunately, there has
been much factional spirit and always enough
division among the white voters to make the
negro a controlling factor in our elections. The
measure, then, OF supreme Importance is to nm
lite and soiidify the white people OF our parish.
To do this we must put away all actlonalspirit.
gether ID perfect accord. with these purposes
In view, and at the same time with no feeling OF
opposition or u~nfriendlfness to the cOlOred voter
who has heretofore cast his ballot unbOught
and uninfiuenced by money or by whisky or BY
bad men. We pledge this organization to the
work OF harm0nizing and unifying the white
people IssI leo, q a onr parish and ana oblas Te c0nsecrate II 70
To that end We establish and ordain the fol-
lowing:
cure the supremacy Of the white voters Of the
parish in all elections.
2d-There shall be an Auxiliary League form
ed at every precinct.
3d.-An white men OF the parish who favor
establishing white supremacy in our elections
and Who viii pledge themselves to aid this or
ganization in the accomplishment Of that end,
and who will sign their names to these regula-
fi0na NAV hecOm0 meubHFs OF this OrgaDiZa-