The Opelousas courier., 1897-09-18
ne 45th Volume of the Courier

Wh this issue we begin the 45tl
volule OF this paper. Founded on
Dec lth, 1859, it maintained it's loyal
ty Wi consistency throughout all the
stirrIg and changeful events of the
latesar, the subsequent trying period
Of rtonstrnction, and the nine years OF
Radal mlsrn!e and corruption before
our late was emancipated by the res.
t0raOn OF Democratic supremacy and
constitutional governments. Dnrine
thefar (when not suspended by Fede-
raj nthority) the COURIER stood to its
yonfalistic post Of duty, and printed
its latter on wall paper, brown paper
or aty sort of paper that gave an i'm
preson, publishing the latest news, ad
vocang the cause of our section and
denaDcing the tyranny and injustice
OF o. Oppressors. After the close of
the gar (when SO many so-called Dem
0cra'c papers were muZZled or subsi =
die organs to the Republican party
and rev fat upon the 'pamI dispensed
to tkm in monopoly Of tN printing!,
the (OURIER, adhering to itsDemocrat
ic principles, opposed the heresies of
Radialism at every step, exposed it's
vici1s corruption, and lent its aid in
freeing our State Of the last vestige of
carptt- bag rule and the ruinons taxa
ton hat was impoverishing our people
IhOse were dark days, when publish
ing q Democratic paper scarcely kept
one ftOm starvation yet the ordeal
was survived and the consolation of
duty cODscientiously performed to-
wards our section and the just rights of
an oppressed people, was compensation
enough for our trials in so glorious a
cause.
Accepting the issue settled by the
late war, we, with a true Democratic
spirit, recognized the rights and privi-
leges of all classes under the laws of
our country.
In retrOspecting our journalistic career,
we derivegreat pleasure from the fact
that we have kept the faith and fought
the fight we first enlisted FOR in the
Democratic party. For many years
that faitlI was adhered to by the organ
ization, without much deviation from
the original theories. of government.
We have never faltered in the advo-
cacy and propagation of genuine De-
ever doing so. We have lived to see
many things yclept democratic, which
according to our conceptions, had no
right to the name. We have another
cause Of graduation, which is that we
have never prostitnted our Democracy
nor our columns, to the serving of a
faction. OF late years the people have
suffered themselves to he divided into
factions, and have done little beyond
to fOist the leaders of fac
lions into office, thereby forgetting that
The general good is more to he sought
ifter than the preferment Of leaders of
factions. We have never been able to
zee the gennineness of that Democracy
which, instead of unifyibg, etfectually
tho elements ct party |
strength.
We know that our consistency and |
oyalty to real Democratic principles,
,anDot be truthfnlly assaiIed.
1t is true that in some instances we |
nay have been short sighted, and that |
ve may have committed some errors, |
,ut we venture to say that they were |
|ever of that gravity or nature calcu
ated to mar the symmetry of Democrat
G faith, AS proclaimed and maintained
" it's greatest orthodox apostles. The |
National Democratic Platforms have
yer been our guide, and to their sup
Ort we have devoted our editorial la
'0rs. We propose to continue doing |
D. We have seen with profound re-
rets, the angry dissensions that have
AIKEN place in the Democratic party,
nd have imputed them to no other
ause than the efforts of the leaders of
actions to secure their personal pre-
We intend to adhere to Our former
curse and To avoid being lead away
a "a sound principles such as har-
oni6us party organization has pro-
aimed ,sDd advocated in the past.
Regarding all public officials as ser
ants of the peGpje. and as accountable
, the people, we claim and will exer-
so the right to criti"ise their official
,nduct where there is an omission OF
nty or an abuse Of authority. A
zee press is the buiwark Of American
berty, and paper that does not watch
nd uphold the trHe interests OF the
hole people is not worthy of the Goa
1ence and support OF the people.
We trust our course may prove asatis-
lctOry to our readers and to all true
and to them we appeal for
lture encouragement in our tabOrs.
To those of our friends who have
ood by the COURIER in its darkest
lys, and as time when both paper
Id patron v ere s0rely oppressed by the
,mmon enemV-to those who con-
ibuted their mite to tbs support of
eir representative, and enabled rs to
,ull through in spite Of enemies high
id low, We desire to tender our sim
re thanks; and we trust none will be
nnd among them who cannot truth
lily say that he is gratified in having
sisted us in living through the trying
mes We have traversed together.
II the CeURIER's forty-five years of
ithful journalistic labors in behalf Of
r people have not been in vain. we
ly EEK that we may be accorded the
cessarv support to continne to serve
em in the future. as 10 the past, to
8 best of onr ability-bearing in mind
3 fact that VIC are not the organ OF
' faction or clique, aud are not rely
! on pnblic pap nor basking IN the
nshina of official patronage as
saus OF subsistence.
--e eDss--------
Official.
0pEI nIraAa IA Sent II 1897