Year: 1874

With this heading the Milwaukee Sentinel
offers some remarks upon the platform of
the Baton Rouge convention. When it is
borne in mind that the Sentiae! is Senator
Carpenters paper, and that its columns
reflect the opinions and sentiments Of the
author of the new election law, its utter
ances can not fail to be appreciated By our
intelligent opponents:


While we have no especial sympathy for
either Of the prominent parties in Lou!si-
ana to-day, and are inclined to think that
one is about as deep in the mud as the other
is in the mire, we can but call attention to
the platform adopted tho other day by
those who charitably call themselves Con-
servatives. In this classification are in
clutled, as per words of the platform: ''The
Liberal party; the Reform party: the Con.
servative party; the white mans party, and
all Others etc. 1t is the explicit demand
of the supporters of the platform that none
but white men should be elected to Office.
They don't wish to wrong the negroes. All
they want is to place them under their
thumbs, to guide their votes at the polls.
and to escape with impunity at the hands
Of the authorities if they should chance to
kill one or two now and then. The COnser-
vative platform of Louisiana is founded
upon the principle that there must be war
| of races. 1t wants none but white men in
office, and SO strong Is 1t intrenched in
this position that it is not afraid to make
an open issue OF it. Then again, it sn-
gar coats its plum of reputation in the
| following manner: THAT while we are in
| favor of meeting punctually the payment
| of the legitimate debt of Louisiana, we are
immovably opposed to the recognition OF
| the dishonest and fraudulent obligations is
| sued in the name OF the State. and We
| pledge ourselves to make a searching III
vestigation into the matter" This plank
| in the platform strikes direct blow at the
States credit, and simply means repudi-
! alton of the State bonds. The two essential
| points of the Conservative platform of
| and the reputation Of portion Of the
State debt. Such a platform is built ell
tirely upon prejudice and dishonesty. 1t
| is built upon prejudice from the fact that
| it would deny nearly half the voters of the
State any position among the public otfi
GERS. 1t would locally render null and
| void all enactments making the negro po-
litically equal to the white man. 1t is
built upon dishonesty for the reason that
it would repudiate engagements which the
State through it's legally elected represen-
uatives had entered into in good faith


Thus we find that the Democratic plat
form Of Louisiana is SO framed that it ap
| peals to the basest instincts of mans nature
1t depends upon the prejudice against color
and upon the dishonest tendency to shirk
honest debts. So far as it is concerned, or
these two hang all its ''law and the
prophets" What success such platform
will have in Louisiana remains to be- seen.
! 1t remains TO be seen also whether Othel
State platforms will be modelled on the
same plan; and it yet remains to be seen
there is a moral strength enough lett il
the Southern States to protect their ballo
| boxes.


We ara sadly forced to the conclusion
that the white race is arraying itself agains


the black race in several of the Southern


States. and that the division is likely to ex


tend itself to the rest What the resul


of such division may be in many localities
we forbear to prophesy. We have haG


enough straws surely to show which wa.


the wind blows. We know that wron:


begets resistance, that oppression awake


rebellion. and that ku-Kluxism invite


annihilation.


Therefore, taking all the foreboding con


sequences into consideration We dep!or


the fact that there exists any political part


in this country which can be disloya


enough to defy the constitutional amend


ments and support such document as tn


Louisiana platform. And yet we are gla


that it comes SO boldly forth. The peopl


can understand what it means. There is n


ambiguity in its language. 1t is treaso


pure and simple, after the old order c


things. 1t is Democratic doctrine and ca


be comprehended. Therefore it can b


combated.s If this is to be a sample c


the platforms that are to come from Den


ocratc conventions in other Of the Souther


States, the Northern people need no longe


complain over the absence OF an issue.