Year: 1873

Hon. James Lewis:


SIR-Among the names of persons presen:
az and approving the proceedings of the
conference meeting of June Il find yours
That the meeting was highly respectable
70 S0;ls dire; that the motive of almost al!
the signers was worthy and patriotic | am
willing to believe: that the action Of the
| assembly was heartily sincere and spOnta.
! neOus l shall not try to doubt: that the
steps taken and the declarations made were
bold and magnaulmOus must be disputed
by some one more tOnd OF carpIng and cen
sure than | happen to be.


Allow me, however, to remark a little
upon the fruits promised by this meeting
You. SIT, are an honored representative OF
the class of colored men and citizens. and
aside from your interests as holder of
property. aside from your position as the
chief of an important political bureau, aside
from your role as leader and adviser in
the Republican party of Louisiana, you
have at heart, and uppeTmOst IN your heart.
the welfare OF your race. your kin and your
family, and therefore you have right to
look with critical scrutiny into any scheme
that promises to better tine state of
your people. If the movement of June
|. is to thrive and spread until the
whole State is affected: ii it is to be
the harbinger and producer OF recOncilia-





existing political difficulties: if it is to be
the author of a new and noble creed that
shall come home to the faith of all voters,
cOlOred or white if it is to do away with
all armed Intervention and to make all fed
eral supervision undesirable and needless:
if it is to create and keep up a sentiment of
community in interest: if it Is to cause an
equal and mutual welcome to the immigrant
of either race: if it is to make the white
81, "A Ia, COLA v,ai. hl,pr,
rich: if it is to make the colored man proud
of the friendship and favor of the wealthy
or learned white man: if it is to take from
the memory of the past all sorrow. revenge
and humilia ton; if it is to be the beginning
Of a profitable commerce in iibera!ity. con-
tidence and interchanged respect. by which
bO races shall largely protit-if it is to
lead to or become all this, or any notable
part of this, then know that you would
he very glad thai you had Lived to see the
dawn of such a day.


I. is plain enough to see tha: the gentle.
men whose signatures We're affixed with
yours to the broad and generous declara-
ton of June II express more of what they
heartily wish than of what they deem pos
sible: and it is equally apparent tina. they
will not succeed in lmpartlng their emo
tons to the men OF either race, either
widely or lastingly. The infection OF en-.
tlusias,n spreads fast, and burns with a
tervent heat. but it burns out soon; and the
contagion of emotion is quick to spread.
bu. ceases quickly. l put little trust in
teverish warmth or spasmodic strength.


Ethnical prejudices and antipathies may
be checked and ruled by wise men. but to
restrain is not to remove. Whether in har.
mony with the creative will or not, there is
among the diverse races OF mankind a mu.
tnally repelling spirit. centrifugal moral
force whose perpetual tendency is toward
separation and diffusion: a force that pre-
vents the Comming.ing Of blood and the
community of possession: force that pro-
pels migration to remote shores and islands:
a force that holds hard upon international
landmarks: force that rears barriers and
crowns rough hills with forts and bristling
guns: a force that shows itself in pride of
country and heroic devotion to tatherland.
But for this tolce all the human race would
have but one form. one complexion, one
tongue. For the want of reDulsiOn they
would con gre gate in dense masses and, for
anything l know, they would thus lose
energy. vitality. intellect. spirit, mbition,
ana all that promotes enlightenment. eleva-
ton and progress. know not but that the
human would become extinct without this
vitaiizing influence.


This is something which we can not





tons. We can't disguise the fact that this
antipathy does exist between the cOlored
men and the white men of this country.
You and may have put 1t under the con.
troll Of reason. For myself, l can say that
have no wish adverse 20 the full enjoy
ment of all rational privileges by cOlored
men. l would no more exclude them from
the ballot box than / would drive them
from the temples of the Almighty. They
y, ,,,ta $aI I
am. and do not see how I can honestly
prevent them from being represented by
men of their own blood and kindred. There
i. new born zeal for education among
Coloced people. and could not honestly
throw any hindrance in its way. l never
wanted '.star cars and when | travel l
don't allow the compilations of my fellow
vOvagers to interfere with my internal
tranquility. But all white men do not
think as do or feel as | feel. l know that
there are but few who will accept the
broad. the liberal. the noble platform of
June L.: and, when speaking of my sort. |
can safely say for yours that they are not
al! enlightened as to their minds and lib
eraliZed as 20 their sentiments like yOu-not
one in a thousand of them. The masses of
both races can not enter into the grand
spirit of this movement. 1t is too far along
fifty years hence it will! not be practicable.
though much progress will have been
made. Let us not try to force things out Of
their natural course. Let us not try to
make war against natural instincts Let
us not be allured by the song and plumage
of the birds in the BUSH SO that we lose
the bird in hand" This new enterprise
Will not found or rear party, though 1t
may do some good. The cOlored men Of
this State as mass will st,li continue to
operate with the Republican party. and
can assure you that We Will remain in Oppo-
sition to that party. You will never see
here a political mass meeting OF a thousand
men in which one race will not outnumber
the other ten 10 one.


And here, Colonel, come to my point.
10 wit g.: We who wish and strive for the
best must vet take things as they are. We
must wait for time 20 work lis slow but
sure progress. We must mitigate evils
which can not be rapidly cured. We must
not try to find a panacea for public woes i'll
new parties. We must put good men on
our tickets in order to have good rulers.
We must make politics subordinate TO prac.
teal business. We mus: discourage ranters
ana demagogues. We must go for advice
to those who think more than they talk.
Above all. we must make the people who
belong respectively to parties opposite to
ours feel aud know that We all want what
j. right and 10 more.


want to see the time when men Of or
uosing parties will vote and act as friends
here. as they do in other States. Parties
are necessary. and honest difference in po
.i,ical opinion is inevitable. But l should
he very much astonished to see the mem
Der. OF both parties rushing to mutual
fond embrace, for unless they can lay aside
their human nature as vel! as their cher
shed opinions, any such coalition seems ini.
possible.


have taken the liberty TO address this TO
you because l know You to be large
hearted. sagaciOus man, who will not mis-
take nv purpose. and because you belong
TO party to which mine is opposed. l do
not want my party broken up, and as to