The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1855-10-13
Louisville. olias Banner Mob City,

Louisv7lie. alias Banner Mob City,
August 26, 1855.
Ny DEAR SIR:-1 know full well that were you
| aware Of the circumstances with which | have
been surrounded since the receipt OF your kind let
ter, together with almost ncessant perturbed state
of mind consequent therefrom, you would readily
overlook any apparent glect on my part in not
having given it a more prompt reply. 1t reached
me about the period of the meeting OF the Know
Nothing Convention held in this place. composed of
the most heterogeneous mass of sceundrels | ever
beheld, and when | reflected upon the utter des-
truction of everything like peace and harmony that
would inevitably insue from their warfare Upon
races and religion likewise, the settled policy OF
the government; my indignant feelings were
aroused to such degree as to demand of me TO
put forth, with heart and soul whatever of ability
possessed to avert the threatening consequences
of their helIish secret oath bound organization Ia
fact, l was regularly beset by my Catholic and an
t-Know-Nothing friends who estimated my hum
BILE abilities far beyond their nlerts-to take up my
pen and expose their vile forgeries and calumnies
This did first over my own name; then kept up
a regular fire over other signatures, an way, as
was regarded with telling effect which almost ex"
clusivey occupied my time during the canvass.
Since which time have been constantly engaged
counsel in defending some poor lrshmeH who
were knocked down and beaten most cruelty and
thrown in Jail, charged with having brought on the
riot, on the day of the election, which has 50 ef-
fectuatly dISSraceQ our heretofore peacedOle anu
respectable city. | appeared for six out Of some
thirty thus arraigned three Of the six, the journal
and its minions, charged with being the principal
instgators But which | fully controverted, nos
only by many respectable citizuns testifyng in
behalf of the accused but by the only respectable
witness on the part of the Commonwealth. showing
that they were running for their lives from these
bloodhounds, horrid Know Nothing bulIies until
they found escape impossible; when they turned
upon their assailants and gave them what is termed
Paddy's reception In fact, such has been the
result every Judicial nvestigation and they
now through-of all thus arrested; which stamps
with fasehood the base allegations of Prentice,
that the foreign- born citizens brought the af-
fray.-Ihis, together with the fact that under the
present rule in this city, it is almost an mpossl-
bility to obtain Justice to foreigner. Every off.
cal station in the city is held by member of the
Know Nothing order; SO, also with officers of the
Commonwealth Judges, Attorneys, Clerks, Sher-
ifs, Coroners, and all who never fail to summon
juries and witnesses that they know will prove
willing instruments to subserve these vile purposeR
The most aggravated outrrages VIXEN perpetrated
by one of their order, are pardoned and the most
trivial offences, when committed by fore gn- born
citizen are dealt with in the severest rigor of the
law. Knowing that they did not possess numeri-
cal strength to succeed in this district; they
cordingly resolved upon carrying it by force Of
arms-consequentIY they were busy for months be-
fore the election getting up reign ofterror among
forei en- born citizens, knocking them downan
beating them most cruelty whenever an opportu-
nifty occurred their houses were stoned and their
wives and children maltreated and insulted for
months before the election, their bullies were en-
poyed to traverse those portions of the city in
hablted by the Germans and Irish, and deter them
from attempting to vote, by threats of violence
upon the day of election. In the First and Eighth
Wards, where these people mostly lived, regular
list of the voters were taken, for and against, by
both partes--as it was throughout the city before
tba alo ha rfi
stood in the First Ward, 1000 anti-Know NOthings
and 400 Know Nothings and in the Eighth Ward,
800 anti-Know Nothings and 275 Know Nothings.
Yet at the election, we only got Ill votes in the
First, and they 397 and in the Eighth we i1S and
they $40, which shows most conclusiveiy that
there must have been foul means used TO suppress
the vote. Aye, they took the polls, and were the
ageressors, and carried out the threat that they
would vote at all hazards and the predetermnation
that foreigners should not vote, as has been ac-
knowled by some of their order, even though cost
the shedding Of blood Our actual strength in the city
numbered 1000. whilst theirs, according to their
own list taken before the election numbered but
240O, and yet, with their imported, hired bullies
and illegal votes they polled at the election $500,
when we only polied 1900 This is certainly an
alarming state of things and should require ofeyery
lover of his country, calmly and dispassonately TO
ponder upon, and Investigate the cause. A party
has sprung up in this confederacy, based upon no
principle and rely for success upon secret oaths and
base appeals to the worst passions of the ignorant
and vicious. Their leaders tell the people that the
Catholics are conspiring with the Pope to over
throw the liberties of the country that Catholic
Priests are undermining the whole social fabric
Preachers of the various sects have converted their
pulpits into political rostrums. and lent themselves
to give currency TO these lalsehoods The ignorant
portion of their 1ocks who have been accustomed
to look to them party leaders for information and
guidance, have been seduced into their midnight
meetings, and there, when there was no one to
contradict the statements, have been told such
fearful tales of Catholic plottings and lntrigues,
that they hardly felt safe in their beds when they
went home. Good God, to think of ministers of
the Gospel sneakng-as was the case In this city
and State-to those dark lantern secret oath bound
lodges, afilating with the vilest wretehes IN the
country and harranguing them to violate the
Constitution of their country in one of its most sa-
cred and cardinal principles. And for what? Why
to put down Catholics whose Clergy not only
never meddle with politics, but never vote. Every
| broken down party hack in the country is to be
| found among their leaders. Conscious Of their
want of merit to find CLAIM TO office in the ranks
of any healthy party organization, they have gotten
upthis crusade against the Catholic Church. hoping
to ride into power upon the preiudices already ex-
isting against ii, increased by the fasehoods they
are continually weaving iH relation to its creed
and practices. Tais was the motive, and these
! tie men who have almost produced civil war IN
| the country And what has been the results
! Cne Catholic Church has already been blown up
with Fowder in Ohio; l need not describe to 20"
the desolaton of this city-with that you have oeA
come familiar ere this The ignorant and viciosS
have had their minds aroused to madness by the
uncontradicted stories TO d them in their mldnghs
meetings to perpetrate these monstrous ontrages.
Eventually Catholics will as the wave progresses,
be hunted down like wild beasts; we are virtually
J now. without the law in our city. Any outraga
NAV be peFpetrated at this time upon Catholic
with impunity. 1t can't be denied for it it known
70 be true. Our city is virtually ruled by mob law