New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-09-14
DEMocRAT1c NOMINEE FOR TREASURER
Free Negro Suffrage.


We feel it to be duty faithful journalists, TO
make good the charges that have been adduced
through columns, as to the completely of Col. R.
Hunter in the free negro suffrage in this parish
As what have to say emanates from the threshold
If Col H., we are called upon, by strick sense of
ustce, to nothing extenuate, nor augbt set down
n MALICE
We have charged that there are large number Of
free negroes inhabiting section of this parish known
ls Ten-Nie Creek ;" that an election precinct is
here established for the benefit Of free negroes by
the Locofoco party And we have further charged
that the candidate for State Treasurer Of the socaed
Democratic party, aids and abets these people in the
exercise Of the elective franchise; that he has de-
scended still further in degradation he has gone
voluntarily to the polls and armed these free negroes
and with them erected defenses to repeI any resist
ance that might present itself against the lawless
outrage.
Col. Hunter admitted in his speech at Richmond,
Madison parish, that these people, who live in the
prolific bills Of Ten-Mile, haze african blood in their
ueias, and had never voted until 1882 But we pro-
pose, notwithstanding, to produce from an ample
stock such evidences of the fact as will place the
matter beyond all cav, or the possibility of doubt
for all time to come. Ea Na
To show the status of these Ten-Mile people we
offer in evidence the afdavits of some of the Oldest
and most respectable inhabitants of Rapides. No
better known in the section of country where
they ive and there in whose veracity greater
reliance would be placed. They are all persons of
truth and honesty:
The State of Louisiana-Parish Of Rapides.
Personally appeared before me, the undersigned,
Justice Of the Peace in and for the State and parish
aforesaid, James Johnson aged ninety-four years,
citizen of the State and parish aforesaid, who, being
duly sworn according to law says that he has been
resident Of the State Of Louisiana for something
ffty-nine years. ...
l have known the Perkins, sweats, Johnsons, Rays,
Dyals or Doyals, Gibsons and Wilses, the most of
whom now live on Ten Mile creek, or near the Ten
Mile precinct, in the parish of Rapides, ever since
first to the State Old Joseph Willis the Baptist
preacher was the first of that tribe of people that
knew; he was a muatto, and was born slave in
North Carolina, and it was reported that few years
previous to the first of my acquaintance With him that
he sold his mother. He was considered free man of
color, and, in fact, called him negro He was not
allowed to vote. All the Willsses now living near
Ten Mile precinct descendants Of the said Joseph
Willis. The Perkins, Sweats Johnsons, Rays, Dyals
or Dovas, and Gibsons, are all more or less con-
nected with the said Joseph Willis, and all
sldered free men of color or mulattoes of them
were allowed to vote or send their children to the
public schools, nor to muster.
! was very much astonished to hear that some few
of them allowed first to vote in the parish OF
Rapides think in the year ls41.
JAMES x JOHNSON.
snoe and W. nj
Parish of Rapides-State of Louisiana.
Before me, VIM. Randolph, Justice of the Peace,
being duly commissioned, appeared this day Michael
Paul, who made oath that he born and raised in
the parish and State aforesaid. That he over fifty
six years old that he has been voter since his
majority and that from his birth to the present time
has lived in the parish and State aforesaid. The said
Paul further states that for the last thirtyve years
be has resided within six miles of what is called the
Calcaseu precinct, which is his usual place of voting
and that during the period of thirty five years he
has frequently acted as a commissioner of elections
for said precinct, and that he always with the other
commissioners acting with him, refused to take the
votes of the free negroes most of whom now vote at
the Ten Mile precinct. And said Paul further states
that the votes of these free negroes not received
generally until the precinct of Ten Mile was estab
lished, where they now vote the Democratic ticket
without let hndrance, to the number of forty or
upwards, and that he has always considered the per-
hitting of these free negroes to vote great outrage
upon the rights and privileges of the free white citi-
zens, and that by thus equaZing them with the
white population they would become turbulent and
MICHAEL. PAUL. sR
Sworn and subscribed before NE NJ this 2h day
State of Louisiana-Parish of Rapides.
The undersigned has been an inhabitant of the
parish of Rapdes fifteen years, and during the last
seven years has lived on Cacasieu within fifteen
miles of ''Ten Mile" alias "Stanleys Precinct My
| occupation has been that of merchant, which
brought in frequent contact with the people OF
Ten Mile creek, and | can state that there are up
wards of forty votes given at the said precinct who
are considered mulattoes free men of color, and
that they vote the Democratic ticket. | have fire.
quently heard John Dyal Tor DoyD call himself
mixed booded. He is the father Of five voters at the
said precinct
JOSEPH 7. HATCH.
Sworn and subscribed before his 2sh day Of August
The State of Louisiana-Pa,ish of Rapides.
Personally appeared before the undersigned author
ty, Mrs. Rebecca Richie, who, being sworn in due
form of law says that in the year 1904 there arrived
in the parish of st. Landry number OF families, who
were known as the Carolina muattoes, never regarded
in any other light than free people of COLOR and never
claimed to be white. Among that number was Isaac
Perkins, from whom is descended the Isaac Perkins,
ST., Willis Perkins, ST., and Lewis Perkins, who are
his sons Robert A. Perkins and Isaac Perkins, Jr
are the sons of Willis Perkins Daniel Perkins aud
Willis Perkins are the sons of Lewis Perkins, The
Dyals, on Mr.. Boyce's list from an ancestry OF
the name. John Dyal, and his sons Solomon Dyal,
W. Dyal and jackson Dyal and their cousin Hender-
son Dyal, marked that no one can hesitate in
declaring them negroes. Reuben Rays mother is a
Sweat, the sister of johnson Sweat, of undoubted
negro origin, whilst Washington Ray and Adam
Ray are Reuben Rays sons. Gibson johnson, Burrell
Johnson Carroll johnson, Calvin johnson and ODE
diah johnson, are the descendants of Gibson John
son, a genuine mulatto Ezekiel Gibson, a very good
old darke, but cannot recollect the mother of him.
Thomas Coins, she is not able to identity; knows
there family of that name, who came over with
the others, and who were mulattoes Edgngton
Willis and Joseph Willis, ST., are sons of old Joe
Willis, the preacher, who was always regarded as a
mulatto. Rumor having made him notorious by the
sale of his mother, the sale she had heard reported,
and does not give the fact of her personal knowledge.
Joseph Willis and Chas Willis the sons of Joseph
Willis, Sr. The two miracles William and Joseph had
johnson for grandmother Jacob Gunter is des-
cendant of family ofthe Sweats old Johnson Sweat
is his great uncle and he is q mulatto Aaron
brakes grandmother was genuine negro. AleNan-
der Buxton is crossed with the Drake. William
Saughter's grandmother and Gunters grandmother
is the same wOman
John aud James Ware are the sons of Hannah Per
kins, who is of African descent Hawkins Martin
she is told, is a grandson of old Joe Willis. None Of
the old stock exercised the rights of white meL
in st. Landry. They were not permitted even tC
muster, and were never received as associates by
decent people. There was but one opinion among the
respectable inhabitants, and that they free
people of color.
EEpEccA :? z slcHEr,
% T. ST. a" G6s before me " &c G4a p
! Mr.. John Rchey, being sworn, says that he heard
the affidavit of Mrs. R. Richey read, and concurs IN
every word except he does not recoect the time OF
the arrival of the old muatto families in st. Landry
it being before his time.
Sworn subscribed before Co,ile; "a, this 80
| dav of January. A. D., 1856 W G. JAMES, J. 2.