New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-09-14


he aforesaid State and parish, accompanied the
challenging committee of the American party to
ssaneys, alias Ten Mile precinct, in the parish of
Rapides and State of Louisiana for the purpose of
protecting the said Committee in their rights having
heard that the free negroes Of the said precinct were
that their votes should not be challenged
nd tnat they were determined to vote regardless Of
did, then and there, at the said precinct and on
the day and date above written see Robert A. Hunter
armed with double barreled shot gun and revolver
! ne mlght nave mad more asms) rallying the free
negroes around him. all armed with double barreled
shot guns and rifles, for the purpose, as believe to
force in their ballots regardless Of all copsegueuces
do furthermore affirm that heard Robert A. Hunter
gay to the free negroes, that let them coe on and
we will make them smoke meaning the CHALLENGING
Committee, and those who were in comuanv WitR
said Committee. / do Furthermore affirm that be-
eve that all the names on the list called aBoycets
List, y are mixed with African blood In fact some
of them black, that, if offered for sale the pur
chaser would not ask if they were Free / further
more believe that the said Robert A. Hunter has at
tended the said precinct at every election held at it
for the last three years. and do know that the said
Robert A. Hunter gave ball at one Of their houses
the said SANKEY'S or Ten Mile precinct for the
benefit or pleasure Of the said free negroes, and
danced with them, and met them on an equality:
Sworn and subscribed before 18th day Of August
WIN RANDOLPH, J.P.
The State of I4ots;siaaa-Parish of Rapides
Personally appeared before me the undersigned,
Justice of the Peace in and for the parish of Rapdes
and state OF Louisiana. Levi Boyd and William Boyd,
ctzens Of the State and parish aforesaid who being
duly sworn according to law. say that they accom-
panied the American Challenging Committee to the
precinct called Ten Mile in the aforesaid State and
parish, for the purpose Of assisting the said COM
mittee in their rights, in November, 1885, having
heard that the mulattoes of said precinct were deter
mined that their votes should not be challenged and
were going to vote regardless of all law. When we
arrived within short distance Of the said precinct
fHnf - IL
on by Col. Robert A. Hunter. /, Levi BOYD swear
that saw the said Hunter at the said precipct at
the election for President of the United States in
November last, armed, and, believe, leading on the
mulattoes of said precinct all armed for the purpose
of voting them, regardless of all law. ,..-,.
We further believe that there is upwards of forty
votes poled at said Ten-Me precinct, that are gve,
by persons of mixed African blood, who vote the
Democratic ticket.
LEVI z Z BOYD.
WILLIAM BOYD.
subscribed before me- this 18th day Of August
'' Inc parties not being sds hs asHsl
CLERKS Office, District Court, Parish Of Rapides
hereby certify that R. Legras, VIM. C. James,
and VIM. Randolph Esquires are Justices of the.
Peace in and for the parish of Rapides, duly COM
missiOned and qualified.
In witness whereof have hereunto set my hand
18th day of August, A. D. 1857. '''~
N. r. ARIAL, Clerk.
y. .. ALEXANDRIA, La, August IS, 1857.
Mr.. Editor As requested, / give you an account
of what TRANSFERRED at the Ten Mile precinct at the
last Presidential election 1 was on visit to Mr..
james Hicks, and on the day previous to the election
was informed that committee of the American party
would, on the next day, go to the Ten-Me precinct
for the purpose OF challenging the votes of the free
negroes who had previously been in the habit of
voting there. b.. .---
Having seen good many of these persons, and
being convinced by their color and general appear
ance that they We're of negro origin, / felt some
curiosity to know how the matter would terminate,
and therefore went with this committee Having
been raised in slave State, and looking upon the
negro as an inferior race to the white, and knowing
them to be possessed of political rights whatever
you may imagine my surprise when on arriving at
the place OF voting found these negroes armed and
fortified, and headed and encouraged by white men
holding high official and social positions in the
country. $50. 0... ....a.-
Before this committee arrived at the place of voting
they halted and held consultation to the mode of
proceeding. They determined to go peaceably and
quietly to the polls to challenge each and every negro
who should offer his vote, and to take every preca
ton to avoid collision with the negroes. When we
arrived at the place, halted at the distance of
about one hundred yards of the stand: for then we
saw the negroes getting into the stables and behind
the houses aud fences, and making every demonstra-
ton indicating that the party would be fired on if
they rode any nearer the house. At this Mr.. J. G.
Wise, the Sheriff, who was at the house, was sent
for, and came out Mr. Hunter was also sent for but
did not make his appearance. Mr.. Wise told the
party that it was the determination of the negroes at
the house to fire on them if they attempted to ap-
proach the polls but said he if yon will lay aside all
your arms, Ill guarantee you may go safely to the
house and not be molested. very pretty PROPOSE
ton to be sure! The very idea of white man lay
ing down his arms to a sable of Africa, is revolt
ing to the sense of every man carrying within his
breast the spirit OF freeman The party of course
declined to accept the hospitality of the negroes on
,Y,nl, 81
would not be allowed to go to the house without run
ming the risk of being most ngoronsly shot by these
negroes, we deemed it advisable, taking the number
OF the negroes into consideration to depart in peace
make this communication to you, not as a men,
Der OF the American party, but as a Democrat hon.
esty opposed to all illegal voting and to all persons
UNFOLDING and encouraging the free negro in the
exercise OF the elective franchise.
Very respectfully, &c, ... JOHN 4. MYERS
Comments upon the character of this testimony
would be idle. The witnesses are citizens of the
parish-they are all well known and are engaged in
the various pursuits of lfea able and ready at all
times to defend their integrity and honor.
1t Is well to say, in this connection that it is
tom with Col Hunter to deal in brave denals and to
meet such charges as are here made with the e.';
As this matter is placed in specific and tangible
form, he can, if he chooses adopt mode of vindica-
cation which would appear more consistent with an
unassumed dignity and an unaffected courage.
The certificates here presented show conclusiveIy
that Col Hunter has banded his fate to free negro
suffrage He is SO linked with them that with them
he must sink SWIM Like Macbeth, he is so STEPPED
in crime it is easier for him to go on than to turn
back. In all State elections every white mans vote
is affected by the free negro vote of TenA[le and it
is for the constitutional voters of the State decide
in this election whether not they will sanction the
damnlnS outrage upon their rights and privileges
whether they willing that free negroes shall be-
come the arbters of the elections in Louisiana.
Col. Hunter, in vnicating the rights Of these free
negroes to vote, says that their voting began in 1885,
and that the Wing party first voted them. This he
has asserted not only in his Richmond speech, but
elsewhere.
By this mode of argument he begs the question,
for he admits the important fact that the right to vote
was not inherent in the people of TenMile, but was
assumed by them, and he fixes the time when the
assumption began No one denies that they are
natives of the country being natives, if they were
white, the right OF suffrage would naturally follow
and the time to exercise which shall begin, is fixed
by the constitution.
To say that it is proper for these free negroes now
to vote because this or that party commenced it, is
worse than fools argument-it is the argument of
rogues-tor, by parity OF reasoning, any other
crime, itmaters not how monsrous could be justified.
Party excuses under state of high political excite