New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-09-14
Nsh 0rleans 1atlp Grestent.
MONDAY MoRNING. SEPTEMBER u, la5z.
MIR. HUNTER AND THE TEN-MILE
NEGROES

candidate Tor State Treasurer of compcity with free
negro suffrage in the parish of Rapides, is one well
worthy the serious attention and investigation of
every man who has voice in the selection of that |
officer 1t is not an implied CHARGE inferred from cir.
cumstances and occurrences that admit of doubt or
contradiction, but it is made openly broadly and di.
recty, with names, places, dates facts, and every
particular necessary to make out complete case,
sworn and subscribed to by witnesses of the
highest respectabiity The charge rests upon three
distinct and simple propositions, viz Are the people
of the Terrible precinct Of the African race? Do
they vote? Does Mr.. Hunter abet and aid them in
the exercise of that function? It is only necessary to
establish the affirmative of these propositions to con.
vic that individual of the offence charged to convict
him of the grossest outrage upon society and upon
the elective franchise that ever was perpetrated by
souess demagogue in grasping for Office Have these
propositions been established in the affirmative? We
yes, established 50 clearly that no amount of
sophistry and mere denial will avail against them, as
we will proceed to show.
But first let us briefly glance at the facts of the
origin and present condition of this free negro colony
as we have obtained them from several prominent cit
zens of Rapides parish. Many years ago large num-
Der of negroes and muattoes having been set free in
North Carolina, were transported, by parties inter
ested in the matter, to the parish of St. Landry in
this State. Becoming exceedingly troublesome to the
people of that region, they were expelled from their
settlement in the vicinity of the place now called
Chicotvle, and portion of them "squatted'; upon
lands in Calcasieu parish, and the remainder in what
is now known as the TenMile precinct in the parish
of Rapides There they now are, living together in
large families and squads in the midst of thinly set
tied country, andforming regular colony distinct in
everything from the white population Of the parish.
So thoroughly have they become related by ntermar.
rage, that list of sixty seventy of their voters
exhibits only about a dozen different names. They
are represented by the white people who live in
that region he western part of the parish) exhib
ing the worst traits Of the human character seldom
relieved by its better attributes Vindicve, revenge
full treacherous, cowardly and cruel, their deeds of
secret malice and open outrage have made them
terror to the few white inhabitants scattered through
the "piny woods' country round about them. And
this state OF things exists not only in Rapides, but in
Cacasieu, not more than year having elapsed since
their bloody deeds in the latter parish compelled the
white people to seek protection in the formation of
sort of vigilance committee.
Why they are not brought to justice and punished
for their numerous violations Of law, and especially
in Rapides for voting, is question easily answered.
They live in wilderness, sixty miles from the parish
seat and the persons who suffer most from this colony
of black and yellow thieves and desperadoes are poor
white men, to whom the satisfaction Of appealing to
the law would be recompense for the further wrongs
certain TO be inflicted upon them in consequence.
Regarding their exercise of the elective function
while nearly everybody in the parish of Rapides,
without distinction of party comedies it to be scandal
ouslv and outrageously wrong, few seem willing to
put themselves to trouble and expense to bring the
matter again before court of law, siuce it requires
nothing but the false ruling OF judge the elnpan-
nellng of political jury to acquit person of any
shade Of color on the charge Of illegal voting. Be-
sides, a strong party influence is exerted in their
favor, and men {who deserve and receive the con-
tempt of the community in which they live) make a
business of going among them previous to every
election and encouraging them to rally to the polls
And now to the proof that these people are coored
that they vote, and that Robert A Hunter is their
chief alder and abettor in that shameful violation of
the law.
In the Red River American of the Goth ult appears
affidavit made in due form before justice of the
peace by Mr.. James johnson, citizen Of Rapides
parish. Mr.. johnson testities that he has known
the families (gving many of their name) low living
in the TenMile precinct for more than fifty years,
and portion of the affidavit of this respectable old
man contains the whole matter in nutshell so far as
their status is concerned He says:
Old Joseph Willis the Baptist preacher the first of that
tribe o! people that knew he was muatto and born
previous the first Of my cquantarct viii. him lint he soid
us mother He was considered free man of color, ami in
Of s S JSp Ws e F v "S
seie with the said Joseph Willis and we're MI considered free
send S sen PSs T no to vote
was very much asonshed to hear that few of them
Were allowed first to vote in the parish Of Rhpdes think
the year ISL
Michael Paul, an old and respectable citizen of the
western part of the parish, tesfes that during the
last 30 years he has frequently acted Commissioner
OF Elections at the Cacasieu precinct and that he and
the other commissioners always refused the votes of
these negroes, most of whom now vote at the Ten
Mile precinct He further testiEes that & the votes
OF these free negroes not received generally
until the precinct of TenNle established where
they now vote the Democratic ticket without let
hlndrance, to the number of forty upwards, and
That he has always considered the permitting of these
free negroes to vote, great outrage upon the rights
and privileges of the free white Citizen A great
outrage indeed, Mr.. Paul but what right have you to
complain? Is it not all for the glory and good of the
great Democratic party, and the elevation to Office of
such lncoruptble patriots as the present Democratic
| candidate for State Treasurer?
Mr. Joseph 7. Hatch, merchant and prominent
citizen of the parish, tesfes that during the last
seven years he has lived within fifteen miles of the
Ten-Me precinct, knows the people who vote there,
and upwards of forty of them are muattoes. Has
frequently heard John Dyal-the father Of five voters
in that precnct-ca himself q mixed Blood
Then comes the testimony of an old lady, Mrs.
Rchecca Ritchie who names the different families of
Perkins, Willis, Sweat Dya, ETC., and infinitely traces
back their geneaogy to the time of their arrival in
St Landry, IN 1904, when they g. We're known as the
Carolina muatoes. regarded in any other light
than as free people of color and never claimed to be
white She knew the tribe then; has known it and
its descendants ever since knows them now, and
| says:
oe Of the old exercised the rights of white
Landry. They permitted muster
| and received HssucatS by decent people.
Thee but opinion the respectable Inhabitants,
| ana that WAS, they were free people OF color.
Her testimony is corroborated by that Of John
| Richie.
! Messrs S. c. Nichols and James Hicks testify that
in the year 1866 they acted as Commissioners OF
Election in the Cacasicu precinct, (adjoining Ten
Me,) and that two of these mulattoes, Alex Buxton
and Isaac Sweat, offered their votes, which were re
fused because they declined swearing that they were
white, tlee-born citizens.
If this evidence does not settle the status Of the