New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-02-14

The request was granted, and the Speaker desig
| mated Mr.. Leeds as Chairman of the Committee
and appointed Mr.. Mcconnell to fill the vacancy
| Shortly after the House adjourned. '5.
1 se%E From south Carolina. a4a y IS
"FREEDMANs" DEMONSTRATION on NORTHERN
I EM1GRANTs- AFFAIR ON JOHNS
1 ISLAND -+..,.
\ tFrom the Charleston Courier, Feb II
! Last Friday, party of gentlemen, on visit
| here from Pennsylvania, for the purpose of buying
land, etc. accompanied by two or three citizens
obtained the consent of General sickes to visit ali
the islands adjacent to the city. The party were
fortunate, also, in being rendered by General
Sickles the use of the United States steam trans
| port Mary Frances, and on Saturday morning they
! left the city and proceeded to the lower end OF
johns Island, at the junction of the Stone with
| the HAWAII river. :
The party went ashore. but were unable to
reach the plantation which they desired to examine
| and ascertain whether it would answer the pur-
| pose of their business. They returned to the
steamer, previously agreeing to make another
| trial next morning: The party hailed number Of
negroes in a small boat going to the next plan
tation. and were told not to land at night or they
would certainly be shot
| On Sunday morning they again landed and pro-
ceeded towards the settlement. inquring the way
Of the negroes. They were shown how to reach
| the main land, but on approaching the houses OBJ
served considerable excitement among the people.
| They continued on their way, however, and on
crossing from the marsh to the main land, on en-.
tering an old field, body of negro men, armed
With various kinds of weapons, approached them.
1 When within twenty yards, the leader Of the
negroes cried halt" The party stood still, when
the leader came up and demanded their business
The nature of the visit was explained to them,
and the desire expressed that the party be
| allowed to proceed uninolested. During the con-
yyersation gang Of negroes surrounded them and
became very threatening and abusive, and the
party, thinking they were not likely to succeed in
their object, determined to return. This, however,
the negroespromptiy refused to allow, and threats
| OF instant murder were made on all sides. Only
two or three Of them were willing to permit them
4 to return to their boat. a-7H9h7t5 ifA
I After violent alteration of words and several
attempts at violence to the VISITORS the negroes
decided to escort their now prisoners to the quar-
| tiers OF the commiss4ry, sergeant of the 35th o.
s. CsT.. about twelve miles distant. The party
earnestly entreated the negroes to permit them tt
return to their boat but their entreaties were una
vang, although the party agreed to steer directly
to the conlmissary' post. They also suggested to
/ the negroes to accompany them on the boat but
! this was also refused. ~
They We're then compelled to walk through the
heavy sand the entire length of the island. The
| crowd of negroes continued to increase--a armed
with muskets, rifles, shotguns, revovers, bayo-
nets on sticks, seythes, axes, hatchets, clubs, etc.
while the women had hoes, pitchforks and clubs.
Permission was given to send word to the captain
to which they were forced to walk.
On their route they were accompanied by a yell
ing, cursng, threatening crowd of negroes, freed
! men, women and children. As they advanced
they were continually met by other negroes, run
ming to the scene; all armed, and breathing out
| the most severe and summary punishment for dar-
ing to land upon their island where no white man
| had any right, or should ever dare to come.
| After proceeding about mile and half they
were halted, the crowd still increasing, and be-
coming more violent Here they were met by
two freedmen, named Sam Flood and George
| Roberts, and Quoted the crowd to some extent
Roberts being able to read, the party showed their
authority from Gen Sickles, Gen. Devens and Gen,
Howard, at Washington, and Gen. r. X. Scott, at
Charleston. The crowd refused to recognize the
papers, and said if the persons who wrote them
were there, they would serve them the same
| Threats were made against the captain of the
steamboat, and regrets that they had not attacked
the vessel the previous night and murdered the
and Roberts endeavored to persuade the crowd to
allow them to return, satisfied the party was
| right but the crowd were determined to march
| them to the commissarys. F'"a " 3.
| One of the party being crippled, efforts were
made toEprocure ahorse or mule, but this was also
refused by the negroes Finding entreaty of no
avail, and that the crowd only continued to in-
crease in numbers and fierceness, they proceeded
on their way. ,As+S a'f
| For four houls-from 10 A. M, to p. NJ, they
were marched over the island. In front were
about five or six horsemen, followed by some eight
or ten footmen, the prisoners bringing up the rear,
with an armed guard on either side, followed by
| a mob of about one hundred and fifty violently
abusive and threatening.
| AT each plantation new accessions were made
| to the crowd. the women and children lining the
road, aud joining in as the party passed. At one
place man stood with a pole, not less than
twelve feet long, which he raised, intending to
| strike, but was prevented by the guard. At
another place man named Armstrong came rid.
| have ehot
of the party had not his horse been seized by the
bride by one, and his gun taken by another.
! About2 O'Clock they reached Townsend place,
where freedman named Sam johnson resides
who had been appointed by some Officer Of Tic,
| Freedmen's Bureau as a general supervisor over
The negroes on the island. This man being some
distance from the house, the party were halted
| and compelled to wait for him although within
about two miles OF the c9mmfssaryis. =
| Here they were exhibited on the steps of the
mansion, with heavy guard OF men in front of
| theta, crowd OF women behind; the former ready
| ut any moment To fire upon them, and the latter
| abusing the prisoners not only with horrible Ian
| guage, but by pokinS them with sticks, etc There
was one United STATES coored soldier at the place
| whom they desired to carry information OF their
condition TO the se rgeant, and offered to nav him
| for so doing, but he would not consent handing
the written note after he had talked with some OF
| the captors, who evidently dissuaded him from
| complying with the request Several times while
waiting here Flood, VINO still betrieuded the prjs
i
forts were made to let them take the party into
the woods, doubtless to murder them but he stool
| firm in his refusal. m
After setting in the sun for two hours, not ever
allowed to enterthe house, and all the time exposed
to imminent danger and insult the man having
cooked his gun to- shoot one of the party, San
johnson arrived. He acted with great promptnes.
| and at once started with them to the commssary's
ticking only few men with him. When within
| alb 'ut mile of tie commssary's they met the
! = rseant coming to the rescue. l'E .F.ER
The sergeant iniormedthe men who had arrested
the prisoners that they were acting entirely with
out authority and thai any person, white black,
was privileged to come upon the island Whenever
they chose aud be unmolested. He relieved them
| q once from arrest. .a4g.sa 5s- f-l5.Us
The scene during the day beggars description,
| and resembled a scene in heather country, can
nibals dancing around and gloasng over Their IN.
tended victims before giving them HE tatai blow
which was likely to descend at any moment.
Reasoning with them was thrown away; They
said they knew no law but their own, that the
island was theirs and no white man should ever
| come upon it. They care for no general Or no
] authority. ..9 -