The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-07-10
JnO. G.. Tucker Again@-TIhe Col.
Ored TROOPS at OpeROuSNS.

Y. y. Republican, belng a contrlputio" ~
hat Journal, from John c. Tucker, late
Assessor of Internal'R Revenue at Opelousas:
On Thursday evening, June "a, two or
.hrec soldiers belonging to company RI,
United States Infantry, station
I'd at Opelousas, went Gut or passes. One
the soldiers went into a saloon, so it is
reported. to get d oil! changed and was in,
suited, and; in coming oct, was struck with
\ club. He Fastened to join his friends
near the Variety Hall, to which point he
was followed by ten or 4 dozen citizens,
who, it seems, threatened the soldiers,
pistols, using, at the same
time, the most abusive language. The sol
diers attempted to return 10 camp without
any disturbance, or getting into
but they were fired upon by the
" law abiding citizens" One Of the sol
diers having u pistol, fired a return shot at
his pursuers, and the three, who were per
fectly sober, got back to camp nninjured.
one was hurt. The soldiers had per-
to attend a party, and they be''av-
I'd in an oderly manner: Threats ave
been uttered against The cnlored troops,
and it been strongly limited that they are
to be "cleaned out Capt. Coke had his
men 20 before a Justice of the Peace, the
next day, and make affidavits MS tn the ont
a committed upon them. The matter
will come up in the civil courts, and, as
the parties who made the assault are known,
we shall see What will b. done about it.
j. c. 7.
We mention the name Of the writer, in
order that the credibility Of the statements
may be measured by the character Of the
witness. At recent preliminary examin-
alton held before Judge Porter, Mr.. Tucker
made affidavit that an attempt had been
made on his life, and that he had been shot
by some unknown assassin, when there
was a strong chain of evidence establishing
the fact, that he had shot himself in the
wrist of the left hand. He made oath that
the fancied assassin had knocked him down
senseless by a blow on the head, when
there was no visible mark to verify the
assertion. His statements were so prepos.
ferrous that they were very generally dis
credited; and he left here a disgraced man.
He had, during his term Of office, been
treated with kindness and hospitality. He
had been received and countenanccd in the
best society. And there was no reason why
any one should wish to assassinate him.
But whom the gods wish to destroy they
first make mad. Finding that he was
about to lose his office, he thought it polite
to turn against his friends, and to abuse
their hospitality, by using against them
the weapons Of SANDER and falsehood. His
first calumny was embodied in a letter,
which we have already published. The
letter which we here reproduce, is dictated
in the sam spirit. He has attempted to
frame an indictment against our people,
from the simple fact, that a casual alterca-
ton took place between some of the color.
ed trooos, and several of our citizens, on
the streets Of Opelousas, which was nothing
more serious than the usual collisions
daily brought to the notice of the munich
pal Courts of New Orleans. The impress
sion intended to be created by the letter,
is, that the soldiers were attacked because
they vere soldiers, and representatives Of
the military authority of the government.
He says that "threats have been uttered
against the colored troops and it has beee
strongly limited that they are to be cleaned
out" So far as this applied to the com,
munity, or any respectable portion of it,
this statement is utterly frlse. No such
threats have ever been made. While there
is no necessity for any military force at
Opelousas, and while the civil authorities
are active and vigilant in the preservation
Of peace and good order. and can do NOR e
to harmonize society than all the colored
troops in the State concentrated, the Capt.
in command and his officers have been
treated with civility, and the rank and file
Of colored soldiers left unmolested. So
long as the proper discipline is maintained
in camp, u citizens are indifferent to the
presence of Capt Coxe's command. The
only objections we have heard made-and
they were made with no unkindness-have
had reference to the location of the camp,
within the limits of the town corporation;
when there are beautiful ard shaded loca.
tons a mile or two distant, where the
soldiers could enjoy idleness with pleasure,
and distance would render more tnlerablc
the incessant din and rattle of trumpet and
drum. But, We repeat, the threats and
spoken Of by Mr.. Tucker are
the coinage Of his own brain. -.
- &~~~~~~~~sO-~>~~~
Arrival Of Chinese in Louisian ma.
Some days ago, five hundred Chinese
laborers. passed down the Mississippi, des.
for some plantation on the coast.
These Cinnamon crossed the continent by
n