The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1870-05-28

One OF the most respectable witnesses
produced to prove intimidation in this
particular parish was Mr.. w. Jasper
Black burn, a Republican ex-member
of this House; man to whose testimo
ny I once before referred, and who was
convicted by the facts, if not by the
finding Of this House, of being engaged
in the business Of selling cadetships.-
I read short paragraph from his pa
per in. the trial of one of the other
cases before the House. and I now de-
sire, in addition to what have already
said in reference to him, and by way
of indicating his true character and tho
real value of his evidence, to invite at
tention to another extract from his pa
per, an issue Of it pu blished since that
from which read before, speaking of
the same little peccadillo on his part,
the sale of cadetships-
f'All this is true"
Referring to general charges against
Congress =
FAYE, ten times true but it ma tiers
not; let Congress pay what is justly
and equitably and according to all
former custom and precedent our due,
and the 81 400 of cadet smart money
shall be forthcoming with interest; and
with proof, if wanted, that this cadet
business amounts to about the small lest
'irreguiarity'- or swindle, if you please
ever INDUCED or perpetrated in the
way of governmental and departmental
peccadillos, at the very pious and cx-
ceedingly incorruptib!e city of Wash
ington."
/ do not read that because it has any
especial value in itself. but merely as
fifty characterizfng the moral stand
ard and tone of the witnesses who are
relied upon to establish these general.
reckless and sweeping charges of in
timidation, violence and wrong against
the good people, the respectable and
honorable constituency of this district.
To subject them to such indiscriminate
condemnation is alike unjust to them
and discreditable to the judicial char
acter of this House. They are suffer-
ing the disturbing influences of dis
rupted institutions and changed social
and political relations.
1t is not IN the power of humanity
to rise instantly above and superior to
all such circumstances and events
The good people, the great mass Of the
white population, which forms the
Democratic party in Louisiana, sin
cerely deplore all the evils, confusion,
and wrongs which grow as inevitable
incidents out OF the late events in our
history. But they are not guilty of
any willtul aggravation OF those evils.
They have struggled in good faith to
mitigate and allay them, and to effect
the easiest and earliest practical BILE
adjustment of society to It's new con-
ditions. In those honorable efforts
they have been constantly interfered
with and tbwarted by the malign in
duences and selfish Vaccinations of
political adventurers, who have gone
among them to beget strife and use
the ignorant and credulous negroes to
aid them in getting Offices and power.
They have sought these results for
mean and sordid ends generally, and
when attained they have used them for
plumber and oppression. They have
not in single southern State rewarded
the people for their ill.placed conf
dence by giving them good laws, good
government, or civil protection, but
generally bad laws, near and corrupt
rulers, oppressive taxes and exactions, |
and extravagant and reckless admins
tratIon. The people of Mr.. McCranie's
district gave ample evidence during
the political canvass in question that
they desired to avoid and prevent any
occurrences which could be used even
as pretexts for deny ing them represen.
tation hero according to their legal
choice. They could not-nobody could
Individual viola tions, of law.
Some such occurred, committed by bad
men, by common criminals Of both par
ties, or of no party, and for them no
party should be held responsible
here.
1 hope that gentlemen will not for
get that in this case Mr.. McCranie
has majority of 2,16O votes of the
entire registration. not Of the votes
:ast, but of the entire registration; and
hat in every ono Of those parishes the