The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-06-15
No Hope from Congress.
F.: 0 Judgment, thou art fed to british beasts,
And men have lost their reason! =


And men have lost their reason"
In reading the debate in Congress upon the con
tested case between Ryan ard Newsham, one is sadly
IMPRESSED with the fact that there hope Justice
from the leaders of the Radical party In fact as we
have before said it makes sort of difference whether
the Southern people boot or boot-lick them-they viii
be governed in their votes and action by prejudice and
interest in any and every event.
It appears that Congress made provision that the
votes Of those parishes should be thrown out where
violence regned supreme" They then had plain sail
ing and the result could have been oretod with math
ematical certainty It all in vain that Mr. Burr,
of Illinois, gave the damnag exposition, that accord
ing to the intimidation theory in the parish of Caddo
259 Democratic voters must have not only prevented
2O87 Republican voters from voting that ticket but
absolutely forced them to the Democratic ticket
And in DeSoto "a heroic men accomplished the same
astounding results with an opposition of 1923 votes
And in the parishes of Caddo, Bossier DeSoto, Sabine
and VIM 518 bloody-minded "ku-klu1es" over
wheImed by " force and intimidation 6053 Radical
voters and compelled them to vote for Ryan Mr.
Burr might, too, have added that the Republicans
could have called to their aid the United States troops
| to suppress violence, IL any udu petI thiC"tGh0u'
So far from intimidation having been used, some of
the leading capeshggers here were solicited to go to
the polls and vot#Ne Radical ticket. And this was
DONE in part to counteract the base use which was
foreseen would be made of this absence of Radical
votesi being generally known that it was the set
tied policy of the party where they had no prospect OF
success, to keep away from the polls and afterwards
raise the cry of " violence and &c intimidation" The
agent Of the Freedmens Bureau here Monroe, was
asked to 60 and vote, but his for declining to
do so was, that there negroes on the Radical
ticket whom he would not vote for One of the regis
rars, named Hunncut, readily and cheerfuLy gave a
certificate to the effect that violence was threatened
at the polls but that the election off quietly and
peaceably. And yet this precious scamp, while
playing the role of witness in the farce subsequently
enacted in New Orleans under the name and style OF
Congressional Investigating Committee" testified
that all manner of evidence" and " intimidation
were used. His certificate is file in this office
OF course he and bis friends would say that it was
given under compusion, regardless of the fact that
the United States troops were stationed here to pre-
vent such things But it is idle to discuss this matter
Every man knew what the result would be in this
contested seat business, and knew that nothing could
prevent a conclusion so entirely foregone. cunning
set of fellows are your Radical downeasters, and I'M
scrupulous cunning
Pending this debate in Congress- Mr. Stevenson 'gets
in" with the following bit of history, which it were
for all practical results needless to conroVert by facts
or arguments as all fair minded men know their men
dacious fasity in the MAN, while rascals like Steven
bo nonId Az tn Uh
are called the Bossier riots we shall at future
time give true and detailed account of that affair
not, heaven knows, with any hope of changing the
Radical mind but as an explanation to Northern Dem
ocrats-who to be struck dumb by this charge
against the Southland to vindcae the truth of his
tory Meantime it will be pleasing reflection to oul
citizens that there is at hand some brigandsh
looking character bearded like pard, bearing four
reyovers (insaate archer, would not one suffice?
" on his persor-two in his belt and two in his boots
and sometimes double-barreed shotgun over hi:
shoulder" ready to shoot them down, at moments
notice. merely crafty innocent desire to see then
kick
Here's what Mr. Stevenson, Chairman of Commit
tee of Election, says about it:
One word as to violence. Having spoken of the
size OF the district, wish TO contrast the TWO paFs
the district, of which was peaceable and the Other
S}"vo1ence, the upper Red river parishesEGaddo, DE-
Soto, Bosser and Sabne-the central town of which
was Shreveport; and any who knows anything O.
Louisiana and of the South knows that Shreveport is
one of the air-holes of perdton the face of the
earth. There awess violence reigned Men came tc
Shreveport armed with revoVers, Tearing four revo
vers their persons-two in their belts and two in
their boots-and sometimes having adoubled-barreled
shot gun sung the shoulders; and they shot men
down in the streets with impunity. Then, just oppo
site Shreveport occurred of the bloodiest riots
which redden the pages of history The whites sailed
out from Shreveport and murdered the colored men
by the hundred and drove others the swamps from
which they did not dare to return for two or three
weeks. Violence gned supreme in that region. In
DeSoto and Sabine the Kuklux controlled until after
the election In all those four parishes violence
reigned in six it did not About two-thirds Of the
district peaceable; one third was awless.
Now, what the result? In four parishes but
three Republican votes cast In four parishes
where two thirds the voters were Repubcans-ay, black
| Republicans-three Republican votes were cast In
one not single Republican vote was cast. And yet
gentlemen tell us that there was no violence Such
a statement is absurd upon its face