Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-10-29

lie and private affairs confer, bu
resorted to compulsory means, un
sanctioned by the laws of the coun.
try, the spirit of American institu.
tions, and the practice of civilized
nations.
The first great effort to carry into
effect this liue Of policy was perhaps
most conspicuously displayed in the
adoption of the code of laws COM
monty known as the "Black Code, u
passed by the provisional govern
ment of South Carolina, in the year
1865, and followed by other States.
It is unnecessary to give in detail
the features of this system. 1t es-
tablished caste of the Oriental type.
It furnished courts for the trial OF
question of caste. 1t provided for
legal compulsion as q means of pro-
curing our labor, and fixing the
rates of compensation and rules of
performance. It provided separate
laws-civil and criminal-and Sc
parate courts for their enforcement.
Finally, it allowed us no voice in
the passing of the laws that were to
govern us, or hand in disposing of
the proceeds of our labor taken
from us as taxes for the support of
fhe government of our respective
States.
The action of the military author
tiles, followed by that of Congress,
and, finally, the amendments to the
Costitution of the United States,
took from the hands of those seek
ing to establish system of slavery
scarcely less Objectionable than that
which had just been overthrown, the
means of accomplishing their pur-
pose through the forms of law.
The next resort was to subs;dize
and control, through the motives of
favor and fear, the political and civ
il yowers conferred by the liberality
of the Government. On the one
hand, the friendship and patronage
of the white citizens were offered as
the condition of complete political
subserviency, while on the other
hand threats Of being deprived of
homes and employment as the means
OF subsistence, were made by the
landholders and employers Of our
respective States. These threats
were in many instances carried into
effect. 1t was found, however, that
the necessity that existed for our la
Dor left in our hands power suffi-
cient to thwart the effort of our sub
lection.
To meet this new difficulty resort
was had to secret organizations,
with view to the control of the.
masses of the colored people by the
murder of the prominent represen-
tative men of our class, and by the
infiction of bodily pain upon a GER
tain number of their followers. As
the means proposed involved the
commission OF the highest crimes
known among men, the pro-
lection Of oaths, secret organizations
and DISCUSSES were resorted to. We
have been hunted like beasts by
armed and disguised bands. Many,
both men and women, have been
killed; vast numbers have received
severe corporal punishment; and
many more found shelter in the
swamps, by day and by night, from
this storm OF human hatred.
We owe it to ourselves and to
our government to acknowledge the
well directed efforts that are now
being made to bring the perpetra-
tors of these crimes to justice. We
are assured that the American peo-
pie are In earnest to secure to us
the fruits Of the great measures for
our civil and political habilitation.
and that the Executive and Judicial
departments of the Government
are thoroughly sincere in their de-
termination to give effect to the
Constitution and the will of Con-
gress in our behalf.
We ask Of you that you win give
to the Government the fullest mea-
sure of moral support to enable it
to complete that which is so auspi-
ciously begun, and that minor diff
ferences of sentiment and policy
may be hushed while the nation is
nm ifa lonCth IN ,,s,rc,o A..