New Orleans Republican., 1873-05-01
TWU-SIDED People.

The people Of the Red river parishes
have a very rough side which they show
to their colored ueighbors, and remark
ably soft, smooth one for the United
States officials. They appear before the
courthouse on Easter Sunday with six
shooters strapped upon their rumps,
bowie knives IN their belts, and rifles and
double barreled sEotguns on their should
els. The curtain rises en- the tragic
scene, and before il is lowered two hun
dred negroes lie welterinG in their OWE
blood, the victims of /. massacre that has
not been exceeded IL atrocity since that of
St. Bartholomew. Not only ere the de-
tenseless negroes cruelty murdered after
they had ceased all resistance, but their
cold corpses were kicked around, and
turned this way and that for the purpose
of finding out whether they We're teigning
death, or were dead in reality.
An outraged government sends troops
and officers to the bloody scene, and they
are straightway met by these same actors
in their other capacity Of ''peaceable citi-
zens." Those whose guilty consciences
have no. driven them into the woods
come whining into camp with the lie in
their mouths that they had no hand in
the great tragedy. The entire outward
appearance is changed from the swagger-
ing, numbering 'posse comtat2s'' to SIM
pie country villagers, intent upon proving
their lamb-iike character. A week ago,
and nothing they so much desired as to
extermina:e the colored people in the
courthouse. In the presence Of the troops,
there is nothing they so much fear as the
danger that ''peaceable citizens are to
be dragged from their homes on the war
rant OF United States commissioner.
It is simply impossible for such an out
rage as that which was witnessed i'll Col
lax on tie thirtee-th without the privity
and assent Of the white people Of the PAR
ish. Those who were not in the ranks of
the assallants were consenting to the act
by turning theis backs on the scene while
fhe armed assassins from osher parishes
we1e performing fhe bloody work Jhe
inyaders wege iavitej in}c Grant parish
~ the F3siolists, and wegeinclted to the
desperate and wicked s;aughteg by skill
fully contriveG faIseLoods about what the
negroes mad threatened 20 &c. IL every
way Shey are aeld responsible. and they
caa onlS clear themselves tEsG suspicion
3y pointing out 10 she authorities thc ace
suai perpetrators. TO syink az such hoy.
rid deeds IS 90 share in sIle crininality.
To profess ignorance q It IS 10 gToclaim
themselves non coHp0s.
y was the custom many years agog 50
hoii a town, a borough, or a tithine re-
sponsible for every otfense Committed
within its limits, uoon the well under0
stood principle 9haQ it is in the power of
the inhabitants % regulate and contrc6
Pie acts Gone, and So bring to 9unishmen5
ghe 4aw DreaHQrs ghe laws oS wa See
gard eve@7 inhaSitart 0S the enemy's coun-
9ry as as eala5ny. gae pules OF coQlnoon
sense Iol@ eves% man who neglected to
exert hiMse!t to geeeeat Che Colfax maso
sacre ss Ole sO2Se degree to blame for R
An6 the oft repeated attempt to pay the
brutal assassin one day and the @.peac@
able citizen the next. has come TO be 600
well understood TO succeed.
'Tl,o
the woods and swamps an the apprcaci,
ct ths officers nf the iaw Is such aa ex-
E.reeeeGng as Teaulrsa ex