Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-04-16
THE WAR OF RACES.

While United States troops are follow
ing upon the tracks Of the Modocs, with
instructions 10 avenge the death OF Gen.
Candy even to the utmost extent, a con-
Aict of different character has opened
with bloody results in Louisiana between
the white and black races. The Indians
will be overtaken, and that once power
full tribe of wild red men will be virtually
extinguished. They are not citizens,
neither are they willing to be made such.
Like the Ishmaelites Of the DESERT their
hand is against every man and every
mans hand is against them, and they
will never assimilate with any other race.
Recent events will hasten their disap-
pearauce from the face of the earth. In
Louisiana, however, il is different; for
the black men are citizens under the new
order of things, as well as the whites, and
thew have a fondness for exercising some
of the functions Of citizenship, without
always knowing or observing the strict
letter of the law, that tends to bring about
collisions and serious disturbances. Such
was the case at the town o. Colfax, in
Grant parish. At the last election 1t is
understood the whites and some Of the
colored allies carried the election by
good majority. The colored party,
headed by some white men, took
possession of the town AID the
court house some weeks ago. The
sheriff of thei county, with posse
of about one hundred and fifty
well armed white men, dislodged the
blacks last Sunday after a severe fight
in which a number Of lives were 10 St.
The details are too meager and sensa-
tional to be reliable. The report that
one hundred negroes we're killed must
be received with many grains of allow
ance. But the statement OF steam
boat captain that he saw eighteen or
twenty dead bodies lying around on the
banks is not so improbable. Here is
another slaughter brought about by
bad white men, who escaped all danger,
and left the negroes to their fate. They
we're brave enough in capturing lit
tie town and driving off the women and
children and unarmed citizens, but when
those citizens, reinforced by others, and
led by the legal sheriff Of the county,
returned and attacked the party in the
courthouse and within their intrench-
ments the leaders ingloriously fed to
TO some remote place of safety, where
they will tell of their Falstafiian deeds
and telegraph for troops. In this affair
was another illustration of treachery,
which doubtless intensified the whites in
their measures Of retaliation: the blacks
threw out flag Of truce, and the par
ties outside who advanced to meet
it were fred upon, aud Capt. Hednat
was fatally wounded. After this the
courthouse was fired, and many OF the
blacks we're shot down as they came out
This is a sad, sickening tragedy, the
direct result of anarchy and misgovern-
ment prevailing in Louisiana. The col
ored party was fairly beaten at the polls,
but seeing that legal votes were thrown
out and illegal votes manufactured
by their leaders all over the State, and
that these doings were apparently sane.
toned by the general government, they
we're easily persuaded that they had the
same kind of an inherent right to take
possession Of the county seat and all the
Offices by brute force. and they have
paid dearly for the mistake into which
they we're led by bad, designing men.