The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-05-01

A gar OF Races ia Louisiana
The Bloody Affair at COifax.
The y. Y. Herald thus forcibly, fair
~ and fully reviews the recent bloody
affair in Louisiana:
The war of factions under which. fol.
six months, Louisiana las been suffer-
ing all the EeIils, If not all the evils. of
anarchy, las at last taken that most
dangerous shape TO the blacks ola war
OF races. The bloody affair at tie little
hamlet of ColfaX, parish of Grant, near
Alexandria, on tie Red River, from the
details which we published Yesterday.
was clearly cOnflic:, not between the
kellogg Faction and the Warmoth fac
uion, but between the whites and blacks
IA conflict OF the two races, all other
llites OF distinction being merged ia the
distinction of color. Tie quarrel grew
ont of the political complications OF the
State, but in this bloody affair at COlfax
10 was, by the stupidity Of the negroes,
reduced to Il question Of local ascendan
cy OF the whites or the blacks.
1t appears that Grant parish or coun-
ty was recently formed ont ola part of
the large parish Of Rap;des on the Red
River, above Alexandria, and that,
while the new parish or county was
named in honor of President Grant, its
after the then Vice President, Colfax-
Grant and Colfax being thus associated
with the creation Of the new parish.
Next, it appears that, by accident, igno-
rance, neglect or design somewhere,
the returns of the last State election for
this new parish were not officially re-
ported, and that, in the absence Of any
official returns, both sets of the local
candidates concerned claimed to be
elected; that they both appealed at
length 70 Gov. Kellogg at New Orleans
for decision, and that he advised the
cOntcsting parties to settle the ContrO-
versy among themselves. The fusion
lists or anti-kellogg faction were then
in possession OF the county offices.
Both factions, disappointed, returned to
New Orleans in anything but cOndi-
ton for . compromise: and, to make
snort work OF tile matter, some two
weeks ago a negro by the name of
Ward, with n band of ignorant and
creduloHs negro followers, took armed
POSSESSION of the cOurt-hOuse formerly
sugar house,, proceeded TO throw up
iatrcncliments, and drove or frightened
the whites from the settlement and
from all the neighboIhood within
circle Of twenty or thirty miles from
the military headquarters of Ward and
his army of invasion and occupation at
ColfaX.
The resort to arms and war thus en-
forced upon the whites was promptly
adopted, and their siege, stOrming and
/ capture Of the courthouse at Colfax, ac-
cording to the details so far received,
was "short, sharp and decisive" The
hostile blacks, numbering in the outset
| from four to five hundred, were fast
driven into their citadel, and then, the
courthouse being set on fire, they, in
their efforts to escape, were exposed to
discharge of musketry, from which
eighty or hundred of them were
Killed and many wounded. Their ring
! leader, it appears, escaped, and all the
surviving blacks of the locality, after
this terrible defeat, quickly disappeared.
Now, the question arises, Where lies
the responsibility for this bloody and
disgraccful affair? The responsibility
attaches first to the national admiaistra-
ton; next it falls upon Congress, and
next upon Governor Kellogg. The
mistaken policy of Gen. Grant in behalf
of peace in Louisiana has been product
i've only of mischief, confusion and dis
order. 1t is but justice to him, howev-
or, to say that he appealed to Congress
at the late session Cor Il settlement of
this imbrogliO, and that Congress, lack
ing the moral courage to settle it, left
the WlOle SUBJECT TO the discretion OF
the President as the two houses left the
Mormon difficulty, and that the Presi-
dent adhcring to the Kellogg govern
ment, rs he had notified Congress he
should do if left to his own discretion,
made it de .tdctO the State government.
We come, then, to Governor Kellogg.
He advised Il compromise of this Collax
| difficulty; but it was his duty to inform
himself of the exact situation OF affairs
there, and to arrest Ward and his negro
followers before or Immediately after
their advance upon the town. For fail
ing in this duty he should be called TO
account. He is evidently unequal TO
his position. As for the slaughter of
the negroes, 1t is n punishment which
they stupidity brought upon themselves.
We hope the lesson, throughout the
SOUJh, WIN do them good, iu teaching
! them the folly of appealing to arms for
| the redress of fancicd wrongs or the
/ vindication Of imaginary political
/ rights. They ought to know that war
/ of races means the determination of the
| black race, and that i'm every appeal to
/ arms they are sure to be severely pun
/ ishcd. President Grant, meantime.
! should bring GOV. Kellogg to strict
! account for his apparently criminal
/ negligence IN this business.