The Opelousas courier., 1873-06-07
The Results Of the Judicial
Inquiry.
[From the N. O. Herald, Nav 81

iu, ~
Lo! and behold, even Commissions
Shannon can not find any evidenc,
against Messrs. DeBlanc, DeClouet
Fournet and others, to suppress whom
the Metropolitan brigade and the U. S
army were ordered into the field with
cannon, Gatlin guns and Winchester
rifles, on the pretext that they were in.
surgents, rebels and armed enemies OF
the State of Louisiana and of the Uni.
ted States. With all the machinery OF
the U. 5. Court, which has proved ade.
quate to the overthrow of the lawful
government of the State, it has been
found impossible to procure the neces-
sary testimony to commit these parties
for trial by the United States courts.
They have been acquitted and dis.
charged by Commissioner Shannon for
want of evidence. The colored wit
nesses subpenad all testify that the
gentlemen inculpated had ALWAYS de-
meaned themselves towards them in
the most just, kindly and conciliatory
manner, had never violated any of their
rights, and were the very best men in
the parish.
Thus it was shown that the United
States at least had no pretext to pro-
ceed in this matter. Their only right
to intervene, under the Civil Rights
bill, rested upon the allegation that
some act was.done or threatened to de-
prive the colored people of their rights
secured under the fourteenth and fif-
teenth amendments. But no proof was
or cou Id be presented of even proba-
BILE cause of such intent or purpose on
the part, of Generals DeBlanc and De-
Clouet. On the contrary, they were
universally respected by all the colored
people of their parish. They were, in
deed looked up to by that race as their
most reliable defenders and chamDions
to protect them against every form of
wrong and injustice. It was only the
emissaries and appointees of Kellogg
these true and gallant gentlemen op-
posed, and the colored people did not
think enough of them to take their side
against the men whom they had known
all their lives as true, just and honor
able gentlemen.
Such is the purport Of the testimony
given before Commissioner Shannon, in
regard to the late affair in St. Martins.
1t affords memorable example of the
manner in which evidence has been got
up against our people, upon which the
Federal government has predicated it's
very unjust and oppressive action to-
wards us. The poor negroes, whose
natural. honest instincts prompt them
to truthful utterances and sentiments
towards our whole people, are taken in
hand by the partisan tricksters and
and induced to put their
names to affidavits and representations
which they invariably repudiate and
contradict when subjected to cross
examination. And thus it is that all
the evidence is made up on which our
white people are adjudged as rebels
and insurgents, who are to be subjected
to every species of annoyance and in
dignity.
Will not such exposures awaken in
our brethren at the North some sense of
the wrong and injustice with which the
intelligent and moral white people of
this State have been treated under the
gross calumnies and malign represen-
tations of the adventurers and iobbers
who have been sent to this State to
plunder and oppress, to slander and
it's best citizens!