The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-10-20
THE FIRST FEDERAL GUN IN
LOUISIANA.
POLITICAL PROSECUTIONS IN THE
PARISHES.
lOgg Senator Violates his Pledges.
Thirteen Citizens of Coushatta Arrested
by Deputy q. S. Marshals.

The announcement we have to make thi 5
morning is Of character that may well startle
the community. Thirteen citizens OF Cou-
shatta in violation Of the solemn assurances
and pEghted faith of United States commits
sioner, who was sent up to investigate the
trouble, have been arrested by Z. S. dep
uty marshal upon warrants issued in this city,
and are to be brought down here in chains,
and thrust into felons' cells to crafty the vim
dictive fury of Major General Landaulet Will
liams, Boss Packard and their willing tool,
Beckwith.
This shameful action, which no doubt has
its inspiration in Washington, is deliberate
attempt to create that condition of affairs in
Louisiana which it was the design of the
Chattanooga Convention to prove existed in
all the Southern States.
| Soldiers are sent tramping through the
paris hes at the heels of United States
marshals who are confidently expected to
spread terror among the whites by arbitrary
arrests and brutal treatment, and it would
seem to be the wish Of United States officers,
instigated no doubt by Williams, to invite a
conflict, nay, to force the people to defend
themselves against the robbers who are raid
ing through the country in the guise Of dep
uty U. S. marshals, with infantry, cavalry and
artillery at their back.
We all know what it means. We know full
we'll that an election is 70 come off, and that
Louisiana must be made to go Republican
United States to keep her in the traces; and
we know that unless there can be a serious
trouble created somehow, that Mr.. Williams
will stand before the world the convicted liar
and ingenious devil that he is. 1t cannot be
pretended that the United States courts have
any right to interfere in the matter of the
Coushatta murders, for on this point Justice
Bradley expressly held:
"This power ITO enforce the XIIIth Amend
ment] does not authorize Congress to pass
laws for the punishment of ordinary crimes
and otfenses against persons of the colored
race or any other race. That belongs to the
State Government alone. All ordinary muir
ders, robberies. assaults, thefts, and offenses
whatsoever are cognizable only in the State
courts, unless indeed the State should deny
to the class of persons referred to the equal
protection of the laws Then of course Con-
gress could provide remedies for their security
and protection. But in ordinary cases, where
| the laws of the State are not obnoxious to the
PROVISIONS of the amendment, the duty of
Congress in the creation an punishment of
offenses is limited to those offenses which aim
at the deprivation Of the colored citizens en-
joyment and exercise of his rights of citizen
ship and of equal protection of the laws. be-
cause Of his race, color, or previous condition
of servitude."
Congress surely is not vested with power
to legislate for the suppression and punish
ment Of all murders, robberies, and assaults
committed within the States"
The case is perfectly plain, and even if there
had been no agreement between the people of
Coushatta on the one hand and the U. S. Com
missioner on the other, the action of the
United States authorities would still be des-
potic and outrageous. The following is a full
text of the agreement referred to above
Citizen Conference Committee.
T. w. Abney, President, julius Lisso, Sec
rotary.
W. S. Williams, F. Roubieu. J. w. sandi-
ford, A. f. Stephenson, C. D. Bullock, b. w.
Marston D. 1. Dupree, w. A. Perry, John T.
Murph, b. :. Lee.
Col. J. NJ. sandidge. of New Orleans, was
invited to participate.
CoUsHATTA, La, Oct. 6, 1874.
In accord with that spirit Of Cancellation
and justice which seems to have prevailed in
effecting an arrangement in New Orleans,
between Gov. Kellogg and his friends and
Gov McEnery and his friends and those OPP
posed to tie Kellogg administration, for con-
Quoting all matters connected with the ap-
preaching election, and a general pacifcatien
Of the country:
1t is agreed between NJ. II. Twitchell, re-
presenting the Kellogg administration in this
parish, and as acting United States Commits
sioner, sent here to inquire into the recent
Coushatta troubles, and as president of the
police Jury on the one part, and committee
Of citizens, appointed for that purpose at a
public meeting OF the citizens of the parish
held at the courthouse on Monday, the 5th Of
October, 1874, on the other part;
That to secure full and fair expression Of
the will of the people at the November cleo
ton, Just administration of the affairs Of
the parish and quoting the mind OF the
people,,so greatly excited by recent disturb
ances in this and other parishes of the State;
/. The offices of the parish which have
been, or may hereafter be filed by executive
appointment, shall DE of resident citizens OF
this parish, including Supervisor Of Registra-
ton, and the two clerks to act under him.
2. The registration and election shall be
conduc ed in strict accordance with the in
structions of the joint commission appointed
to supervise the same in New Orleans, and q
joint committee similar to that in New Orleans,
shall be selected to supervise the registration
and election in Red River parish; and the
commissioners of election, the polling pre-
cincts, and all other matters connected with
the election, sh Ill be lett to said committee,
whose advice shall control any action OF the
Police Jury, and all other officers having any
connection with the election, i'll relation
thereto.
NJ. H. Twitchell, for himself, and in his
capacity of United States Commissioner, de-
clares that it is not his purpose to disquiet the
minds of the public, aud that he will have no
citizen arrested on account of the recent dis
turbances in this parish, except it be those