The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-03
"GAR" INTERVIEWS A NEGRO
SENATOR.
He Runs Harper Into a Corner.
Justice for the Whites humanity for the
Blacks.

The following extract from an entertaining
letter from Gear" to the New York Times, will
be found at once entertaining and instructive
"When I arrived in Shreveport presented
my letters of introduction to some of the
leading citizens and was received as long,
lost brother. The editor Of the Shreveport
Times made feast for me; Judge Egan placed
his office and his books at my disposal, and
every one made me feel tina: all were pre-
elninently glad to see me. The mere
fact that l had ridden on horseback
throughout Louisiana was in itself refuta-
ton of the many charges brought against
them, and they evidently looked upon it in that
| light. 1 lost no time in seeing Senator VIM
Harper, burly, good-humored negro, who
has preferred politics to working. He was
very pleasant and cordial, but seemed re-
luctant to be questioned. I persisted, how
ever. Like the man who wanted to know, in
one OF Dickens's novels, l was determined to
find out the sentiments of the colored folks in
North Louisiana with regard to the strife be-
tween them and the Democratic white mon.
l asked Rim point blank: ''Why do your
people vote the Republican tiqket?'
He said: q Because it is the only party that
we can trust"
Trust for what?"
| "For our rights before the law, for our right
to go anywhere where a white man pes, and
for our women to go anywhere where white
ladies 60"
| "Do l understand You to mean for the rights
secured to you by the Civil Rights bill ?"
! Eyes !; that's what l mean"
eff the Democrats should carry the election
what have you to fear from them?"
"We'd have to fear for our lives, and for
our rights OF every kind We would be cheat
ed of our wages, as the colored men are now
in many places, and there would not be a
single judge or jury in the land that would give
Us tair play"
"Do you think that they would reduce you
back into slavery"
"Oh, no we don't fear that. But we would
have to labor for nothing, cause they wouldn't
pay US our wages"
Nv hat makes you think that your lives
would be in danger?"
Because there's thousands of colored men
been shot in this very parish = shot for
nothing, or just for attending Republican
meetings."
AsAye, indeed; is that so, Mr.. Harper !?
Now, how many of these thousands were per-
sons with whom you were acquainted friends
of yours, political workers with you?"
Hundreds of them, sir, hundreds"
"Can you make me out q list of friends of
yours who have been shot within the present
year?
-'No; declar can't. I don't remember
their names, but tell you twas SO"
But Mr.. Harper, you are the Senator for
this district, and if you wish me to believe
you, and to send such report to the Ne,1
York Times, you must remember you must
give me, or get others to give me, name or
date, and circumstances of Staying, otherwise
1 shall not be able to write that negro men
are killed in any case for political Lessons. I
know that white men have been killed for
robbing und cheating, and I know that
Spaniard was most cruelty and barbarously
murdered under pretense that he was distrib-
utlng arms to colOred men, and I know that
two colored men were hung at Coushatta."
weren't they hung for political reasons p
broke in the Senator.
"No they were executed for shooting Mr..
Dixon with intent to kill him, and they con-
fessed the crime. He was dangerously. al !
most MORALLY wounded, but he is living yet
though he has not recovered by any means"
"Why didn't they put him i'll the Jail, and |
try him?"
''Becaase they are desperate men, who care |
nothing for the forms Of law, and because
there was no one to administer the law, and
if there had been he would not have been
trusted"
"Ah," said the Senator, "that's the way
they treat the colored man. II white man
shoots one Of us, there's an end of it, but if
should have difficulty with you, and shoot
you, the white men would put me in Jail, and
hen at night time, come and lynch me-"
"What makes you say that?'
because it has happened in hundreds of
,ases I can't remember names, but it's so,
It's so. :"
'Well, Senator, I do believe that they have
10 respect for law here. but is must be owned !,
hat the law is not of quality entitled to re-
pect. But you know Senator Sweazey, of
5ayou sara, don't your"
''Yes, know him. met him in the Sem
te." $500 - Wv wv
''He deliberately and in cold blood MUIR
ered Mr.. Winter, and was bonded out, and
ever punished, but elected to the Senate.
md in the same parish was colored man E
AIMED Taylor, vino, in cold blood shot down
Dung Hale in his own bedroom. He was |,
onded out, and is now running for Parish
udge. What do you say to that?
wen, unused the Senator, gravely, "that {
as IN more Christian country than Caddo
arlsh, but here those men would not have t
we'd twenty-four hours. There would have
cen no protection for them, no trial, but lust t
Ike them out at night time and hang them 4
D." n
=" But Mr. Harper, what do you think must r
g the feelings of the friends of Mr.. Winter.
I'd of young Hale, to see these cold-blooded s
urderers going about not only safe, bnt +
ected to high Office? Don't you see that
ere's no law nor order anywhere, and that
e goose and gander are served with the same r.
nee OF rufianism?" u
There amt much law in North Louisiana. a
ats powerful fact, but its better for col G
ed man to live in southern parishes" d
saw clearly that Mr.. Harper could only see K
10 side of the case, and did not care to pur- n
9 that part any further "
AN HONEST JUDGE.
GAINESVILLE, La, Nov. 2.-The poll book Ell
d ballot box of the Farmerville poll and a.
Ok OF original registration of Union parish 81
re stolen Sunday night from the Sheriff 8 +
ice. On