New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-08

by the hundreds throughout the South sine.
the war because they were Republicans
This is known and palpable fact, sworn t.
| in thousands of cases, and of record from
one end of the Union to the other, AM
could not be hid under bushel from tn,
Northern eye and the Northern mind. Thi
| know from personal knowledge has beef
the case throughout North Louisiana sine
the war, but was more particularly the cas-,
pending the presidential campaign of 1868
The assassination Of Meadows, of Claiborne
was about the beginning of it, followed
| almost Immediately by the massacre in Bos
sier; but all along through that year, from
| April to the election in November, loya
| tail-mainly colored men.
The mind rests now upon one single
characteristic example and sample, to which
1 must allude specially and specifically. Il
| occurred near the residence of Senator AL
| len Greene, on the road from Vienna to Ho
| mer. There were two cOlored families liv
| ing together near q small stream called
Walnut creek, about one mile and hall
from Senator Greenes. These poor freed
men had an humble but frugal home. anG
were living happily. and to some degree
prosperously. They had good land to cul
tivate, and had good health. and plenty ''te
eat and wear" Senator Greene was t
them good neighbor, as he has been uni
tormly most kind and obliging to all freed
men within his reach. But finally, one
dark and unfortunate night. there came tt
the humble but happy home of these hum
bic black men a crowd of disguised crea
tures-fends in tho physical shape o.
men-masked and disguised. They were
armed with deadly weapons. and. az
they meant death. were prepared fol
murder. They were white men, and
had in the past fed and fattened and pros
pered upon "slave labor But now the
negro was freed and enfranchised, and he
must die. These masked murderers entered
the humble cabin of these poor freedmen
and made them PROSTATE themselves upon
the floor on their faces until they could
blindfold them, for the infamous devils
could not bear to be seen and recognized
even for moment by the poor creatures
they were so soon to put to death, showing
that they had just a little shame left, but
not enough to work a redemption of their
souls from a merited damnation; showing,
however, much more of assassin cowardice
than real shame. for all assassins are base
towards.
These two poor freedmen we're thus led
forth from their frightened and screaming
families, blindfolded in the dark of night,
to the banks of the little stream near their
humble home-a home which but recently
had been so happy, but now, alas! rendered
so miserable and desolate-and made to lie
upon the cold. damp ground. face down
ward. while the assassins deliberately shot
their brains out.
SO, at least. the assassins thought. But
only one proved to be dead. The ball had
glanced around the skull of the other, and
being thus stunned and feigning death to
perfection he was left for dead, but soon
recovered and slipped away and informed
his neighbor. Greene, what had happened.
Assistance was procured and tue dead man
was buried on the identical spot where his
brains were shot out by the midnight
masked assassins. who had taken an oath
that freedmen should not vote unless they
voted the Democratic ticket.
And there, upon the banks of this little
stream, that poor, murdered freedman sleeps
the long and quiet sleep of death. the muir.
muir of the ripping waters and the winds
sad moaning in the thick pine tops, mingled
with a perpetual song of birds. being his
only requiem: and there shall he rest until
the last trump shall sound. when he shall
arise again in his own proper person and
appear before the Judgment seat Of God.
face to face. in eternal condemnation Of his
base and black-hearted and cowardly muir.
lerers. And then shall his soul rest there
n eternal peace with God. while the black. !
.ned souls of his iestroyers shall 60 down,
Town, to the ''lowest hell and still a lower,
o meet their just reward among the black |
pirits of the damned:
And this is the party which Mr.. Seymour
leaded for the presidency. and which the |
,allant Frank 2. Blair represented on the |
icket for the vice presidency. And the |
hivalrous Captain G. William McCranie.
ditor Of the Ouachita Telegraph, also took
place for Congress on the ticket of this
onorable and most fair dealing and decent
arty in this noted campaign of 1868; and
udge William b. Egan, now of Shreveport.
kewise took prominent part on the Dem.
cratic side on these memorable occasions,
prominent freedmen to desert
heir party and take the stump against the
republican ticket; and having found Just !
ne of this sort, hauled him from Homer to I
lonroe with himself in buggy. and put
Ito his mouth what to say Of and against
blackburn and other absent Republicans
Tho were in the way Of his political promo
on.
And these are the people and this the
arty which prate of social equality and
~ out against Republicans for wanting to
70 the negro educated ard his rights &C.
srded him as human being.
This poor freedman, who was thus In.
uced for the moment to take the stump
sainst his party constantly came to me
rivately and protested chat he was at heart
true Republican, and acted as he did only
rough fear. He said he had been threat
led and frightened into seeming opposi-
on to his party, and assured me that pis-
is had been put into his hands with which
stay his political opponents-or IA her
> real political friends, the Republicans
1t he had hid the pistols. had laid them
way, and was afraid even to touch them.
bus did he frequently talk to me in secret