New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-01
G.-Eossier Parish-Its Past and Its Pres.
ent-Democratic Means OF Carrying the
Ballot Box-Thc Duty of the North.

The parish of Bossier is bounded on the
west by Red river, and is very long and
harrow parish. Shreveport is about its cen.
sre, Just across the river on the CaddO SIDE.
Bellevue is the parish site of Bossier. II
Jas Other. little towns, or rather p0stc!fce
points. with few business houses at each
such as Fillmore, Benton, Red Land. etc.:
but Bellevue is the largest town in the par.
ssh, which is, however, very small. no: !lav.
ing grown much since its birth, some TWEEN.
.ytive or thirty years ago. The parish is
divided into hill and bottom land. Al! along
Red river, extending from tho Arkansas
line to about the mouth Of Lake Eisteneau.
a distance of some 40 miles, by a c!rcuitous
:iyer route is very rich land. There is. in
fact, very little poor land in Boss;er. What
is known as Bossier Point is upland-or
what might By termed table ianl-6u: is
very rich II lies between Lake Disteneau
and what is known as Flat river. which is
properly the lower portion Of Red chute.
and empties into Bisteneau some distance
from Red river. Before the war this
Bossier Point was very paradise Of a spot.
IL was inhabited by the very frs: type of
:cfned. liberal and generous hearted South.
.rn conference.-the Hodges. Bryan's.
DNeilis. Browns ct al. /: does the mem.
Ury!good in some sense. and.checrs the heart
with gladness which savers somewhat of
Ea.i.,ess. 10 revert back 90 those days. But
:tesc generous and good men are all dead
now..one 80 theic long home. leaving their
.r5rIs 10 follow them - leaving :!elv
places vacant, and spots almost - desert
waste which once doomed and tiossomed
as the rose. But the birds sing there 80
sweetlv as ever, the grass springs as tender
and sweet the dew drop is as pure. and all
OF nature is the same there now as then.
can not now, however, look back upon
Bossier Point and compare it in some re-
fpects with what it is now and once was
without calling to mind the false teachings
Sna great error Of political sermon
preached by Rev. Dr.. Palmer, of New Or
beans, pending the question of secession
sust preceding the war. He held that seces-
sion was the only safety and protection
e. slavery; said il the South did not secede
slavery would soon be abolished and pass
away from the Southern land forever, which
he held would be a great and b,ighting ca
family from every conceivable standpoint;
and then he went on to predict and depict
what would follow. But what he then said
proved him false political prophet, and is
euly alluded to incidentally TO keep the
sountry reminded of the folly, not to say
slminality, of mixing politics with the
closy. And | would also fain keep con-
stantly before the minds Of those who may
% still disposed to weep over the loss of
slavery, the authors of the special woe of
s.ieh they would SO vainly complain.
But Bossier Point is in several respects
desert waste compared to what it was in the
days of slavery. 1t has nothing Of the polish
and accumulated wealth which it then had.
:iut it hao more of happiness in the aggre.
gate. Its happiness is more diversified. J.
- more ditfused. 1t is distributed among 4
great many more people. More human beings
enjoy, untrammeled the fruits of toll there
now than in the days Of slavery. Many who
%ere held in bondage as chattels then, are
:lot only now free, but are treeholders.
The black father now returns to his humble
Some, at nightfall, freeman, to meet and
greet there a free wife and free children,
and not as a trembling mental ard slave, to
sc ''scourged 70 his dungeon To him, the
watch dogs honest bark is sweet, as he
draws near home, for he knows there is an
eye 10 mark his coming, and grow brig liter !
when he comes-''the light OF dark eye in |
woman
Bat these ancient white masters of Bos-
sier Point. who are now dead. and whom |
the loss of slavery helped to hurry to the !
tomb were not mean masters. They were !
of the very best type of Shareholders, and |
treated their slaves very kindly As gen.
eral rule; but then slavery, however lib |
orally and humanely conducted, is not free
,lom-is something quito differentiated I
there is no negro SO ignorant but he knows |
and fully comprehends that difference. But
then when Won look at the present polish
and style of Bossier Point and remember
what they once were, it might be taken by
the casual ard prejudiced observer as an
argument in favor of slavery; but viewed
:om a pt!!osophic and what | would term