The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1874-10-31
TO the People of the Par
ish of Natchitochcs.

! ish of Natchitochcs.
The Parish Executive Committee Of
the Peoples Party, in view of the ex.
traordinary events now transporting
and the outrages now being perpctra.
ted in this parish, deem it proper to
furnish tho public with candid state.
mcnt of the facts, and to give its
counsel to the voters Of our party in
this hour of peril and persecution.
The measures resorted to by the OPP
position to carry the approaching
election, eclipse anything Of the kind
that has yet shocked the American
mind. 1t is no less an outrage than
the indiscriminato arrest Of our prom
iuent and influential citizens npon al.
United false accusations. The Oh.
jcct Of their arrests is apparent t'
every candid mind. The proximity
to the election the avowcd purpose
of the Marshal to arrest two hundred
citizens; the great display and par.
ade made Of Military forces; the un-
usual rigor with which persons are
treated after arrest the refusal of the
officer to produce the prisoners be-
fore one of two U. s. Commissioners
residing here, for examination, upon
demand of counsel and orders of the
Commissioners, the authority Of the
Commissioners not being questioned !;
and above all, the entire and admit
ted innocence of the parties in arrest,
(for al! the leading Republicans here,
admit that tho prisoners had no con-
nection or knowledge or participation
in the Coushatta AFFAIR." establish be-
yond cavil that the sole object of
these proceedings is to deprive our
people Of their influence and vote in
the approaching election. The Deputy
Marshal accompanied by a company
Of U. $. Cavalry arrived on Monday.
During that and Tuesday succeeding,
they occupied themselves by riding
through tile dusty streets and search
ing houses. Among the latter the
residence Of two widows, the Mistress
SEES Bossier, with whom no person had
resided for a year. The efforts Of
these two days resulted in the arrest
of Mr.. Jas. H. Cosgrove, Editor of
the Natchitocl'es eVi.dicator, charged
with conspiracy and murder" in the
Coushatta affair, but really for his
manly and independent conduct in
exposing the wicked and corrupt acts
Of the dominant party in this parish.
On Wednesday night a raid up the riv-
er brought to camp Capt. L. N. Lane,
Col. W. W. Breazeale, aud Messrs.
Lowe and Martin, all planters,
some Of whom represent large
interests, and not one of whom was
connected in the remstest way with
the Coushatta affair. Their real
crimes in the eyes of those that 60
shamefully persccute them, are their
COED standing ~ citizens, and their
influence among the masses, especial
~ with the negroes in their employ,
and tho consequent dread of their
power on the day of the election. It
would he an easy task for either of
these gentlemen to establish before
one Of the Commissioners here, their
entire innocence Of the charges against
them had they an opportunity to do 90,
but this opportunity is denied them,
and they are to he held in custody
until the work is finished-the election
overland then taken to New Orleans
to 80 through tho farce of o trial.
Other facts are not wanting in es-
tablislling the conspiracy, to deprive
our people Of their dearest rights.
The Deputy Marshal who comes
amongst Us ostcnsibly to execute the
process Of U. S. courts, devotes a
part Of one day to an inspection Of
the books Of registration, and to-day
it is announced that he will address
. meeting Of his party on the Issues
Of the day. Thus it is sesn he pro-
ceeds straight forward to his work
>~ok