The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-01-30
A Picture of Southern Civilization.

|
Committee, now taking testimony at
New Orleans, is deplorable picture of
the state of standardization, which pre-
walls in some portions of the extreme
South. Divest the picture of all party
spirit and luminosity, and look upon it
as normal condition of society, and
we can only account for it on the by
pothess of the lees which slavery has
left in the country. Let the murders
and other species Of outrage result from
whatever cause they may, the fact that
they occur, seems to be undeniable.
| What condition of society must exist
where such things are possible? Why
it is no better than the brigandage of
Italy, Greece and other of those old
Mediterranean countries, where ignor-
ance and RIGHTEOUSNESS have turned the
course of civilization back toward the
sources of barbarism
| INTIMIDATION AND osTRACIsM.
When the second line, to-wit: "Intimi-
! dation," was begun, E. l. Pierson, OF
| Natchitoches, was sworn, and testified as
TO intimidation, murder, etc, in his parish
during which he recouted an attempt upon
his life, first stating that he hau lived in
| Natchitoches since hoyhood, and that
formerly his politics were Democratic. but
| prior to the last election he was Republi
| can; that for this change of sentiment he
was ostracised, even by resolution adopted
at public meeting; that he came here and
was appointed by Kellogg judge of his
parish, and returned, and was met within
sixteen miles of his home and told not to
go home: he did go, and number of his
| friends told him not to attempt to discharge
| the functions of his office; that his life was
! in danger because of his being a Republi-
can; on going to the office next day, he
learned that his life would be attempted,
| and received note from his wife asking
| him to come home; then his wife came and
| he went; that his sister told him that tive
| armed men were lurking about the place,
as she guessed, to take his life; forty armed
| men were in town, and she heard these tw"
swear that they came here to kill him, and
that he should not sit as a judge; soon af
ter that the Committee of Seventy held a
| meeting and sent committee to his house
| TO demand of him that he sign written
agreement not to take part in the coming
| campaign, which he declined doing, where
upon one of the committee pulled ont his
watch and told him that he had half an hour
IN which to sign the paper. He refused:
cling them if they meant to assassnate
him to do it at his off e or on the street.
and spare bis family from witnessing the
murder; that during the campaign he was
assaulted time and again. When he went
TO make speech men congregated with
| bowie knives in sight, but on the appear
ance of a company of cavalry they secreted
| their arms. There was not, continued the
| Witness fair registration in the parish.
| Republicans were prevented from taking
an active part in the campaign.
A mass meeting was held, and from that
committee was sent to call for the regis
ration of the parish officers, and threats
were made to hang one of them.
| He then recounted an attempt made to
take his life in the night. The votes were
being counted, when he was fired at three
times, and retreated to the Court House.
| He reached his home and was kept there
week fearing to leave lest his life be taken.
| He finally escaped, but learned that two
Texas desperadoes had been employed to
take his life, and that their employer was
| none other than his own law partner VIM.
| Levy, Congressman elect, with whom he
| subsequently stated that he had had some
| difficulty, but its character was not given.
a negro was shot because he had snapped
a cap at a white man. | don't say thar
this was for political purpose; think there
were White Leagues in the parish; men
were armed, and colored men were afraid
to go about at night; the majority of Re
publicanS in my parish ought to have been
| -. IL
was only twenty six; the parish is not safe
now for Republicans; l am told that
would be hung if returned; | had diff
Guilty with Colonel Levy, but will rot state
the circumstances: as far as | know muir
ders committed in the parish were not for
political purposes; at one poll at Natchi-
toches one hundred and seventy men could
not vote, and about three hundred did not
register;
THE BAD FEELING
among the people has only existed since
| last July; before this the parish was very
quiet; this discomfort is probably due to
desire for office among the people, another
| cause for i'll feeling is the large debt which
| burdens the parish contracted partly by
Democrats an6 partly by Republicans; the
| tax rate is about eight per cent; land is
| assessed at $40 per acre. the people have
greater respect for the National Govern.
ment; the Fusion ticket carried the parish
in 1872; there was no intimidation then.
Mr.. Hoar-Iou state that the onlored
vote in 1872 was smaller than in 1874. and
yet there was intimidation in 1874. and
none in 1872. How do you account for
this?
Pierson-I decline to answer that ques-
ton.
MIR. Hoar-You were Supervisor in 1872
and don't wish to criminate yourself?
WItness-Nearly all the white men who
came from the country put on badges and
acted as policemen, and thus prevented five
hundred colored men from voting; | chang
ed my politics on the 4th of July, 1874, be
cause | thought that NactchItoches was a
Republican parish; there are some Demo
cratic coored men in the parish. but they
are confined to the town Of Natohitoches;
the white Republicans number thirty; since
last July about six colored men have been
killed, some by white men and others by
colored men, but | do not know that it
was for political purposes; | think that the
i'll feeling and discomfort among the people
might be due to the opinion that the KEEL
logg Government was an usurpation, bur
for the vindictive manner in which am
prosecuted, and l defy any man to prove
any charges against my personal character
there is great deal of stealing and petty
larceny in the parish, and colored people
form a majority of the thieves; the Mem.
cry appointees are now holding their offices
in the parish; the charge against Judge
Myers which made him so unpopular was
that he was corrupt: he was connected
with the ring which was endeavoriDg to
fasten debt upon the State; Democrats
and Republicans were both corrupt;
made a charge against Judge Myers that
he had embezzled more than $40, 600 of the
school fund; these facts were partly the
cause of the feeling against Judge Myers;
| was commissioned as parish judge in
August, 1874 and ran for the Legislature
in October, while was parish judge.
HUNTING IN FLoRIDA-The following
telegraph news of Tuesday, from Florida,
will answer for the sporting papers very
we'll:
When the Senate of Florida met on
Monday, no quorum was present. all the