Litchfield enquirer., 1875-01-21
The Presidents Message.


 On the 18th the President sent in a message to the Senate regarding Louisia- na affairs We omit the past regarding the DureH affair and come to the Colfax massacre in April T, 1873. The President says:
 To put this matter beyond controversy, quote from the charge of Judge Woods. of the United States circuit court, to the jury in case of the United States against Cruikshank and others, Hi New Orleans in March, 1874 He said: ''In the case on trial there are many facts not 1n contro- versy. Iproceed to state some of them in presence and hearing of counsel on both sides; and if state as q conceded fact any matter that is disputed they can correct me-" After stating the origin of the difficulty, which grew ont of an att tempt of white persons to drive the parish judge and sheriff, appointees of Kellogg, from their office, and their attempted pro tection by colored persons, which led to some fighting. in which quite a number of negroes were killed. the judge says; ''Most of those who were not killed were taken prisoners" Fifteen or sixteen of the blacks had lifted the boards and talk en refuge under the floor of the court house. They were all captured About thirty-seven men were taken prisoners the number Is not definitely fixed. They were kept under guard until dark. They were led out two by two and shot Most of the men were shot to death. A few were wounded-not mortally-and by pre- tending to be dead were afterwards, dur ing the night, able to make their escape. Among them was the Levi Nelson named in the indictment The dead bodies of the negroes killed in this affair were left unburied until Tuesday, April 18th, when they were buried by deputy marshal and an officer of the militia from New Orleans. These persons found fifty-nine dead bod ies. They showed pistol shot wounds, the great majority in the head, and most of them in the back of the head. In addi- ton to the fifty dead bodies found, ;. some charred remains of dead bodies were near the court house. Six dead bodies were found under a ware house, all shot III the head but one or two, which were shot in the breast. The only white men injured from the beginning of these troubles to their close, were Hadnot and one or two others. The court house and it's contents being entirely consumed, there is no evidence that anyone in the crowd of whites bore any lawful warrant for the arrest of any of the blacks There IS no evidence that either Nash or Caza- bat, after the affair, ever demanded the offices to which they set up 8 claim, but the register continued to act as parish judge, and Shaw as sheriff. These are the facts in the case as understand them to be admitted. To hold the people of Louisiana generally responsible for these atrocities would not be just, but it is la mentable fact that insuperable obstruc- lions were thrown in the way of punishing these murderers, and the so-called conser- vative papers of the state not only iustif- ed the massacre, but denounced as feder- al tyranny and despotism the attempt of the United States officers to bring them to justice. Fierce denmciations ring through the country about office-holdlng and election matters in Louisiana, while every one of the Colfax miscreants goes, unwhipped of justice, and no way can be found in this boosted land of civilization and Christianity to punish the perpetrat- ors of this bloody and monstrous crime.
 CoUsHArTA.
 Not unlike this was the massacre in Au- gust last. Several northern young men of capital and enterprise had started the lit tie and fourishing town of Coushatta. some of them were republicans and office holders under Kellogg. They therefore were doomed to death. Six of them were seized and carried away from their homes, and murdered in cold blood. No one has been punished, and the conservative press of the state denounced all efforts to that end, and boldly justified the crime. Many murders of like character have been in individual cases For ex- ample, T. $. Crawford. parish judge and the district attorney of the Twelfth judi cial district of the state, on their way to court, were shot from their horses by men in ambush on the Sth of October, 1873; and the widow of the former, in 8 to the department of jus tiee, tells a piteous tale of the persecu- tions of her husband because he was Q Union man, and of the efforts made to screen those which, to use her own Ian guage, cleft two widows and their or phans desolate." To say that the murder of a negroe or of white republican is not crime in Louisiana would probably be unjust to great part of the people; but it Is true that great number of such murders have been committed and no one has been punished therefor; and these manifestly add to the belief that the spirit of hatred and violence is stronger than law.
 THE SEPTEMBER REBELLION.
 Representations were made to me that the presence of troops in Louisiana was rkok %<1 he l. and that there was no danger of public If they were taken away. Con- early in last summer the troops were all withdrawn from the state with the exception of small garrison at New Orleans barracks. It was claimed that a comparative state of quiet had supervened; !; political excitement as to Louisiana affairs seemed to be dying out. But the Novem- Der election was approaching, and it was necessary for party pusposes that the flame should be rekindled. Accordingly, on the 14th of September, D. Penn. claim Ing he was elected heutennant-g governor in 1872, issued an infiammatory proclama- tion calling upon the militia of the state to arm, assemble and drive from power the usurpers, as he designated the officers of the state. The white leagae, armed auu 1cely IOI tAo COuIlC6. pfOMpt- ly responded. On the same day the gov ernor made formal acquisition upon me, pursuant to the act of 1795 and section four. article four, of the constitution, to aid in suppressing domestic violence. On the next day issued my proclamation commanding the insurgeets to disperse within five days from the date thereof, but before the proclamation was published in New Orleans, the organized and armed forces, recognizing the usurping govern or, had taken forcible possesslon of the State house and temporarily subverted the government. Twenty or more of the people were killed. including number of the police of the city; the streets of the city were stained with blood, all that was desired in the way of excitement had been accomplished.
 In view of the steps taken to repress it, the revolution was apparently. though it is believed not really abandoned. The cry of federal usurpation and tyranny in Loyisiana was renewed with redoubled en-
 ergy. Troops had been sent to the state
 under this requisition of the governor,
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