The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1875-02-20
How George Washington was Ku
Kluxed.


ington, the father of his country. ba
one Of those innumerab!e Georg
Washington's produced by the lat
struggle. We have known as man,
as half a dozen to be produced n, 0l
a single plantation. But our Georg
Washington was much above mos
Of these fathers Of their country. W.
knew him we'll. He was truthful ant
honest and could read and write
Being minister of the Gospel, 1t
necessarily became mixed up in poll
tics, rs radicalis,n is part of til,
negro system of theology. Georg'
became Il man Of great influence will
his people and in 1870 was nominal
ed with another co ored man rs can
didates for the Legislature from til,
Parish Of DeSoto.
: It so happened that Senator
Twitchel had purchased the Sta1
Light plantation, on Red River, in
the uttcrmost corner of DeSoto; and
as it was twenty five miles from
Mansfield, the Parish seat, and fifty
from the Western boundary and cut
oft from every other portion by Bayou
Pierre and in Winter by an impassa.
bic swamp, it was thought an admir-
able location. for an official paper, in
which to publish the judicial adver-
tisements, and the acts of the last
and future sessions of the Legisla-
ture. The enterprising and patriot
ic Senator perceived these natural
advantages and started and carried
on an official paper. We forget its
name-perhaps it was the Starlight
Beacon.
As the g'oaninss from the plumber
OF the previous session of the Leyis-
lature was pretty well over, two OF
the Senator's most distincu shed
friends, Mortimer Carr and MIR. De-
wees concluded to take little recre-
alton, by spending two weeks preyi-
ons to the election, with the Senator.
While on the visit the happy thought
Of representing the Parish of DeSoto
occurred TO them. AS there WAS a
negro vote Of from fifty to seventy
five to be polled at the Starlight pre-
rinct, it was thought a n after of the
utmost Importance that George
Washington; whose residence was
near Mansfield, should be sent for to
'uperintend the voting at Starlight.
George Westinghouse and his color
ed compeer's name were on the tick
cts to be voted at Starlight, but
'ylen that Official Starlight printing
t,tess got through with printing
.hese, there must have been some
done, for all the tickets in
ended for the other precincts, in
stead Of the name of George and his
lssociatc, had the names of Morti-
ncr Carr and Devices. As Georges
constituents in the other portions of
he Parish could not read, they voted
he tickets sent them.
The Pi,;istines were not half as
much astonished, and dismayed
when the moon stood still in the vale
II Aijalon, as when the negroes
earned that they had elected Carr
'"d Devices instead of George
Washington. A Republican we can
lame, was present in one Of the State
'ffices at New Orleans when Carr
nd Devices returned and told the
story, amid roars of laughter from
heir audience and amid perfect con:
'ulslons on their part, absolutely
lavlng to support themselves by
'lasping their knees with their hands
T made Mr.. Carr, Speaker of the
house OF Representatives and Mr..
Devices shining advocate in sup
'ort OF tho negroes right to repre-
ent the people in the Legislature
nd elsewhere. George Washington
lasteued to New Orleans to Law the
matte: before Gov. Warmoth, and
he Republican party. Our old body
eryant who called at the hotel to
ee us the year following, wa pres
mt III one of the colored clubs be-
ore whom George had brought up
us grievances for redress.
George made u long speech in
,hich he told how he bad been sent
'r; how he was pettcd and honored
y Senator Twitchel and Mcssrs.