The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-01-21
STAUNToN VIRGINIA. THURSDAY. JANUARY a. 1876.

nm
| ssIn the case on trial there are ANY facts
| not in CO ltrove-sy. proeeed to state some OF
| them in the presence and hearing Of counsel on
! both sd-s If I state as conceded TACT any
matter that is disputed they can correct me-
| After stating the origin OF the difficulty
which grew out of an attempt OF white persons
| to drive the parish judge and sheriff (appoln-
tees of Kelloeo) from office. and their attempt
ed protection by colored persons. which led to
:; some fighting. in which quite a Number OF ne-
groes were killed, the Judge states: Most OF
| those who were not killed werestaken prison.
ers. Fifteen or sixteen of the blacks had lifted
| the boards and taken refuge Under the floor OF
the court house. They werr all capturaa.-
About thirty-sevcn men were taken prisoners
The number is not definitely fixed. They were
kept under guard until dark, when they were
led out two by two and shot. Most Of them
mortally; and by pretending to be deaf "'.'e
afterwards, during 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 unburried until Tnss-
| day, April 18th, when they were buried by
a deputy m'ssl,ll AID an officer of tire militia
nine dead bodies. They showed pistol-shot
wounds-the majority in the head, and
most OF them in the back OF the head
In addition to the fify-nne dead bodies
| found some charred remains OF dead
bodies We're discovered near the courthouse
Six dead bodes.were found under "a warehouse
All were shot in the head but one or two.
which were shot in the breast. The only
| white men injured from the beginning of these
| troubles to the close were Hadnot and Harris
The courthouse and its contents were entirely
consumed. THERE'S no evidence that any one
in the crowd of white bore any lawful warrart
for the arrest Of any Of the blacks. There is
| no evideace that either Nash or CaZabat after
the affair ever demanded their offices, to
which they had set up claim. but Register con-
tnued to act as parish judge and Shaw as she :
it. These are facts in this case as I under
stand them to be admitted"
70 hold the people of Louisiana generally re-
sponsible for these atrocities would not lie Just,
but it is lamentahle fact that insuDefahlr oh
s.ructions were thrown in the way of punish
ing these murderers, and the so-called Conser-
vative papers of the State not only justified The
massacre, but denounced as Federal Tyranny
and desDotisEl the attempt Of the United States
officers to bring them to Justice. Fierce de-
,uuciatioils RAG through the country ABOUT of
fica-h Gliding and election matters in Louisiana.
wbae every QUE of the ColfAX miscreaits -oes
unwhipped of justice, and no way can be found
in This boosted land of civilization and Christi
anity to punish the perpetrators OF tins bloody
and monstrous crime. Not unlike this Was the
massacre in August. last. Several northern
young men of capital and enterprise had start
ed the little and flourishing town OF Cousllatta.
Some of them were Republicans and office
holders under Kellogg. They were therefore
doomed to death. Six of them We're seized
and carried away from their homes and mtg
dered in cold blood. No Que has been pun
ished, 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 committed in individual
cases which cannot here be detailed. For eN-
ample: T. S. Crawford, Judge, and P, Il. IIar-
ris, district Attorney OF the Twelfth judicial dis
tlict ofthe State, on their way to court. We're,
shot from their fiorses by men in ambush GA
the Sth of October, 1873; and the widow OF
the former, in communication to tha Depart
ment of Justice, tells q piteous tale OF the per-
secutions of her husband because he was Un-
ion man. and the efforts made to screen those
who had committed a crime which, to Use her
own language, cleft two widows and pine Or-
phans desolate.'' To say that The murder Of a
negro or white Republican is not considered
Il crime in Louisiana would probably be unjust
to a great number of the people, but it is true
that a great number of such murders have
teen committed, and no one has been punish
ed therefor; and manifestly, as to them, the
spirit of hatred and violence is stronger than
law. Representations were made to ME that
the presence of troops in Louisiana was unnec-
essary and irritating to the people, and that
there was no danger OF public disturbances if
they were taken away. Consequently, early in
last Summer the troops were all withdrawn
from the State with the exception OF small
garrison at New Orleans blr,ac<s. It was
claimed that comparative state OF quiet had
supervened. p. litieal exciteme; as to LOUISE
ana affairs seemed to be dying out, but the No
vember election was approaching and the flame
should be rekindled. Accordingly, OH the l4th
Of September D. 2. Penn, claiming that he
was elected observation-disclosures in 1872, is
sued an infa.nmato-y proclamation calling
upon the militia Of the State to arm, assemble,
and drive from power the usurpers, as he des
ignated the officers of the State. The White
Leagues, armed and ready for the conflict,
promptly responded. On the same day the
Governor made formal requistion upon me,
pursuant to the act Of 1895 and section 4, aFti-
Gle of the Constitution, to all in suppressing
domestic violence. On the next day l issued
my proclamation commanding the insurgents
to dispense within five Gays from the date
thereof. But before the proclamation was
published in New Orleans the organized and
armed forces recognizing rlsurping Governor
had taken forcble possession of the State-House
and temporarily subyerted the government
Twenty or more people were killed. including
q VI tIO PoiSC Va OftC III ShICtJS
of the city were stained with blood. All that
was desired in the way of excitement had been
accomplished, and, in view of the steps taken
to repress it, the revolution was apparently,
though it is believed not really, Abandoned,
and the cry Of Federal usurpation and tyranny
in Louisiana was renewed with redoub.ell. Ell
| ergy. The troops had been sent to the .tate
under this requSition OF the Governor. and as
! other disturbances seemed imminent they were
| allowed to remain there to render the Execu-
| tive such aid rs might become necessary to en-
force the laws OF the State and mpress the con-
| tinued violence which seemed inevitable the
moment Federal support should be Withdrawn.
Prior to and with view to the late election in
Louisiana white men associated themselves to-
gether in armed bodies called White Leagues,
and at the same time threats were made in the
| Democratic journals of the state that the cleo
ton should be carried against the Republicans
at all hazards; which very naturally greatly
alarmed the colored voters.
| By section of the act of February %. 1871
it is made the duty of the United States mar
sEals and their deputies, at the polls where
votes are cast for representatives in Congress,
to keep the peace and prevent any violations OF
the so-called enforcement acts and other Often
ces against the laws of the United States: and
upon a requsition of the marshal of Louisiana.
and i'll view Of said armed organizations and
| other portentous circumstances. [ caused de-
| tachment OF troops to be stationed in various
localities in the State to aid him in the Der.
! formance OF his official Duties That there was
| Intimidation of RenuhlicaO vntarc Of rho alao-