The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-05-08
BLUNT'S Batch:
lie Lies and breaches and Prcac hes
and Lies.
Things to be Remembered.
TESTIMONY 0" TIE sADDLE-COLORED
SENATOR BEFORE THE CONGRESSIONAL.
COMMITTEES.

TESTIMONY O" TIE SADDLE-COLORE1
SENATOR BEFORE TIE CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES.
Qucstion-By Gen. Cambell-Nlr
Blunt what parish do You reside in ?
Answer-Parisl. of N.atchitoches.
Q. How long have You lived there
A. 1t will be twenty-five years next
March. -. a.sr
Q. Where were yon,svrn i?
Az am Il Georgian. ,.-
q. What pos;t'.a do, you rns' h,1'
a. | am State Senator from Nat
chitochcs. ..l.
Q. What parishes are in your dis
trict /!
A. Sabine, DeSoto, Red River, end
Natchitoches. .,1te.
Q. Az" you we'll acquainted with
the condition Of public affairs, scnti.
ment and feeling of tho people in thai
parish, both white and black F.?
\. Well, yes, sir, l think Iam7
! =. Now state to the committee the
general state of affairs and of tho
feeling in that parish as to Quiet OF
want of quietness, troubles and things
in general in your parish during the
summer and fall preceding the last
election
A. Well, sir, in the month of June.
@. BY Col. Ficld-June of what
year? $50 &al,,.a- a...
A. Last June, 4 meeting of persons
was called. 1t was called the Tax
Resisters' meeting it was composed
of the taxpayers. At the meeting
there were addresses made BY differ
ent attorneys-one Of tho attorneys,
by name, NJ. j. Cunningham, address
ell the meeting, and in his speech,
made use of a remark, saying that the
people had showed cowarlice and
that if they wanted they could drive
out of Office those men in them with
''hickory sticks" or "big sticks' !; 4
think 10 said "hickory sticks" -
Q. by Mr.. Frye-Wcre you over in
slavery: DIV
A. Yes, sir. s"" 49,
q. In Georgia a.- Pa
A. Yes, sir. ....,t'
Q. In Louisiana.
A. Yes. sir.
z. Have you received no cduca-.
ton
A. Well, in part. .r
Q. Can you read and write?
a. Yes, sir.
q. Were you acquainted with the
col"red people generally in Natchito-
ches parish
A. Yes, sir, I think I am.
Z. What has been the general po-
sition of,affairs as between the COL
ored and white citizens of Natchito.
Giles parish for the last year!
A. Well, up to- June or July last,
rs general thing, tho feeling be-
tween the two races has been very
good.
q. Up to last July !
A. Up to last June-though in 1868,
for instance. there was some trouble
at that time, but it had I'll passed
away; there was quietup to last June.
| was speaking Of the month Of June,
ut the time Of Mr.. Canninghan's
speech. There was q portion Of the
persons present at that meeting who
we're not tax paycrs-s great many
Of then, did not pay a dollars worth
Of taxes in that parish or in any other
parish. @ ey,! h 49,.
@. What VA. the meeting COM
posed of-white people,
A. White and colored. A few Of
tho people that were there with them
withdrew from them. It was stated
that it was not political meeting,
but that it was an association Of tax
payers and that they Intended to put
down the taxes. They passed reso.
lations at that meeting1condemning
tho Police Jury who were Republicans
and who had been in office since last
February, but the men on tho Police
Jury who were Democrats were re.
tanned, in office, if they would promise
to do better but these mon were de-
termined to have the Republicans re-
sign; they passed q resolution to
that effect. M a Fn4
Q. You say they passed a resoin-
tiou to that effect I = ''
A. Yes, sir, they passed 4 resolu.
tion to that effect. On the 4th day
of July, the, Saturday following, the
Republicans held q mass meeting in
the Parish of Natcllitoclles. It was q
peaceable and quiet meeting as they
had usually up to that time. At that
time received information that there
were good many nlen under arms, and
some time afterwards they would
pass forward and backwards all the
time. Ibid not know what they we're
up u at the time. We heard that
some colored men coming to tho meet.
ing had been stopped. About that
time, l saw some armed men passing
through a garden. I could not say
"a to Il exact number, hut l think
there were some eight or ten. We
were then given to understand that
there was q movement on foot work.
ing towards murder Or intimidation.
Of course, the next day being Sunday,
we passediit indoor. We had passed
resolutions at the meeting endorsing
the Police Jury in their action. We
understood then that the whites had
passed resolution asking the Police
Jury to resign, that il, the Republi.