The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-01-22

were taken pflsonefs. fttetn or tlAtecn oI
the blacks had lifted the boards and
taken refuge under the floor OF the
Court House. They were all cap
tured about thirty-soven men taken
prisoners the number is not def
nitely 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, but not mortally,
and by pretending TO DO dead were afttrward,
during the night, able TO make the escape
Among them was the Levi Nelson named in
the indictment. The dead bodies OF negroes
| killed in this affair were left unburied till
Tue day, April IS, when they were buried by
a Deputy Marshal and an officer of the militia
from New Orleans. These persons found
fifty-nine dead bodies They showed pistol
shot wounds, the great ma jority in the heart
and many of them in the back of the head
In addition to the dead found some charred
remains of dead bodies were discovered
near the Court House. Six dead bodies
were found under warehouse, all shot
in the heart but one or two, who
were shot in the breast. The only white men
injured from the beginning of there troubles
to their close, were Hadnot aud Harris. The
Court-House and it's contents were entirely
consumed. There is 20 evidence that any
one in the crowd of the whites bore any law
full warrant for the arrest of any of the blacks
There is no evidence that either Nash or Caz
abat, after the affair. ever demanded trial
before an officer who even set up claim to
legally act but the Register continued to act
as Parish Judge"
These are me facts in this case, as under
stand them TO be admitted. To hold the peo-
pie of Louisiana generally responsible for
these atrocities would not be just but it is a
lamentable fact that insuperable distractions
were thrown in the way of Furnishing these
murderers, and the so-called - Conservative
papers Of the State not only justified the mas
i
despotism" the attempt of the United States
officers to bring them to justice Fierce de-
Runciations ring through tho country about
oiice-holdlng and election matters in Louis
lana, while every one of the ColfaX mscreants
goes uuwhipped of justice, and no way can be
found in this land of boosted civilization and
Christianity TO punish the perpetrators CT this
bloody and monstrous crime.
Not unlike this was the massacre in August
last. Several Northern young men of capital
and enterprise had started the little and
fourishing town of Coushatta; some of them
were Republicans and office-holders under
Kellogg. They were, therefore, 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 Ike character have been
committed in individual cases, which cannot
here be detailed. For example L. $. Cliff
ford Judge of the parish. and the District
Attorney of the Twelfth Judicial District of
the State, on their way 10 the court, were
shot from their horses 10y men in ambush on
the 8th Of October, 1873, and the wife of the
former, in communication TO the Depart
ment of Justice. tells a piteous tale of the
prosecutions of her husband, because he was
a Union man, and Of the efforts made to seize
those who had committed n crime which, to
use her language. =" left two widows and nine
orphans desolate."
To say that the murder Of a negro or a
white Republican is not considered a crime in
Louisiana, would probably be unjust to a
great part of the people, but it is true that q
great number of such murders have Teen
committed and no one has been punished
therefor. and it is manifostly true that the
spirit of hatred and violence there is stronger
than law.
Representations were made TO me that the
presence of troops in Louisiana was unneces-
sarv, and that there was no danger Of public
disturbance if they wero taken away Conse-
quently early last summer the troops were
withdrawn from the State, with the Ok
ception Of small garrison at New
Orleans barracks. It was stated that
a comparative state of quiet had supervened
that the political excitement as to Louisiana
affairs seemed to be dying out but the No
vember election was approaching, and it was
necessary for party purposes that the flame
should be relighted. Accordingly, on the
14th OF September, d. B. Penn, claiming he
was elected Northumberland in 1872,
issued an infammatory proclamation, calling
upon the militia of the State to arm, assem-
BILE and drive cut the "usurpers," as he des-
ignated the officers Of the State. The White
Leagrers armed and ready for the conflict,
promptly responded. On the same day the
Governor made formal requisition upon
me, in pursuance of the set of 179
and section A. article of the Con-
stitution, to aid in snppresspg
domestic violence. On the next day / issued
my proclamation, commanding the insurgents
to disperse within five days from the date
thereof; but before the proclamation was pub
lished in New Orleans the organized and
armed forces reorganizing a usurping gov
eminent, had taken forcble possession of the
State House and temporarily subverted the
government. Twenty or more people were
killed, including anumber of the police of the
city. The streets of the city we're stained |
with blood All that was desired in the way
of excitement had been accomplished.
Prior to, and with view to. the late cleo
ton in Louisiana, white men associated them
selves together in armed bodies, called |
." White Leagues" and at the same time |
threats wei o made in the Democratic journals |
of the State that the election should be car |
RED against the Republicans ut all hazards, |
which very naturally greatly alarmed the col |
ored voters. BY section s Of the act Of Feb.
%, 1871 it is made the duty Of United States
Marshals and their deputies. ut the polls
where votes are cast for Representatives in |
Congress, to keep the peace and prevent any |
violations of the called Enforcement act |
and other offenses against the laws of the
United States, and upon a relusition of the
Marshal Of Louisiana, and IN view of said |
armed organization and other portontous CIR
cumstances, 1 caused detachments of troops
to be stationed in various localities in tho
State to aid him in the performance Of his
official duties and the enforcement Of the |
State laws. The officers and troops OF the
United States may well have supposed that it
was their duty to act when called upon by the
government for the purpose.
That there was intimidation of the Repub-
lcan voters at the election. notwithstanding
this precautiou, admits of ne doubt. The
following are specimens of the means
used; On the 14th day of October
eighty persons signed ard published
the following at Shreveport: I'VE the under
signed, merchants of the city OF Shreveport,
in obedience to request of the Shreveport |
Campaign Club, agree to use every endeavor
to get our employees to vote the Peoples |
ticket at the ensuing election, and in the |
event of their refusal to do so. or in case they |
vote the Radical ticket, to refuse to employ |
them at the expiration OF their present con-
tracts" On the came day another large body |
nf puh in ha