New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-07
THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
IMPO RTANT TESTIMONY
MAKING UP THE RECORD. -


At ten o'clock the examination of wi
nesses by the congressional committee wa
resumed, most OF the committee bein
present.
John Young-l reside in Homer, Cla
bo;ne parish; have held public Offices j
Louisiana; the condition of affairs in m
parish is not the best; the last election wa
fair and free as could be; am Democrat
but am opposed to all violence; Judge Trim
BILE, Blackburn and Mr.. Maxey are just a
safe in Homer as they are .ere; wrote to MI
Scott, q colored Republican, who left hi
home suddenly, to return at once, as ther
was no danger OF his being injured; tw'
men, whose arrest be caused, did the sam
thing; am sure he had been impose,
on by designing men: many colOred mel
voted with US; the White League or whit,
mans party was organized in July; on,
| man made an exceedingly inhammatOry
| speech in favor of the League; l spoke il
| opposition, and refused to join it, although
| that course would deprive me of q nomna
| ton; was afraid that the League would
make trouble; the League was not armed
| the relation between the races is kindly
our people are not as cordial toward to-
| general government as before the war, but
| the flag is respected; think that the freed
men and whites are better off for the
abolition of slavery; during the last canvass
heard Mr.. McEnery make q speech in HO
mer; he used considerable denunciation; he
said we would never have peace as long sf
We had Maxeys and Blacburns in our midst
think that Maxey was not in personal dan
ger because of his republicanism; he gave
colored people goods on time extensively,
and as the overflow came they could not
pay; McEnery's speech. as q whole, was
mixed; colored folk are seldom cheated out
Of their wages.
To Mr.. Frye-The vote in my section for
Grant was very small; there was some in
timidstion, and the Knights of the White
Camelia undoubtedly kept many colored
men from voting; do not think the terrors
of White League are near as great as were
those of the White Camelia; he would be
informed better in 1872 than in 1868;
published by the Shreveport Times and
Now Orleans Bulletin had q serious effect
ON colored voters; other portions Of Lou
isiana are not quiet like my parish; think
that the article in the Bulletin Saturday
morning is exceedingly foolish; think that
such articles and advice will have but little
influence: think that there wss consider
able fraud all round the board in the elec-
ton OF 1872; think that McEnery would
udvG Utcu GlcCLcu udu GutIc Vttu d ldlT
count, though there is doubt about it in my
mind; large portion OF the residents in my
parish are excellent people; NO Republican
meeting was broken up by our people that
know of.
To Mr.. neutrality-suspicious. leaders ard
Office seekers give the colored men bad di-
rections and appeal to their race preiudices:
Warmoth never proposed to be Democrat.
To Mr.. Hoar-The bulk of the Democratic
party supported the Fusion ticket OF 1872;
before that date it was the general belief he
Gratis voted for Wnrmoth for the United
States Senate in the Fusion Legislature of
1872; he complained that they had thrown
him off by not electing him: there we're
great frauds on both sides in the election of
1872
Allen Thomas Resides in Ascension par
ieh; was nominated for the Legislatures; ex-
pected the support of Repu blicans; on the
day of election a cOlored man requested of
me Democratic ticket; received it with
several Others; afterward learned he did
not vote the ticket, and inquired about it;
some excuse was given, but afterward he
said he was threatened and didn't dare to-;
heard Dave Wilson tell colored man,
I" You Democratic scoundrel, you voted the
rebel ticket; we'll spot you;" heard of other
colored men being threatened and Con-
clubs being broken up; the Re-
publican tickets were stamped and indorsed
by the postmaster; was Greeley elector;
have never known a white or colOred man
threatened because he had Republican opin-
ions. nor a colored man discharged by
planter or an employer on that account.
detailed the killing Of Lanes at the
election of 1870; there were five or six ar
rested; o special act was passed changing
the venue TO Jefferson parish, where the
Jury was composed of negroes; it was
proved that one Oliver gave the order to
ire, and another Oliver plunged his sword
into Lanes; can not say there were armed |
bodies Of negroes, but there were armed |
negroes at the parish courthouse; the most |
If the negroes would vote the |
ticket if not inter- |
ered with; all the intelligent peo-
Die of Louisiana have accepted the situation;
1esire peace; have no wish to separate from
;he United States, but desire the protection |
If its laws; those engaged in planting have |
been harrassed by the stormy political
lines; the cOlored laborers are the best |
reated laborers in the country; they trust |
he planters, except in political matters, in |
Ill things and take their advice; they fol- |
ow their present leaders because they |
,elieve the planters would reduce them to |
. state of semi-slavery if they should |
ucceed; if the Conservative element had |
ull control of political affairs they would
make no effort to deprive the cOlOred people |
Il their rights; have no statistics of crime
q Ascension parish; the negroes quarrel
mong themselves; the majority or murders
ave been committed by negroes on negroes;
now Of only one murder said to be polti
al.
To Mr.. Hoar-The white people do not
esire to re enslave the negro; can not say
7hen they changed their opinions; they
1ere much shocked just after the war at
he idea that negroes should fill all the
fices; don't know what the Legislature
assed when the white people we're in
eople, if collected, would be very oppres-
i've; vagrant law such as passed would
Q oppressive; law making it penal
ffehse to feed q vagrant lie certainly cruel, |
MUST and oppressive; these laws do not
ldicate that the party that passed them
'ould do it again, or that they afford
,undation for the belief Of the colored
eople; great change has taken place and
,e harmony between the races is increas-
e each year; it would be good adyice to
III all the people to go to work; it is not
le Confederate soldier who is the disturb
* eiement-he has accepted the situation;
lere is lack of employment among the
Dung men; the Legislature Of lS65-67 was |
losen when most of the leading men we're
the number, few hundred,
sfranchised comprised most Of the leading
en- of the State.
Francis T. Nichols-Has resided in AS
,mption parish since 1859; was born in
am lawyer; was Brigadier
eneral in the Confederate army; the elec-
on of 1874 was the most quiet and peace
de ever seen; the registration was fair; !
e vote was full; the Conservative can.
dates were elected by majorites of As ,
$50; it was charged by Mr.. Poindexter i
Undated November 3; he was not present .
the time; the charge was that he had
ZEN compelled to receive certain polls