The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1876-12-01
BEFORE THE STAR CHAMBER.


the ex-I'arte court of which J. Madison
Weilsis judge, and Il mass of testimony
hot eVidence-has been introduced,
nj the instance of pretended good citi-
zens, OF the Radical faith, which is
simply shocking to the good sense of
this and every other community. Re-
liable gentlemen who have returned
from New Orleans, the mails and the
press dispatches are our sources of in
formation. 1t is impossible at the
houf OF going to press (when we write)
to enter upon details, or even to review
the statemenss Of witnesses against the
fair name of the people OF this parish.
Numerous statements and aftiiavits,
we are Informed, have been made by
Republicans, prejudicial to the good
character of the Democrats of this par
lsh. Supervisor Grady certifies that he
was intimidated from the day he was
appointed. Mr.. James Hall, of the
s'Cotony," makes lengthy statement,
the substance of which is that he was
lntimidated and that violence WAS re-
join Democratic clubs. w. r. Hardy
las submitted written report over so
pages in length, the keynote of which,
we are told, is that every child from
the breast up is rebel-,nd so on.
Then comes Henry Burrell, Eaton
Logwood, Ben James, and last Eliza
Pinkston, a common field-hand on Mr..
Hugh Yongue's place, in the Island,
who swears to more atrocities than the
imagination Of man could depict. This
Old demoniacal negress recites Il tale
which could not he listened to with
credence or believed by any sane crea-
ture. And yet it seems Eliza's testi-
Inony was the cause OF a great sensa-
ton, even when her story was too hor-
rible and too inconsistent to be heard
only with disgust and contempt. But
it was sweet morsel for Wells, John
Ray and Frank Morey, and the Rati-
Gals of this parish, with all their pre-
tensions for decency and fair dealing,
appear to have set this crazy old bag
up to testify and to biacken the name
<t''" SAistAStStSi Va AAIS pCoDiS slitlol!S
whom they live and whose social recog-
milton they court for themselves and
their families!
We have seen exhibitions OF maIevo-
lencc--heard of birds befouling their
own nests-knew something of the po-
litical prejudiccs Of the Radicals of
Ouachita; but we have never met with
anything so dsgraccful and utterly I'M
scrupulous as the producing of this
witness, Eliza Piniston, and the APP
prov::l of her crazy story. Were we a
Republican of this parish-a white man
mingling with white men and claiming
to have an honest, decent stauding-we
would not sleep before dcnouncing the
bare supposition itself that such out
RACES as this negro woman testifics to
could occur in any enlightened com
nunty.
But we DO not argue with the Rcpub-
lican leaders of this parish. We arc
not, either, such II fool as to argue with
tie Wells Returning Board. Long
since We found out the folly and alb
s,irtlity of arguing or demonstrating
with politicians who have but one con-
trolling idea,--thc idea of Office and
plumber. We have no time or words
to- waste on discussion SO ruthless
Before a court organized to convict the
citizen arraigncd should stand dumb.
We have, however, a decent respect
for the parish in which we live and for
the people we claim to be our neigh
bors. There is, too, a respect which
q citizen should have for himself,
whether he be winner Or loser. Mere
dollars, Office, ease or power ought not
to transform q gentleman into dog.
1t is done, we know, but the process is a
mystery to us.
AS for these Wild stories about Qua
chita parish-the barbarous character
of it's Democratic citizens-they are
totally unworthy of belief. The very
men who have been instrumental in
giving our people this character, arc the
identical individuals who have sought
most anXiOusly to obtain footing of