New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-08
A Baltic Scared Republican.

A Battle Scared Republican.
Senator Twitchell, of Louisiana, whose
attempted assassination about two months
ago was noticed in the Journal at the time,
is now visiting at tho house of friend in
this city. being on his way to New England,
where he purposes to spend the summer.
In the course Of an hO1rs conversation
with the gentleman representative Of the
Journal gathered some facts relative to the
condition of affairs in Louisiana and to his
own experience there, which are Of general
interest.
Senator T xitchell is native of Vermont,
born of good family. aud possessed of
liberal education. He entered the Union
service at the beginning of the war, and
served till its close with credit and some die
rinctiOn. 1n the battle of the Wilderness
fought in Virginia, May 5, 1861, he fell on
the field, shot through the head, and only
recovered from the wound by reason of his
vigorous constitution and previous good
habits. At the close Of the war, when
his regiment was mustered out of service,
he found himself in North western Louisi-
ana, where, having formed an attachment
for Louisiana lady residing there, he mar
ried and settled. He has been citizen of
Louisiana continuously since that time
eleven years. He has had children born to
him there, and has buried at least one. He
has spent eleven Of the best years of his life
there, and has done more to develop and
build up his portion of the State, in all that
goes to constitute State, than any one hun
dred natlve LOuiEianians in his district. He
is q large land owner in Red River parish,
and the third largest taxpayer IN the parish,
having accumulated his property by honor.
able enterprise and close attention to bust
ness. He introduced the first new machinery
INFO the parish after the war, has erected
several mills and inaugurated other i'm
provements. He is chairman of the parish
school board and has been very active in
establishing free schools there. In former
had no schools there worthy of the
| name. few years ago the Repub
| licans passed good school law, IN
der which a great work has already
| been done 10 the way of establishing
schools. In Red River parish there are ten
schools, all established through the efforts
Of Senator Twitchell, In Difference to
| Southern pref udice the white and black
| schools are separate, though both are run
on the same basis and paid out of the same
| fund. Under the law of the State the
| whole poll tax goes to the school fund, and
| as every colOred man pays poll tax and
many Of them property tax, they contribute
their full proportion to the schools. And
Senator Twitchell says they pay their taxes
not only cheerfully, but promptly, regard
ing it as an honorable badge Of citizenship.
| For some time past Senator Twitchell has
been regarded as orc of the leaders OF the
Republican party IN Louisiana, having
talent, nerve and many Of the qualities of q
| leader. On the second of last May he was
crossing Red river on q ferry boat at Cou-
shatta in company with his brother-in-law,
Mr.. King, when h0rseman rode up on
the bank which they were approaching,
and, taking deliberate aim with West
field repeating rifle, commenced firing
at them. Senator Twitchell was IN
armed, his brother-in-law mad only a
small pocket pistol. The man fired
deliberately and with precision. The first.
or one Of the first shots fired, struck Mr..
King. killing him instantly. The next one
struck Senator Twltchell in the leg above
the knee. With this he threw himself into
the water, and grasping the side of skitf
man to row him back to shore. Mean
while the firing continued. Presently a
bali struck his right arm above the elbow,
breaking and disabling it. He still teld to the
skiff with one hand, and the firing went on.
The next shot grazed the back Of his neck,
Just between the shoulders. Another
struck and broke his lett arm above the ell
both arms, but being q fine swimmer he
threw himself on his back, and, assuming =
floating position, commenced floating down
the stream. BY this time tie assassin had
emptied his rifle of sixteen bullets, and
drawing q revolver, began firing at the
floating man with that. Meanwhile the
col0red ferryman, at the risk Of his
life. Overhauled him, got3 him into the
skif and took him ashore. The assassin
emptied his revolver, firing in all twenty.
two shote, then mounted his horse and rode
away. Senator Twitchell has since had
both of his arms amputated between the
shoulder and the elbow, and still survives,
an armless, crippled monument of Southern
intolerance. He scouts the idea Of the at
tack on him being due to anything else thar
political hatred, and entertalns no dOub.
Whatever that it was preconcerted and ar
ranged. Since he went to Louisiana hif
brother and three brothers in law have beer
murdered there, and having now contributed
both of his arms to the cause of civilization
in that State he thinks he has earned thu
right to live there in peace, though he doubts
fit will be accorded him. When he lett hi
home he came away under military guard
furnished by order of General Augur d
New Orleans, and he does not intend to re
turn to Louisiana till after the presidential
| election. If the Democrats carry the Stat
and nation he will not return to Red Rivel
parish, and gives it as his opinion, in tba
case, that no Republican can live in the in
terror of the State. He says that on fair vott
Louisiana would 60 Republican by at leas
10000 majority; but unless something is done
to protect the negroes in the right Of voting
or more. In case the Democrats come int
power he thinks that all the white Repub
licans will be forced to leave the State
and the negroes will be reduced to a condi
ton of eerfdom not differing materially
from slavery. They are easily intimidated
and are but just beginning to outgrow tn
demoralizing and dehumanizing effects O
slavery on their race; if deprived, therefore
} OF all protection they would quickly s nc
cumb to the forces brought TO bear OF
them, and sink back into q condition little
if any better than the one from which
they recently emerged OF one thing b.
; is very certain, and that is, that every col
ored school in the State will be wipet
oat instantly after the Democrat
come into power. He says the bette
class of planters and business men in tn
State seem to eeprecate. perhaps really d.
} deprecate, acts of lawlessness and vic
lence, but they are utterly powerlesa, and
in fact, make no earnest effort to RESTRAIN
these elements. If the Republicans carr,
! the country next November he will go bacl
to Louisiana to live, and will fight it GU
on that line while there is any thing left o
MIN. II the Democrats are euccessfui q
will make the best disposition he cal
of his property, abandon the graves of hi
wife and child, his murdered brother an
brothers-in-law, and seek safety in tn,
North.
r Senator Twtcheil is a very gentleman
appearing person, pleasant in conversation
and though not yet recovered from hi
wounds, gives evidence of great vitality
He has genuine New England tace-sharl
clean cut featuree, q clear, honest eye, an
, | an intellectual head. His thin lips an
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