The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-04-09
THE MORAL OF THE GRANT PARISH
DECISION.

DECISION.
Tho Republican leaders and journals
are fearfully exercised because of the
recent decision in the Grant parish case,
and assert that the Southern people are
exultant cOrrespondingly, because, with
impuDity, they can now Cypress the I'M
fortunate negro. The truth is, that the
Radicals are troubled because they will
not be able to carry the elections
through the agencies OF Federal soldiers,
Federal marshals, blank warrants OF ar
rest, bills in chancery, midnight or
ders." and State House captures and
that the Democrats are gratiiied that,
while these outrages are to be stopped,
the limits Of State and Federal authority
are plainly settled and defined.
The outrages heaped upon tho people
Of the South by the partisan officials
who represent the Federal Government,
cannot be better illustrated than by the
history OF the difficulties that occurred
in Grant parish, and the arrests, trials
and judgments that resulted therefrom.
That history is briefly this: In 1872 the
officers, and they were commissioned
by Gov Warmoth, and entered upon
their official duties After Federal in
reference had indicted the Kellogg
usurpation, other persons were com
missioned by Kellogg to represent has
government The creatures thus APP
pointed called around them n large
body Of riotous and turbulent negroes,
and, melting them to deeds OF bloodshed
and violence, inaugurated q reign OF
| terror White families for miles around
fled from their homes. Houses were
forcibly entered, pillaged, and fired
into. Unprotected ladies were sub
ruffian negroes, compared with which
death were preferable.
For days this hellish work was going
on. Kellogg was appealed to, and SO
were the Federal authorities, but both
were Interested that there should be no
interference. If the negroes succeeded
it would be evidence Of Kellogg's ability
to maintain his government, while il
they were met and forced to submit it
would furnish now grist for the out
rage MILL" Of which Grants Attorney
General, Williams, had the control.
Seeing that there was no redress the
lawfully elected and commissioned
Sheriff summoned the citizens as the
posse conitdt,ts, and at their head or
dered the rioters to dispcrse, promising
them protection. This order was treat
cd with contempt, and the rioters, with
q piece OF artillery and arms, behind en-
trenchments, fired upon the Sheriff and
his supporters. The battle came on, the
negroes occupied tho Courthouse, and
when no longer tenable held out the
token Of surrender Firing then ceased
and several uHdrmed citizens advanced
to mako terms with tho surrendered
| rioters, and when at the door OF the
Courthouse the negroes, from within,
| fired upon and killed these unarmcd
| men. The citizens renewed the attack,
and many negroes were killed. This
result was the reward Of their treach-
cry and murder, and had the m1rdercrS
been white men MeresuN ,rould hare been
| the same.
Then came eMarshals, like vultures,
to the field of carnage. Packard then
could interfere, and his chief deputy,
bycna like, gloated over the fostering
cOrpses Of the slain, and reported some
facts and many tictionS that fired the
| loyal heart. The rioters were lambs.
The treacherous murderers OF Hadnot
were sucking doves. The black fiends
who ravished refined and delicate ladies,
who fled into Judge Richardson's house,
who broke the burial caSket and threw
the dead body of an infant into the
street, were inoffensive, peaceable, sim
pie hearted negroes.
The brave and true men, who, right in
the Judgment Of God and man, dared to
defend their homes and their families,
after appealing in vain to Kellogg and
to the Federal officials for protection,
were denounced as outlaws and brutal
murderers.
Then came Judge Woods court and
the merciless prosecutions of Mr.. Beck
with. The prisoners were arrested and
denied the privilege of bail. The rig
marole indictments which since have
fallen powerless before the glance OF
the Supreme Court, were presented.
Hundreds of ignorant and preju-
diced negroes were summoned, and
lowered like carton crows around the
corridors Of the Customhouse. Success
sively they were sworn and successfully
they testified. only to be proven per-
jurers. by the cross examination Of
Messrs. Whitaker, Bryan, Mari and
Ellis. The trial lasted for weeks. Night
after night were the counsel and friends
Of the accused forced to keep vigils over
the jury room. The citizens were re-
quired to contribute to defray the ex-
penses of witnesses for the defence, be-
cause the Federal authorities withheld
their witness fees and mileage. The
case closed, the jury were charged and
when unable to agree it was found that
the almost entire panel were for the &C
quittal of all the prisoners, and that
verdict of acquittal was prevented
by, perhaps, two Of the jurors,
whose prejudices prompted their ac-
ton. The prisoners were remanded to |