New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-17
SHOTGUN SUFFRAGE.
HOW TILDEN AND REFORM
CARRIED oUACHITA.
The "|Will Of the Majority Lawfully
Expressed" by Firearms.

A0C VIII Va 4uC MbVOINy LAWFULLY
Expressed' by Firearms.
A PLAIN TALE OF THE POLITICAL CIVIL
WAR.
The Republicans of Oaachita have Just
laid before the Governor the following
statement OF the condition of affairs in that
parish for q few weeks before and up to the
election. No intelligent man can read it
and believe that there was any fairness in
the election in the parish outside of the
town of Monroe:
New ORLEANS, November IA, 1876.
To His Excelcncy W. P. Kellogg Governor of
the State Of Louisiana:
Your ExCELLENCY-We beg leave to SUBJ
nit to you q report of the unparalleled out
RACES and intimidation perpetrated by the
Democratic party through their agents.
known as bulldOZere, against the rights and
privileges of the Republican party in the
parish of Ouachita.
After the State canvaseers had passed
through the parish of Ouachita it soon be-
came evident that the leaders of the Repub.
lican party would be forced to take some
measures to control the arbitrary efforts
put forth by the Democracy to prevent Re-
publicans from adhering to their princi-
plee; every cOlored man who was control
able was forced to Join Q Democratic club
through various kinds Of intimidation; by
threats Of violence, or by being forced to
leave their homes and crops for which
they had labored during the year, by re-
fussl by the planters to advance to them
the necessaries of life upon their staple or
labor, and in many cases by being badly
beaten. The people became perfectly de-
mOralized; not being allowed to hold q Re-
publican meeting, they had to bow in hum
BILE submission to this tyrannizing despotism.
The Republican parish canvass, which, un-
der the circumstances, was eminently
necessary, notwithstanding the peril and
danger to it's leaders, was entered upon
with vig0r.
On Friday, the twenty seventh of Octo-
Der, the first meeting was held at the Dink-
grave plantation by Messrs Hamlet, Brew
ster and GOrhsm. A largo gathering of
they to rally around the standard of their
party. The widest enthusiasm existed,
and the meeting was grand success. Ga
Saturday, the twenty-eighth of the same
month, meeting was held at the Wisner
schoolhOuse, in the town of Monroe. which
was filed to Its utmost capacity. The can
vassers were joined by Mr.. H C. c. Astwood,
who was selected as first speaker, followed
by Me.ers Hamlet, Gorham. Hardy, Dink-
grave and Brewster. The cOlored people
were rejoiced and their hearts gladdened,
but dark cloud of encouragement fell
like q pail, caused by the daring and
threats of the lawless element of the
Democracy. From hence it became evident
that any attempt at holding Republican
meeting without protection would result in
bloodshed, to avert which the commanding
officer of United States troops at Monroe
would either attend In person or send an
officer at such meetings as we're distant
from the town of Monroe and unprotected.
The wisdom of the action of the command
ing officer in this particular was fully dem
onstrated by the threatening and wArlike
attitude of the bulldozers, who made it q
point invariably to attend every meeting,
marching in military style, under COM
manders, and with all the apparent style of
people who had been forced to Join
Democratic clubs, finding they were
being protected, at 6nce refused further
to attend Democratic meetings, saving
in localities where no protection was held
out to them. The most strenuous efforts
we're now resorted to by the Democracy,
determined to carry the parish at all haz-
renewed activity under the auspices of
some of the leading citizens of this parish,
who did not scrupie to join with the most
disreputable and protiigste. These men
we're we'll organized into rifle clubs, deter
mined if necessary to carry the election at
whatever cost of Republican lives. Our
next meeting was held st Cuba, October
81, under the protection of United States
troops. The colored people, nOtwithstand-
ipg the threats that had been made, left
the cotton fields and assembled in large
numbers ON the ground, where not less than
sec persons had gathered. Messrs. Hardy,
Astwood, GOrham, Hamlet, Dinkgrsve and
Breweter addressed the meeting. Mr. Hardy
was called damned liar. and but for the
presence of Lieutenant McCsuley violence
to the speakers would probably have re-
suited.
The meeting was enthusiastic, with con-
tiuued cheers for Hayes and Wheeler,
Packard and Antoine and the Republican
party. The colOred voters unanimously
protested openly before their tyrannizers
that tLey had Joined the Democratic party
to save their lives, and passed q resolution
the Democratic party, and de-
claring, that if protected in their lives,
they wcnld vote the Republican ticket,
W hich was their choice.
The meeting adjourned to meet at the
~
|, nd day Of November.
Before We reached the place Of meeting
II uwds Of men and women along the road
h eeoed us, and stated that they would be |
IL d to attend the meeting, they had Re- |
,ui Slisanism at heart, but for their lives |
be dared not come, as they had been |
hre asened if they attempted to 20. The |
o-c siied ,bulldOzers, about seveRty-fve in |
um ber, rodo on in front of us, yelling and |
efyi ng the people to attend our meeting. |
hey the day before, had held lSfge bar
ecu, !, where whisky was administered pro-
lsely ', and the colored people in this sec
on v ,ere compelled to pledge Themselves
, vote, the Democratic ticket. Nethwith-
,sndip g this display of hostility, not less
ian 8Ot ! peSsons were in attendance at our |
,eeting, anG listened attentively to Nessrs.
stwood, GcChsm, Hamlet, Dlnkgrave and
rewster The bulldozers now became en-
.qed, kno wing that We would hold another
eeting tn, . following day, and under ex-
ting circu INSTANCES we would carry the
arish by twt least 1000 majority. They
avine lost OntrOl of the cOlored people,
ere resolve d if possible to prevent us
Getting. Tht Eext day, again under pro-
ction of Uni ed States troops, We met at
!; James Chap es. On our way thither we
100 or more armed Democrats,
ho rode befores 'us in hottie manner, as
| the precedin & day. On reaching the
lspel, Mr.. Astw God being designated as
10 first speak, ", on taking the stand
"A surrounded by these armed men, and
I'd not proceel led far before he was
sailed with the epithet, "YOu are G.
n liar" by sever x1 of the crowd, who in
sntly attempted 10 draw revOlxers He
oily told them that he had come there to |
eak. and would speak or die in the at