The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-12-05
ADDRESS FROM COLORED vO-
TERs IN LOUISIANA.

New ORLEANS, La, Nov. 10. 1876.
To the People OF the United STATES.
We, the colored people, are but n
simple folk, plain aud unlettered, but
nevertheless we hope we shall be un-
derstood. We desire plainly and briefly
to relate the actual political condition
OF our race in Louisiana, and TO ask
the Just people OF the North to render
us that moral aid and protection which
our peculiar situation requires.
The government clothed us with the
various duties of American citizenship,
among which was the right to vote,
which fact has so incensed the South
ern democrats against W. that they
murder our people and "a rage their
families after such l',a-tiy modes that
we- dare not relate them even in our
unlettered manner. We are unable to
cope with the white man without that
backing and moral aid which the north.
ern people have so studiously withheld
from us since the war. The most OF
us have been slaves and driven like
beasts all our younger days, and the
terror inspired by tie white slave-dri-
yer from our infancy mp has made us
fear the white man aud know and be-
lieve that we are not his equal in COM
bat. The use Of firearms was denied
us until after the war, and We feel our
inferiority in their use when confront
ed with the heavily armed, staggering
democrats.
Thus, when the issue is reduced 10
one OF armed histility, as IL has been
durint this presidential canvass IN
/ Louisiana, our numerical strength
counts for naught against the regularly
organized, armed, and drilled white
league democracy Of the State. Their
murders are more gentlemanly aud hH-
name than the other outrages (some oi
which must be nameless) which they
have and are at this day indicting up
ON our people. The whipping of col
ored Republicans who know how 10
read and write has been carried TO such
an excess that the recital Of these enor-
mites would scarce be believed.
OF the signers to this appeal, two
have been whipped for refusing to vote
the democratic ticket at this presiden.
tial election. One OF these. stripped
naked and whipped, is covered with
welts and gashes from his head TO his
heels, and escaped from his fendish
| tormentors through q United States
military escort.
The other was taken from his cabir
on the night before the presidential
election, at midnight, and stripped
aud whipped by dozen or moro white
men, each taking turns as they became
tired, sometimes three or four whip
ping ut a time, until bis fnger-naili
and two fingers we're whipped of. III
was then left fainting aud alone upon
lhe ground. Next morning the sam'
democratic "bull-dozcrs" marched hin
To the polls, the victim so stiS aus
sore that every movement OF the bod,
in endeayoring 10 drag its slow length
along caused the most excruciQinl
agony, aud they compelled him TO pu
in the bollot-box a democratic TildeI
ticket with the bleeding stumps o
fingers their generous chivalry had ye
left him.
These oatrages were not cOmmitte,
by Insignificant democrats, but thoi
leader is n practicing physician in tn
parish, and his assisting bull-dozer
are sons Of what they call the first fam
, lilies. Thousands Of colored peopl
, A uhNc bttu rubltctfu W tucct outfatt
at every election for attempting 10 ex
ercise the right of freemen in the Stat
. OF Louisiana.
! IL seems "a IL the government an,
the people OF the North had turned
. deaf ear upon us and forgotten us
We do not ask bread or money. Thes
we have the muscle and industry /
produce, but we do ask an assuranc
: from the people Of the North that som
method shall be provided for our .,
, curity in the exercise OF our rights Q
American frecmen.
SAMUEL EsTELLE,
EzEKTRL GLOVER,
AARON MCKENZIE.
GEo. WASHINGTON, n
mark
And others.
fChicago Inter Ocean. Nov. 20.