Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-11-30
ADDRESS OF C0L0RED MEN.
Horrid Cruelties of White
Ruffians.
An Appeal to the People of the United
States


To the People Of The United States:
We, the co'ored people, are but a
simple folk, plain and unlettered, but
nevertheless We hope we shall be I'M
derstood. We desire plainly and
BRIEFLY to relate the actual political
cond ton 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 Southern Democrats
against us that they murder our peo-
and outrage our families after such
bea~tly modes that we dare not relate
them even in our unlettered manner.
We are unable TO cope With tie white
man without that backing aud moral
a, 4 which the Northern people have
so udiously 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 the white slave driver, from our
infancy up, has made us fear the
white man and know and believe
that we are not his equal in combat.
The use OF fire arms was denied us
until after the war, and we feel our
nferiority in their use when confront
ed with the heavily armed swaggcr-
ing Democrats. Thus when the issue
is reduced to one of armed hostility,
as it has been during this Presiden-
tial canvas in Louisiana, our numeri-
cal strength counts for naught against
the regularly organized, armed and
drilled Whie League Democracy
Of the State. Their murders are more
gentlemanly and human than the
other outrages (some Of which must
be nsmeless), which they have and
are at this day inticting upon our
people. The whipping of colorei
Republicans who know how to read
and write has been carried to such
an excess that the recital OF these
enormities would scarce be believed
OF the signers to this appeal two have
been whipped for refusing to vote the
Democratic ticket at the Presidential
election. One of these, stripped naked
and whipped, is covered with welts
and gashes from his head to his heels,
and escaped from his tiendish tor
mentors through q United States mill
itary escort. The other was taken
from his cabin on the night before the
Presidential election, at midnight and
stripped, and whipped by dozen or
more white men, each taking turns as
they became tired, sometimes three
or four whipping at time, until his
finger nails and two fingers were
whipped off lie was then left faint
ing and alone upon the ground. Next
morning the same Democratic "bull-
dozers" marched him to the polls, the
victim 81 stiff and sore that every
movement of the body in endeavoring
to drag its slow length along caused
the most excruciating agony, and
they compelled him to put in the bal
lot box \ Democratic Tilden ticket
49, $780, I:-.e- ~t..--.,-~ - e-----,...
their generous chivalry had yet lett
him. These outrages were not com
mitted 10y insignificant Democrats,
but their leader is a practicing physi-
clan in the parish, and his assisting
bull-dozers are sons of what they call
the first families. Thousands of col
ored people have been subjected to
these outrages at every election for
attempting TO exercise the right Of
freedom in the State Of Louisiana. IL
seems as if the Government and the
people of the North had turned deaf
ear upon us and forgotten Us. We do
not ask bread or money. These we
have the muscle and industry to pro-
duce but we do ask an assurance
from the people Of the North that
some method shall be provided for
our security in the exercise OF our
rights as American citizens.
SAMUEL ESTELLE.
EZEKIEL GLOVER,
his
GEO. WASHINGTON, u