Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-05-12
Democratic First Guns of the Cam
paIgn.

The Democracy have opened the cam
paign simultaneously in Louisiana and
Indiana. The reports of the first guns
reached us yesterday. In both States it
was but preliminary skirmishing along
the advanced lines, but the results were
a significant forerunner of what may be
expected TO follow. In Louisiana the
first gun, of which report came yester-
day, was fired in Coushatta Parish, men,
orable as the theater of the atrocious mas
sacre of freedmen, and was a repeating
rifle. 1t was not electiOn-day, but the
political effect was about the same as fol-
lows those of the guns fired on election
davs in Louisiana since the War. 1t
created a vacancy on the Republican side
in the Legislature, and ridded the State of
a carpet-bagger, Senator Twitchell. His
otlense was of precisely the sort TO invite
such fate. He was not only Republican
State Senator, but-and that was the ag-
gTavating feature about this term of
office would not have expired until after
the Presidential election, as he was one
of the Senators holding over The fate
he precipitated by boarding the ferry
boat at Coushatta to cross the river and
neglecting to keep a lookout for,
and get out of the range of, the White
Liner on the other bank, who, after
having quietly ridden through the town
with his rifle on his shoulder, in broad
daylight and in full view of the citizens,
to whom of course he was unknown, -
first shot Twitchell dead; next drew a
bead on Twitchell's comrade and brother
in-law, King, who also fell mortally
wounded; and to finish the business, shot
the negro ferryman, but as ii was only a
niger, was careless about the aim and
but dangerously wounded him. That
done, the White Liner shouldered his rifle
and departed unmolested, amidst the sup
pressed applause, doubtless, of the by
ISLANDERS, who, of course, were filled with
admiration for the marksman who could
so neatly pick oil two Northern men and
one niger on the other shore, wholly un-
conscious that they were his target 1t
all only goes to show that the White
Liners of Louisiana have profited by the
example of their fellows in Mississippi
last fall, and are beginning the slaughter
OfNOrthern men and negroes early enough
to avoid blood letting on election-day, by
eXterminating the leaders and intimidat-
ing the survivors before the election, so
that only White.Llners will dare attend the
polls, and great Democratic victory may
bO dcoultds
There was less method in the Demo.
cratic firing of first guns in Indiana. But
the report recalls memories that burn and
will thrill with rapture the White Line
heart, for il comes as proof conclusive
that the ancient unterrifed Democracy,
that in other days servilely licked the
boots Of the slave-driver, survives, and is
in full accord with the White Line De.
mOcracV of IOuisiana and Missiseinni
In Indiana the guns were fired at " mig
gers" simply because they were niggers,
and because Of the irrepressible longing
of the Democracy of the slave hunting
era 10 eXterminate the freedmen. The
leader in the massacre was Democratic
policeman and conservator of the peace,
The indianapolis niggers also invited
their fate by going to the polls and voting
the Republican ticket. AS they were re.
turning, they were set upon by the White.
Line Democracy, led by the Democratic pc.
llesman, The maTkGnahship p Nat not quite
squsl " ,hs' Of tbs coashsts White