The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-06-22
How II was.

A day or two since a witness
before the Congressional Commit
tee stated that in 1874 United
States Marshals, with blank war
rants in their pockets, traversed
North Louisiana, giving out that
they were going to arrest certain
citizens, and that in consequence
many persons fed their homes and
stayed away from the polls. A
member of The committee asked
the witness why the threatened
parties, if they were innocent, ran
off 1?
We propose to answer this ques-
ton in our own way; and we may
possibly give the distinguished
gentlemen composing the com nit
tee some idea of the manner in
which Federal authority in North
Louisiana has been exercised.
The query Of the committeeman
was yeIy proper. This is supposed
to be a free, enlightened and
Christian country, in which the
law is justly administered, and iu
which accused parties are allowed
a fair and impartial trial, and hu-
name treatment while under in
dictment. In such countries hon
est men are not frightened at false
charges, and they do not flee their
homes and seek refuge FROM con-
stables, sheriffs and marshals in
the swanps. In all such countries
the honest citizen reverences the
courts and regards them as his
best aud suIest protection. 1t was
very natural, therefore, we repeat,
for stranger to our State, when
he heard that citizens of North
Louisiana fled from their homes
and families at the approach Of
United States Marshals, to ask
why they fed, if they were inno-
cent?
Unfortunately, the supposition
that Louisiana is q free country,
or that it is wisely, humanely, aud
impartially governed, is - very
great error 1t was not because
the threatened citizens of North
Louisiana feared Justice thar thoy
fed at the approach of the Fed,
eral officials; they left their homes
and took refuge in the swalnps, or
in other localities, to escape the
relentless E rSecHtiOn of the Federal
power. Time and again they had
seen their fellow citizens, Innocent
Of any crimes except those OF be.
ing democrats and of opposing the
iniquities of the radical thieves and
adventuTers who swarm the State,
arrested and taken to New Orleans
to undergo the mockery of a trial.
They saw industrious and peace
able citizens, charged with being
engaged in the Colfax riot, hunted
a wn BY Federal officials and sol
dlers, arrested, taken to New Or
leans at the very time their crops
were needing their attention, re-
fused bail BY a United States Judge,
incarcarated for weary months in
miserable dungeon with the
meanest fare, and they knew that
those Of the prisoners who were
engaged in the riot acted in de-
Tense III their lives and property,
aud that several Of them had no
more TO do with it than the mem
bers OF the Congressional Commit
tee. He saw the wives and chill
dren Of those innocent men suffer
ing for the necessaries of life, and
their little properties going to ruin,
while the authorities of the Re-
public locked the dungeon doors
upon them as mercilessly as
though tbeg had been the vilest
criminals. At the same time they
saw the men who instigated that
riot unmolested and holding inn
portant public offices they saw
Register holding the Office of Par
ish Judge, they saw Ward, dis
porting himself as a member Of
the Legislature. and Flowers ral-
living the negro hosts. They had
come 10 learn, By sad and terrible
experience, that the Federal
Cycrrte IL T.onisiana wara orpan-