The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-06
NEW ORLEANs. NAV .. 1a7

Editor Democrat There has been, l
seems to me, good deal OF premature
ard mawksh sensibility spilled out b.
some of your contemporaries In fegalt
10 the shooting of the man Twitrhell
let the facts turn out as they may.
Every man deplores bloodshed and in {
community governed by laws, admins
tered justly, there Is no apology for II
But when great wrongs are committed
with IMMUNITY when the law cannot be
invoked for the protection OF society
when the sacred rights Of person and
property are on system assailed under
| the color IT law itself when Justice is
perverted and poisoned at Its source.
aud. I'm short. when corrupt officials,
whose lives stink with undisguised rot
tenness. strike down without shame
every right which holds society to-
gether. aud when the last remedy Of
| the ballot-boy is virtually destroyed,
men, II they continue TO he men. must
right their own wrongs pr sink out Of the
semblanee of true manhood.
This affected senslhility at the shoot
ing Of this man let the special cause
which prompted the act be what it
may-is ridiculous. and worse than
ridiculous II Is q crime against human,
nature. which Is SO constituted by wise
Providence as to resist wrong and or
preston and at all hazards.
The history Of He'd River patish, since
its formation an act emanating FROM
the fertile brain of this man. Twitchell
would warrant any act on the part OF
the wretched people to vindicate their
claim to some ol the best feeling or
human nature. resistance to wrong ANA
q determination TO be freemen
In vindication Of what | say. ! refer
you to a history Of the Coushatta affair.
published in the Bulletin, February 4,
1875. 1t is long narrative, having the
impress Of truth I'm every line, too long
for quotation, but which can he read in
connection with this affair with great
profit, and by none more than the Bui-
letin itself. ] quote the following pass
ages rs In point
From the very inception OF the cain
paign It became apparent to Devices
and Twitchell that they could not hope
to carry the election against the white
people, even with their. fraudulent regis
tration and election laws. without the
Intervention OF Federal troops to intiln
idate the whites
"The Radical press and politicians
cried continually for troops. Every
strong expression OF an Indignant people
against the corruption of the men In
power was represented to the authori-
ties In Washington, and the country at
large. az indication OF an Intention, only
waiting an opportunity, to murder ne
groes and Republicans. =.
But these efforts failed. and these
fiendish men resorted 10 the criminal ex-
pedient OF creating strife between the two
races. In order to give Kellogg the much
coveted excuse for calling United States
troops, No fair man, when he reads the
following letter, can doubt this theory
lCopy Of II. NJ. Twitchell's letter.
NEW ORLEANS, Aug 4, 1876
J 8. Edgerton sheriff Of Red River Parish la
| received your letter this morning
Have seen the Governor aud United
States Marshal. As soon as some overt
act has been committed United States
Marshal can be sent up there, and will,
doubtless, take United States troops
with him. | will advise you in case
demand is made for your resignation, to
be certain first that violence is to be
used In case you do not. and to save
your life resign.
II. M. TwtrCHEII
The narrative above referred to. and
which has never been eontradicted.
shows how this parish was created to
pension horde of plunderers, of whom
Twitchell and Devices were chiefs how
the assessment was Ave dollars per acre.
which. taking into consideration that
much Of the land was swamp and not
that this figure IL the same
as II was prior to the war,
and the same as now levied |
on the adjoining parishes, 1t shows also, |
how In this small parish of about $50
holders, the taxes did not pan
out In sufficient quantity to satisfy the
How that being, by con
stitutional clause, prohibited from levy
Ing a parish tax In excess OF the State |
Tax, which was about two per cent; they
raised the assessment from IS per
acre to $40. or 800 per cent. How
hat this put all the property IN the par
sh virtually In the hands OF Twitchell
Z Co. and how TO produce riot and
rive pretext to invoke the assistance
VI the United States forces. steps were
AIKEN to induce the negroes to murder a
lumber OF the whites assembled at a
,all in Coushatta. How the conspira-
ors assembled under Twitehells g house.
he brother Of II. NJ Twitchell lately
hot, but who was known to be the main
instrument in the hands Of his brother.
low two gentlemen were shot in
pursuance Of this perilous scheme and
he terrible results that followed. All
his. Mr. Editor. and much more is mar
ated in the article above referred to.
NHlcH IHlgHI cHllkHtcH SeHtlHlenbAllStS
Il distance. and ii men or sense. they
would see that there are crimes even
worse than assassination, and for which
I is the only remedy
Yes, sir. Terribly od'ous and fright
ul as that crime is. greatly as IL Is to
'e deprecated. it is not that which is to
'e condemned in this case. But rather
hat condition Of things which renders
a necessity, not only be- I
ause 1t is resorted to to redress private I
1rongs, but for the protection OF So
iety itself RED RIVER.
SUPREME COT Mr. DECISIONS.
SATURDAY, May 8. 1876. s