National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-11-30
LOUISIANA HORRORS.

Reference to our special dispatches from
New Orleans this morning will disclose
tales of horror that pale the recent Bull
gaIisn atrocities which threaten to deluge
the European continent with blood. The
crimes here related were perpetrated in
this Christian land in the name of Reform.
Midnight assassinations accompanied with
torture and rapine such as only devils in
carnate could aid or abet, were committed
in this Republic in tie pretended defense
of constitutional liberty. These diabolical
atrocities were deliberately planned by the
rebellious leaders of great party to sccel-
lerate their accession to power in the Re-
public, and were executed by their de-
luded followers who, though fiends at
heart, were disguised as men. A poor,
ignorant down trodden race was decimated
for political opinions sake. And this was
done in the nineteenth century, and in the
hundred and first year OF progressive Re-
public, which boasts a popular form Of
government high Christian civilization,
and power to protect the lives and prop
erty of its citizens on every sea and in
every foreign cline. This was done upon
its own soil and within its own dominions.
But the General Government seems with
out the power 10 punish these hell-born
atrocities. The sentiment of the dom
inant-the CsucasiaD-race in the localities
where these crimes were committed is
averse to the punishment of disguised
white persons of the Democratic faith for
killing, manning, torturing and rayishing
ftniggers." Tocut the throat of a negro infant
before the eyes of its wounded, mutilated,
widowed mother and throw its dead body
into pond is only pastlme for "our young
men," Federal law cannot reach and
forbid such innocent pastimes, and the
white judges hnd grand and petit juries
of the local courts either will not or dare
not take cognizance of and convict this
'banditti," because the public moral senti-
ment of the vicinity will not uphold and
sustain them in the acts. The State has
statutes requiring the punishment of these
crimes, but they are not recognized as
worthy Of enforcement by the so-called
governing class. And this governing
class" is the element that now seeks to
attain power by wading through negro
blood. There is treason in its every step.
By treachery it has regained, through
amnesty, a citizenship once forfeited by
armed rebellion. To obtain that amnesty
ii promised allegiance to the Constitution
as amended, which guarantees liberty,
equality and enfrsnchisement to the
negroes. Now, at the earliest oppor-
tunity, it seeks to strike down
that franchise and nullify those amend
ments because the negroes persist in their
right to vote to keep in power that political
party which not only crushed the rebel
lion, but in doing so set them free, and
afterwsrd clothed them with political equal
ity through the elective franchise, that they
might have the power of self: protection IN
the future through the ballot. Blscker
perjury and more effective treason was
never conceived. The negroes would have
been worse than ingrstes to have deserted
their Republican friends. To have done SO
would have been to court e-enslavement.
As they could not be coaxed or c4joled
into such a policy, it was determined to
prevent their exercise of the elective fran
chise by intimidation. To make the fight
general and effective, it was found neces-
ssry to resort to assassination of the lead
ers, butcher their children, and WHIP
torture, mutilate and rayish the adult fe-
male members of their families. What
measures should be resorted to for the pre-
vention and punishment Of these atrocities
is a question for the collective wisdom and
Justice of the nation to answer. We sicken
at the recital of these grieyous wrongs.
We have again and again exposed and de-
nouuced them, and have been hooted at