The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-12-07

of his family, he remained in the woods him
self. All law was overthrown. Four or five
| negroes were brutality murdered in different
parts OF the parish, with q view to strike ter
ror into the rest and frig iten them into the
support Of the Democratic ticket.
lie says the election at his polling place
was a farce. 1t was perfectly quiet and
peaceablc, and the blacks--all the manhood
terrified out OF them, molrrfully voted the
ticket they hated. just one Republican vote
was cast at his precinct, and that by him
self. Before the election arrived men would
come to his house-strangers to him lock
all around. ask mysterious questions, fire
into the air and frighten his hands from
their work. His immediate neiglbors took
Lo part Ii: this, but it was all the work OF
men from remote quarters OF the parish.
done under a systematic + Ian to carry the
election. | decd, some OF his neiyhborS pri
yately denounced the plan. but they we're
whipped int" line, aud dare not openly pro-
test.
Right in the busy season the 'btilldozers'
would ride through. his plantation, throwing
down fences and leaving them down, look
ing for negroes whom they had driven from
their cabins, and who would hide between
the cotton rows for protection The terror
ism was so complete that his hands finally
JAG PS al tiis> "ONNo SFSlJ ulxut, CO1lluS CuG
in the morning, working all day and retur,-
ing to the woods at night. The blacks upon
the negtboring plantations were no better
off. He knew Of two Instances of negroes
who were forced to join the Democratic
clubs. They afterwards attended a Repub-
lican meeting. The 'buldozers' made an
example of these to terrify the rest. One
they shot dead as he was coming into town
upon q load Of wood. The other they took
him from his cabin at night and shot him to
death in che presence OF his family.
Tie story Of these horrible murders !
could not believe did not have corrobora-
ton from an entirely different source. There
is little doubt in my mind about it. have
tried to doubt, but ca,inot. The horrible
Story is too we'll authenticated, otherwise
should never give it currenty.
After the election he hoped for cessation
OF the reign of terror. Bat matters grew
worse. Having carried the election by such
outrageous means, the whites set about get
ting up testimony to the fact that the cleo
ton was in all respects fair and peaceful,
and all men voted their sentiments.
Being a Justice os the Peace he was called
upon to swear che blacks to afiidavits that
they voted the Democratic ticket freely and
without constraint. These affidavits were
in printed form, and We're for transmission
W ~SSW OiiCatlS AOt euC oSO VI eAC OChiOCid
tic Committee. He says rat the poor blacks
did not want to swear airy such thing, but
were forced to, or rather that their fears
were so played upon that they dare not re-
fuse. Out OF a hundred and fifty Il at he
took thus In one day he is confident that one
hundred and fifty will swear that they did
not want to sign their atadavirs. But what
are they to do? They were upon the land
Of Democrats. They had nowhere to CO.
They must come under the political yoke and
accept the situation. The Republican party.
which they love as the Christian his God.
does not protect them. They are left to
stand alone, and they cannot stand.
He says lie knows of two blacks who were
made to swear they voted the Democratic
ticket freely aud without constraint who |
hadn't voted 1t az all, but, in fact, had voted |
the Republican.
Another one said to him 1T is two miles |
from where l live to the woods. Ny |
boss--naning him-says il do not swear to |
that affidavit cannot have lids oxen and |
wagon to haul my wood this winter. / can
not carry the wood so far. I have no team |
Ut my own. have no land to work except |
what he gives me. SO shall have to sign,
but would rather be whipped
And these aftidavits will DO submitted to |
Congress, and the North as an evidence that |
the Louisiana blacks voted the Democratic |
ticket freely and without constranr! Do |
yon doubt the genuineness Of their CONVEX |
sion! Behold the afiidayltS ~