New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-20

THE WAR OF RACES IN FsIo1AHA.
We have at hand information enough
to cover several pages of the REPUBLICAN,
from West Feliciana parish, giving the
sickening details Of the internecine con-
lict now raging there and in the adjoin-
ing county in Mississippi. We have &C
counts of shooting and hanging, OF out
RACES TO women and dissertation OF
churches, and all the customary horrors
of civil war except the ruthless burning
of houses. This work, so far, has not been
commenced. We deem it unnecessary to
elaborate all the narrowing details. 1t is
sufficient to convey to the mind Of the
reader correct idea of the condition of
affairs up the river to say that civil war pre-
walls in all its horrors. The fighting men of
the respective races are encamped in hostile
array, and all are aware of the gravity OF
the situation. 1t has come to that pass
that the colored people are afraid to sep
arate and return to their homes, as they
fear the vengeance of the regulators, while
the latter have got themselves at last into
a position where they must thoroughly
vanquish their enemies or confess their
inability to cope with them. Unless,
therefore, a mediator appears upon the
scene with force sufficient to overcome
both parties, or at least the stronger, the
conflict must be fought cut. The whites
are determined, but the negroes are des-
perate, and declare they may as well die
heroically attempting to defend them
selves as to give up and be hereafter shot
down in detail or strung up like onions.
This fierce outburst of war is the
natural and inevitable result of private
persons taking upon themselves the func-
tons of regulators. So long as there was
no organized opposition to the vigilance
committees, or posses, or whatever the
regulators chose to call themselves, the
warfare was onesided affair. But it has
now been carried to the point that about
five hundred tolerably well armed white
men, more or less skilled in military tao
tics, find themselves confronted with
twenty-five hundred of their neighbors
and fellow-citizens, not SO well supplied
with arms, not 80 skillful, not so warlike,
nor possessed of equal means Of defense,
but fortified by desperation, and en-
dowed with superior powers Of endurance.
Up to our last accounts there have been
probably forty or fifty men killed on one
side, and four or five on the other, but
these casualties have not occurred in any
thing like pitched battle, as the opera
lions. 80 far, have been confined to raids
and skirmishes.
The first thing to be considered when
the house is on fire is the best means to
put it out. That is the question now pre-
sented, unless each of the political par
ties here, at Washington and in the
parishes and counties lying Immediately
contiguous to the scene of disturbance
feels such confidence that its friends
will win in case of battle, that both
wish to see their enemies overcome by
that means in preference to the employ
ment of troops, police, or any other force
under command of legal officers. The
Regulators have driven their victims to
the wall, and the latter have made stand
and turned on the pursuers. According
to the statements of the steamboatmen
who last left Fort Adams, there is good
deal of scare and panic on both sides.
The whites are reported as saying that
they must either conquer in this fight or
leave the country. The negroes no doubt
experience the same emotions
In the meantime we hear nothing of the
movements of the command Of United
States troops stationed up there. The
last we heard anything about them was
to the effect that the officers were gener-
ally engaged in hobnobbing with the lead
ing regulators, attending balls, and shar-
ing in all the social enjoyments. to the no
small encouragement of some Of the worst
characters in the neighborhood. General
Anger, so near the scene of conflict, did
not seem to think he had anything to do
with the trouble until the President sent
him an admonitory reminder, and even
now, in the face Of an expected conflict,
we have heard nothing from headquarters
to indicate that the commanding officer is
alive to the situation. Acting Governor
Stone will not be very likely to call for
troops to protect the colored people of
Wilkinson and Adams counties. Were he
SO disposed he would not dare to ask Gen
eral Auger's assistance to save the lives OF
the helpless people who by fiction OF
law are supposed to be under his official
protection, to say nothing of the national
flag, which is without virtue for home
USE Hence we see most Of the prisoners
who have been taken are considerably
dragged out of this State, over the border,
before being put to death. This relieves
the regulators from any apprehension Of
interference on the part of the Governor
of Louisiana, and consecrates the soil Of
Mississippi as the slaughter pen for the
hapless captives taken in the war.
We have no doubt this emeute will be
christened ''another negro riot, by the
Democratic papers. 1t has some of the
usual characteristics of such an affair as
described in the opposition yernacular.