The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-27
BULLDOZING In CADDO.
A FULL AND CLEAR STATEMENT OF
THE FACTS RELATIVE TO THE
ELECTION IN THAT PARISH.
A History OF the CaddO Troubles, Conn
piled from the Statements and AH-
davits OF Various Citizens fr0m that

| piled from the Statements and Am-
| davits OF Various Citizens fr0m that
| Parish.
1 We publish this morning number OF affl-
davits from ward No. 8, parish of Caddo. In
this ward the Caledonia riot occurred on
election day. The affidavits are the volun-
tary statements Of number OF colored Re-
pubIIcans who are now living about Caledo-
MIA. They disclose much erazier condition
on the part of the Republican politicians than
that Of the white people whom Mr.. Leonard
charges with being in open rebellion against
lawful authority. From the dispatch for
warded by Mr. Leonard to the Department of
Justice. one would imagine that there was a
region OF country In Louisiana which was
composed OF thugs and murderers. Now
| let us examine the facts of the recent
election in Caddo, and from them see
| how the disturbances were brought about,
and who Is responsible for what has taken
place. Three weeks before the election both
parties placed full ticket in the field. The
canvass was opened on the part of the Re-
publican5 by a speech from one G. w. Horne
sent by the National Republican Congress-
| ional Committee; he came from Washington
direct, and was part Of that quota of North
ern orators who were to electrify the South
by their eloquence, and bring it back to the
Republican fold. Horne made an appeal to
passion; he stated that the Democratic party
North was composed of foreigners, who were
the rff-raff and scum Of the earth; told the
negroes that the white people were their op-
pressors, etc. The home speakers of the
party were Leonard, Harper and Elstner.
1t became apparent after the first week or
two OF the canvass that unless something
was done on the part Of the managers the
colored voters would not rally to support the
Radical ticket; their Indifference was alarm
ing In the extreme. Mr.. Leonard had not
appeared upon the stump; he was United
States District Attorney, and there was a
| civil service reform rule which may have de-
tered him. But Caddo was not to be lost,
and Mr. Leonard furnished the cue TO the
Republican leaders. The passions and the
very worst passions, Of the igHorant voters
were to be aroused.
In two hours speech at the Worthy place
Mr.. Leonard told the negroes substantially
that the white people were robbing them year
by year; that rents were extortionate in
price; that supplies we're furnished at an
enormous advance, and that their condition
never would be improved under the present
system; that a radical change must be
effected.
At another place in the parish, at Rhodes
school house, he went further and called up the
buried past, spoke of the bull-whip and the
bloodhounds of slave days, and said that
these were employed against the negro by
Democrats.
William Harper, State Senator from Caddo,
intimi dated and threatened more voters than
any other man in Caddo. He would see to it
that the negro women were out in force at
the meetings. He appealed to them to give
their husbands and sons no rest until they
had registered, as many had failed to regis
ter. de urged them to cut off as lepers and
unclean the man Of color who would dare to
express a desire to vote with the man who
was furnishing bread and meat and shelter
for his family. Harper would ask that Demo
cratic niggerS" be pointed out, and when the
luckleSs individual was brought to his notice,
he would denounce him as false to his race
false to his family, and false to his God. He
charged every Democratic "nigger"-uSing
his words-"with being thief and not to be
trusted by white or black, and always closed
his performance by telling the negroes that
he would send them their tickets the night
before the, election; that it would be unneces
sary FOR them to read them, but to take the
tickets, put them under their pillows, sleep
on them, and in the morning close their fists
on them and march to the box and stick them
in. In conclusion, he would order all to get
down upon their knees, and then, with up
lifted hand, swear they would vote the Re
publican ticket
In the colored churches clubs were organ
lied, and at the midnight meetings the roll
was called and each in turn compelled to
swear they would stand By the party and vote
the ticket. Desperadoes Of the worst charac-
ter We're employed to go to the meetings and
aDportoned to the boxes on election day
The shameless extravaganza under the Radi-
cal regime aroused the white people to un-
usual efforts to carry the parish. AS a single
item, under RadicaliSm the sawduSt used for
the courthouse floor cost S11 per load, under
Democratic rule 81 %. This is a small item,
and the larger ones are in the same ratio.
The canvass waXed hotter and hotter, the ne
grOeS becoming inSOlent under the leading of
their buildOzing chiefs Their secret arrange
mentS were unknown to the Democrats and
there was no interruption at any of their
meetings. They We're not alarmed at any OF
the measures Of the Democrats and taunt-
ingly offered up their hundreds Of dollars on
their ticket being elected.
The Democrats worked quietly. examined
the election laws and proceeded quietly with
their canvass. They instructed their com
missiOncrs of election not to recognize the
United States supervisors at any polling
place unless those supervisors, in conformity
to the Revised Statutes were residents of the
doing, it was done, and in this respect only. |
The election was held according to law.
Three boxes were provided at each polling
place for the vOtes-for Congress, State and
parish respectively. The Radicals stupidity
printed their candidates names upon one bal |
lot, and their ignorant dupes, firm in the drill
Of the campaign, would not divide their tick |
cts, thinking, as many said, by cutting them
they would be voting a scratched ticket.
A. Il. Leonard, the master spirit Of the |
campaign, saw on election morning the blum |
der he had committed. Seeing irretrievable
rout before him, and stunned by its over
whelming force, he in person went to each |
polling place in the city of Shreveport, and
there ordered the Republicans to cease vot- |
ing. True to their sworn discipline they |
obeyed. AT Caledonia, in ward No. s. as will
appear by the affidavits, under the teaching |
of the Radical leaders, the negroes prepared |
for a massacre, which was only prevented |
by the sheriff, with two other gentlemen |
going to the house. Who fired the first shot2
The negroes fired volley which, in the hands |
of cool men yv0uld have killed all who en- |