Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-10-05
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executive committee OF Louisiana, tor
the purpose Of asking at your hands au-
thentic information in regard to certain
acts of violence and intimidation within
tho past few months towal DIS the Repub.
licans, and especially the colored rcpub-
licans, citizens of the State. We are &C
tuated by natural anxiety to ascertain
whether the law and tho administration
of the law may be relied on to allow the
free expression of our political principles
among a violent part of the people who
have threatened and taken the lives of so
many colored republicans and of those
who defend them.
We beg your eXcellency to believe that
we do not approach you with any object
of making party capital at homo or
abroad.
We could have no hope ofaid from eth
er quarter which would justify the peril
of life, or rights for any such purpose.
We have appeared before you because
we are your constituents and part of tho
people ofLouisiana, equally entitled with
others to the benefits and protection of
law. We make this appeal with the
more confidence because we iave consiu-
cred you under peculiar and personal Oh
legation to protect us, and because our
judgment Of your character has led us to
contide in your sincerity in keeping the
pledges made by you and on your behalf.
1t is through you to the whole people
of Louisiana that we submit the obliga-
tons incurred by yourself and ratified by
their votes in your favor.
Here followed extracts from the speech
of Gov. Nichols, delivered July 20, 1876;
a copy Of the joint resolution passed by
the General Assembly, granting immune
ty for past political ot1enses, and the let
ter of Mr.. McVeigh, announcing the
terms of an adjustment of all difliculties,]
The address concludes as follows:
The immediate occasion Of this call up
on your cNceilency is the reports which
have reached us of particular acts of viO-
lence committed upon republicans Tor
political and race reasons III various par
ishes, notable and especially the late Sc
rious troubles in West Fclci;lna aud
NatchitOches.
We submit these observations and
these extracts. We know that they have
not beeu forgotten by your excellency.
We wish to bring them to the me mory of
the people, the Legislature and tie party
upon whose behalf the pledges have been
given and without whose honest co-ope-
ration it is immpossiblc for You to redeem.
We respectfully ask therefore to be in
formed:
First-What measures your eXcellency
proposes to take Ill regard to the investi-
CATION and redress Of these acts of vio-
lence and intimidation towards Republi-
cans.
SecOnd-What assurance can be given
by the chief executive and local au-
thorties, that the law shall be faithful
ly executed in respect to the joint resolu-
tions of the Legislature OF the 18th April,
1877, and in protection of republican cit
liens in their right to assemble peaceably
to express their political opinions, to Or
ganize their political action and to exer-
else, in freedom and safety, a right of suf-
frage given them by the constitution and
guaranteed by the solemn pledges of the
State.'
We have only to add that whatever
measures your excellency may deem nee
essary to preserve the public peace or the
political rights of any citizen, will be
aided to the full extent of their ability by
this committee and by all those whom
they represent.
The Governor, in reply, stated that he
could not 10y silence permit an impression
to go abroad that the representations con-
tanned in the communication We're ad
mittcd to be a correct statement of the
situation. Officially he had received no
information whatever. Upon reading the
reports, he had telegraphed to
Judge Pierson, who certainly would have
checked any disturbance had he been
there. The operator replied that the
Judge had gone into the country.
Mr.. Harris stated by way Of explana-
ton that the committee had come fully
Impressed with a belief that acts of vio-
lence would not oe tolera ted, and that it
was proud to express the conviction that
the presence of the Governor in any of
these localities, or his proclamation
would check at once any disposition Oh
the part of the more turbulent to infringe
upon political rights. 1t is not claimed
that this Intimidation is the act Of the
majority, but an aggressive minority,
against whom the conservative majority
require moral support.
The intcrvie from this took the char
acter of an ordinary conversation. Tie
Governor denied that since his
induction into Office the state of feeling
which had existed in the fall of 1876 had
continued. In majority of the Parishes