Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-09-27
TI,e st. Charles Tragedy.

A Frcuch editorial in l., Mcschacabc gives
very graphic aud terrible picture Of atfA'rs 10
ST. Charles parish La, from which We translate
some striking passages
"Auotber horrible drama has occurred iu
St. Charles parish, formerly kooWn as the Cote
des AlIemanGs, and 10 other days "a fair aud
quiet spot where Theocritus might have
sketched his IdyIs, or Virgil composed the 70.
nance Of his eclogues. There Russian
princess once came to seek shelter Tor her
smours; and companion in arms OF the great
Frederic was the Cincunatus of its primitive
colonization. Tie white population was at that
time largely in the majority; it was slnEle,
honest, Industrious, pescaabo and happy. But
as riches succeed 10 prlmltlFe comfort vast
estates to humble homcstcads, numbc1less
slaves to scattered colonlsts, when at last eman
cipstion came with its levellng amendments OF
reconstruction, everything was overturned trom
top to bottom; and nothing remained save
dalk plets oflgnorsntly bind freedmen. Every.
where in other parts of Louisiana the whites
had more or less of respectable ma i9rlty, and
could dispute the soil against the invad.
ing tide. But in ST. Charles it ws use
lesss even to dream OF resistance or stlug
ale; 10 ope electoral balarco scale there
were S97 whites in the other there wcrc 1910
blacks, without ioc!udiog the floating mass Of
the last clement, OF whom fraud made votcr9.
Thus tho unfortunate parish remains oautcn
Of Nigritia, fragment Of the kDgd0m OF
Dahomey. Even 10 broad day. The traveller
passes through it nrging bis horse to a rapid
galop-the pcGdler is robbed there. often
murdered, perhaps even eaten by thc Africans
fallen back into their paural condition OF Can
nibasm-Who knows Justice is conspicuous
by its ats,ncc for the black jury acqus the
black murderer. Aud the absolving power OF
that jury goes far. About five years ago
young planter of St. Jean Baptis.e-M. UIyssc
Jacob, was killed by member OF the race
which rules aud governs ST. Charles without
restraint Of any description. BY means OF
transfer OF jurisdiction the Grim iusl was taken
from that tribunal which should havc judged
and could not but have condemned him aud
st. Charles jury declared him innocent 10 the
face OF a revolt Of pubic opinion. Still the
blood of that victim cries out tor vengeance
upon that pretended republican party, which
has dshouored the name il has uSurped. Thus.
at st. Charles the black is master and Sovereign
moncpo!iziug almost oil offices and occupations
and Leaving, even to those Rhom he formerly
served, and as though by complete inlr0yer-
sion OF the old roles of master and slave, oDly
those pursuits which be is too evidently llcIp.
able of following.
= If ycuag Vslocur dc ST. Martin,
tho friend Of iLat race, could obtain no mercy
from il; if Lc has on tho contrary fallen prey
to those tigers Of the waste, what thark5 can
those men cxpec: who through sell interest or
bumauitarianisln constitute themselves champ
ions Of the freedmen
: "Something must odeed be done
when lynch law so c9ndemaabIe when put Ia
practice by tha whites is adnntcd il su agera-
vatcd form by the blacks. Varlou, useless e.
forts have already bccu made 10 civil;z, tho
rude and u1discstpd mass f raw Afrlcauism
10 St. Charles Go:2rnor Hahn, au able *;
cltive and one Ct honcst purpose, lyuadc:: Q
village iu his Gwn name IL order &c attract
white people there .:,.i create {, Il 'icrp%'a tn
the black c!4Dcui The cntcrprlsc I Il thrCash;
and it new 0rly remains f,r II i" rcp9at ihc
Delcnda est C,rlhavo OF Cato.
Otherwise nc sha.! ,;cJa h.i ourselves n tl:a
DC sitioa Q! that original ant bias: f!JGII.A
tours. who f)!oTed everywhere the rncuagt
rics Gf Van Amhprg and Carter, awaiting with
stcadfasa faith the coD!ins Q! that day wleu
lac lion tancrs should DC torn TO pi"ca, by
their reDcioas beasts. asst as young Facbur
St. Martin was t0fn by the negroes oi 81.
Charles.