The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-03-27
(ESTABLIsHED IN
MARCH, 1S47.
IN. Y. Tribune.1
F0Tty-Eight Citizens.

An Associated Press dispatch from New
Orleans. printed on small type in a corner
of Mondays paper, announced thai
forty eight citizens of Natchito ches, who
had been cleared by jury of charges o.
conspiracy during the late election, were
escorted Saturday evening to the steam
boat, on which they left for their homes
by volunteer military company with g
band of music, and that a salute was
fired in honor of the event
These forty eight citizens were all
Democrats and white men One day
last October they were assembled in the
Court House of the town of Natchitoches
holding Democratic convention. Word
came to the meeting that body of Re.
publicans. chiefly black, had had the
audacity to gather on the same day at a
church in another part of the town, and
were actually engaged in discussing
| plans for nominating candidates and
making an effort to carry the approach
ing election. The forty eight citizens
declared that this sort of thing must be
stopped. 1t was nothing less than a
niger rising and must be promptly
suppressed. They hurried through the
work of their convention, completed
their Democratic parish ticket. chose as
captain their nominee TOR the Legisla-
ture, got on their horses, and armed with
rifles and revolvers, which they had pru-
dently brought with them TO the Court
| House, they moved in body upon the
enemy. The Republicans apprised of the
coming of this menacing force, made
haste to adjourn their meeting, and
sought safety in flight. The forty-eight
citizens, among whom was a member of
Congress and an exmember, made Wig
Al
leaders were caught in their houses,
where they were hiding, Others were
chased to the woods and made
their escape. TIE men who were
ca light were escorted out of town at
night, and told that to return would be
certain death all save one, who was
killed and his body thrown in to a swamp.
To make their work complete the forty
eight citizens appointed Vigilance Com
mittee to keep watch for the men in hid
ing in the woods, and the local Demo
cratic newspapers published several arti-
cles warning them that if they valued
their lives they had better get out of the
parish and never show their faces there
again. These Republican leaders were
accused of no crime. They owned prop
erty in the parish, were old residents,
had families, and, apart from their
politics, were reputable persons. One
was Baptist minister and president of
an association of fifty colored Baptist
churches. Three were native white men
who had formerly been active Demo
Gratis. The only offence they had com
mitted was attempting to reorganize the !
Republican party in their parish.
There was an exceedingly quiet cam
paign in Natchitoches Parish after this |
brisk demonstration of the forty eight |
citizens, and the Democratic ticket was
elected without the slightest opposition.
Not Republican vote was polled. The |
bulldozed Repub lean leaders, who
had taken refuge in New Orleans, deter
mined, however, to see whether the
United States election laws had any
force and effect in Louisiana, and they
went before Grand Jury last winter
and gave testimony against the forty
eight enterprising Democrats. Indict-
ments were found, and the cases came to
trial. but in spite of the most conclusive
evidence, the petit jury found verdict
was hailed in New Orleans as Demo.
cratic victory, and the complete success
Of one of the most brilliant and effective
Feats of bulldoZing ever attempted in
Louisiana was celebrated with a brass
band and an artillery salute. Evidently
'he election laws are a dead letter in
Louisiana. Another thing is equally
plain: there will be no further attempt
20 revive the Republican party in
Parish.