The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-08

the mere physical ana legal Observation-Disclosures
which would be In my hands for that purpose
for was well aware that these were extreme
ly limited, confined almost entirely to report
ing to this body careless or delinquent Off
cials, and sustaining from an injudicious use
OF the pardoning power. Ny declaration was
predlcated upon the certainty that the election
OF the officers who were before the people
would eliminate most OF the causes OF bitter
| ness and reproach then existing, and that the
gradual operation OF conservative influence
| would ultimately lead to complete good
feeling between all classes and races, and
cause the crystalization Of public sentiment
against all species of lawlessness. My
deliberate judgment is not to force, or attempt
to force. these results by harsh proceedings.
except when they can be iudiciously EN-
ployed, for / foresee that course OF that
character will defeat the very end and object
have In view. The result Of the softening
influences OF the last two years Is apparent
to any one who knows the State; and whilst
here and there few bad men, or few fool
ish men, breed trouble, which ell good men
regret. and whilst the good men in some
places have not taken the determined, active
stand against them that had hoped and ex-
pected, / am satisfied that day by day and
month by month we are surely moving for
ward to the condition Of things which all
good citizens are hopefully anticipating.
would regard the retarding of these results
by iniudicious action, which some might
deem wise and right, as great calamity to
the State. say this under q full sense Of the
responsibility which attaches to my position.
1t has 80 happened that some Of the acts Of
lawlessness (which / condemn and regret)
have been directed against eolored men. and
1t Is sometimes supposed that they have been
so directed by reason Of their being colored
men. This is not true. The fact results
from the circumstance that the greater
number Of the infractlons OF the law are
necessarily found In ell communities among
thoss classes who. from ignorance or idle
ness or thrlftlessness, fall to understand and
appreciate their duties and obligations; and
that, in this State the mass Of these classes
is found among the colored people. The fact
Of their being coored people Is merely acct
dental and incidental. The same acts would
take place under the same circumstances.
without regard to color. It is a notorious
fact that for over twenty years there have ex-
listed, In some parts OF Louisiana, organiza-
tions known as vigilance Committees"
whose acts have stricken white men oftener
than colored men. 1t is said that some OF the
troubles In this State, within the last year,
have had their origin In politics, ] do not
suppose that there Is any State In the Union
In which politics have not been, more or less,
the cause Of difficulties The passions and
interests Of men In every community become
80 much excited that, here and there, In every
State, troubles take place ON that account.
Louisiana does not differ In this respect from
her sister States. Troubles do not exist In
Louisiana based on opposition to any man
voting on account OF his color. The exercise
OF that right In manner different
from that wished by other individuals
causes opposition here, just as It does In
Maine or Oregon This sometimes resultsin
personal difficulties, and whenever matters
reach that point there springs up here an
element OF danger not found In those States
not the cause Of the difficulty, but resulting
from 1t and from the fact Of there being two
separate races In the State. A difficulty ORR
ginating In politics, which goes to the point OF
blows or bloodshed, Is apt to be participated
In by others from that time forward, not on
account OF the politics involved In It, but race
sympathy or race fear. found this In my
opinion (formed after a personal investiga-
tion), to have been the case In the recent dis
turbances In the parishes OF Tensas and Con-
cordia. The proximate cause OF that trouble
was the going at night Of a party OF men
numbering from twenty to twenty-five to the
house Of one Fairfax, colored political
londpr In Tanuou ri
In the killing OF Peck (who seems to have
been the leader OF the party, and the wound
ing by Peck's companions OF three colored
men who were In Fairfax's house. one OF
whom afterwards died. The visit of
these men to Fairfax was utterly
wrong-in my opinion, utterly without
justification and whilst attempted to
be Justified upon the ground that they went
In the interestof peace to expostulate against
a rumored proposed attempt OF the colored
people to force the quarantine lines at the
town OF ST. Joseph. + am satisfied that such
was not the purpose, but that 1t had polti- |
cal object. / do not think the purpose was TO
kill or harm Fairfax, but do believe it was |
TO influence his course and the local campaign |
In the parish. The killing of Peck and the |
opinion, totally unexpected and attended by |
results which none Of the parties contem-
plated, and from which political considera-
ions utterly disappeared Just as soon as
,hese men were killed and wounded reports of
he same spread with astonishing rapidity
through Tensas and Concordia, and instantly
lrmed bodies OF colored men, evidently organ
zed prior thereto, moved from every direc-
ion to the scene OF the occurrence. Whilst
his was taking place the parish Judge of
Fensas who had been informed OF the circum-
stances Of Peck's death, issued a warrant for
he arrest Of Fairfax, who was charged with
having killed him. Instead OF either leay-
ng the parish, II he believed himself
bout to be wronged, or at once sur
to the authorities, who were
pursuing the forms OF law, Fairfax
with the large number OF
men who had assembled. some of whom