The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-05-24
m .,.,..c.. hiscoul. and crime

than The NS'n ~ s"VS''"' =" WV
community. This n.,d~ +" arg''>
nrn., and the investigating commit
tees 1T ,his House have Shown. not
~ the trs,;,u"n, "f others. bn' "n' 1T
the mouths IT this allie" and m't,ri-
ouS spawn III d--p"is". that they
are ali that il wi kc.t aud base.
WI" Tia, loves Inert, has forgot
ten the dark days "f "r""'ica" rule
in Louisiana, when the representa-
,iver "f the people were drive" ~
l,sy"n~ts from, seats |" the Lrg'S'a-
tire I" which they had bee" duly
elected +" give place +" ignorant aud
brutal plundp,e,~. Rut new charge.
"r rather n new count ri the lid
charge against our people is now I've.
ing made. II ia said hy nendaci""s
presses, and " .cl"~d "y equally
,n~ndacious persons in this Capitol,
that the c"Io,pd man is l~i"g driven
from Louisiana by oppression and
political persecution.
Nothing is easier, Mr.. Chairman,
than tor the Imagination to huild on
isolated cases a theory utterly false
in fact. At every corner ii this city
able. ls.lied c"l",ed men stretcl out
the hand ot mrndicancy with pitiful
tales M distress. There are more
negroes l~gging their bread between
the White House aud tho Capitol
than between Arkansas and the Gull
If MEXICO. Are these cries If suf
fering in these streets real and genus
inc ? If ~, j. it not the ,lnty "f those
gentlemen who are alluring the ne.
gro If Louisiana from his home
where h. can make subsistence,
even IL it be Il poor one--tO attend
rather to these cases before their own
eyes. at their very doors. On the
other hand. il the daily testimony Of
these bcggars, their aft repeated tales
Of woe, are ficiiOns. why sI'onld there
lie attached more credit to the echo Of
reports from distant and unknown
persons, generally given on hearsay,
self contradictory. aud IA stuprn,lons
in fabrication as tho Arabian Nights ?
We had a system "f labor which,
with all its faults. scared certain
large economic results aud most Of
the benefits Of civilization. War aud
philanthropy. whether zeal "r pre-
tended, swept it away. We did not
| stop to weep over the destruction Of
the slave system, hut set I" work to
re- establish order in socirty, to re-
build its foundations Ivy patience and
industry hut The United States Gov.
Q, nMent was in the hands "f mr,,
VII" kew nothing except how /" de-
nolish
Reconstruction was worse than the
destruction aud havoc Of war. There
came an army If licensed thieves
among us, iicked out ia the trap.
pings Of the law. paid from the pubs
lie funds, and labeled on The statute
books as governors, judges, attorneys.
or marsllals. They r,bbed ms and
demoraliz.,l our labor Systematically,
and then drrilcd ~ because we were
poor aud il'so,eanizrh 10y their own
wicked devices.
We admit our poverty and our dis
organization, and they will not lie.
part from ia until we ATE rid Of re.
publican misgove,nment. Even now
while We are struggling to restore out
fortunes, at the very moment our ,eo.
pie, straining their credit. are pitch
ing their crops, Il great agitation is
produced in the laboring class l,y the
scattering Of lying circulars among
the most ignorant I" induce them to
desert their homes and seek a new
land If Canaan.
Fortunately fos the c"lore,l man,
this movement is not likely to assume
large proportions. II it were 50,
should shu,l'ler ut the possible fate al
this unto, tnnate class of lab"rers
seduced from fields Of toll to which
they are trained and accustomed I,
localities where they will seek to
earn their bread at every possible
disadvantage aud I" exr"scd to the
keen competition Of the most indus
trious and energetic race in the world
before whose competition they arc
doomed to hopeless defeat aud the
beggary and vice which have always
followed their unsuccessful competi.
ton with white labor in northern
communities. -.
| In such a contest they must 60 t,
the wall, and none know this bette,
| than the political leaders in this city
who for personal and party ends have
inst,gated this negro exodus.
! Sir, 1t had been my intention I,
discuss to some extent the broader
issues before this committee. bu,
they have been already SO widely ant
so deeply argued that it would Ii
useless for me to occupy the time 0
the committee in doing 40.
The question is resolved into a mt
shell. II il this: Shall We repeal tn
test oath and have law that vii
give Us fair jaties : Shall We repea
an act passed by former Congress
authorizing the use of troops and a,
unlimited army If deputy marshall
and supervisors {" lie appointed b!
the party in power and to I've used a
the polls7 Or, in other words, sl,al
We have fair juries and flee election
as in times past The voice of tn,
nation demands that We shall, and
for ooo propose to cit here until tia
demand is complied with.
/ Mr.. Chairman, l am not here t
bid for the favor Of any section.
have 20 cheap patriotism for sale. 4
democrat, ! have never been an,
never shall become the soperservice
fable agent Of any organization ba
i claim that have "A hAneat a mr..