The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-10

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wrong-in my opinion, utterly witho,,,
Justification and whilst attempted &c
be justified upon the ground that they went
In the interest Of 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 IL had poiti.
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
wounding OF the colored men was, In my
opinion, totally unexpected and attended by
results which none Of the parties contem-
plated, and from which political considera-
lions utterly disappeared. just as soon as
these men were killed and wounded reports OF
the same spread with astonishing rapIdity
| through Tensas and Concordla, and instantly
armed bodies OF colored men, evidently organ
lied prior thereto, moved from every direc-
tlon to the scene Of the occurrence. Whilst
this was taking place the parish Judge OF
Tensas, who had been informed Of the creum-
stances OF Peck's death, issued warrant for
the arrest OF Fairfax. who was charged with
having killed him. Instead Of either leav-
Ing the parish, IL he believed himself
about to be wronged, or at once sur
rendering to the authorities, who were
pursuing the forms OF law, Fairfax
remained with the large number OF
men who had assembled, some Of whom
were making the most horrible threats.
These threats produced feeling of terror
and apprehension in the parish, and with the
events which followed, In my opinion, politics
had nothing to do The situation will be I'M
derstood when say that Tensas Is parish
Of large territorial extent, with an exceed
ingly sparse white and very dense colored
population, the proportion being nearly as
ten to one In favor OF the latter, and that the
bodies OF armed colored men parading through
the parish are variously estimated from 1000
to 1000 men, whilst the whites seem to have
been totally unprepared. The fears enter
tanned by the latter Of general bloodshed and
pillage, am satisfied, were fully justified by
appearances, and were beyond question tho
roughly real. Their completely defenseless
condition demonstrates at once the folly and
wrong Of the original act which brought
about the situation, and also the fact that 1t
was unexpected. I cannot conceive that men
could wantonly and deliberately place the
lives and property of their fellow-citizens In
such peril as they were then in. Assistance
was Immediately called from neighboring
parishes, and when 1t came it found the peo-
pie OF Tensas, white and black, almost SOL
idly arrayed against each other.
1t needed but spark to ignite the train. and |
1t was given by the firing OF body Of eolored |
men upon party, under the parish Judge, |
proceeding to put an end to the armed de-
This fire was returned and |
from the best information can receive sew
eral persons were wounded, but none killed
The return fire caused the negroes to dis
perse In the meantime negro set fire to a
gin In the neighborhood of Waterproof, con-
tanning seventy bales OF cotton. 1t Is asserted
hat this was a preconcerted signal for a
general rally OF the colored people. This man
was afterwards, by some persons unknown,
ound and killed. This, together with the
Killing OF another negro, also by persons un-
Known and for cause unknown, were the
,nly lives taken at that time that / have
leard of.
The strife thus recklessly originated In the
PARISH OF Tensas spread to the parish OF Con-
ordla. Large bodies Of armed colored men
rom that parish hurried towards Tensas
md manifested their presence in various
'arts OF the parish.
An armed body of white men, acting under
warrant for the arrest Of Fairfax, who, 1t /
vas supposed, had passed into Concordia, en-
cred that parish for the purpose OF the exc I
ution OF the warrant, and whilst there some {
light or nine colored men were killed.
On the return Of the men from the adjacent .
arishes. who had gone to the assistance OF 9
ne whites, quiet was gradually restored and
verything Is now peaceable. The events of {
hose few days will, trust, serve as lesson i,
ut OF which possibly good may ultimately Q
ONE. 1t may teach those who lightly engage &
! acts tending to such terrible consequences l
D halt before again venturing In that direc-
on, and 1t must necessarily result In array 3
,g solidly against such persons those who 7
ave at heart the well-being OF the COM 1
unity. do not know how far steps for the :
unishment Of those persons who brought Q
bout this condition will be successful. Po- a
tically, the officers OF the district In which 9
ensas Is situated are Republican. the dis a
let judge and district attorney being OF that +
arty. / had intended going in person to t
'veral other points where 1t Is said violence t
IS occurred. Circumstances over which 1 p
I'd no control have delayed and prevented 8
e. q
FINANCE. q
The condition of the general fund of the a
ate has not been as favorable during the q
ar 1878 as during 1877. The quantum OF y
elections has been inadequate to meet the cl
arrants as drawn under the appropriations Il
ais state OF affairs has led to considerable 81
'rdship and loss. It results in some meas Of
e from the slowness Of collections attribute tt
> to the epidemic and the arrangement OF p'
siness caused by it. But it is more largely 81
e to the fact that the last General Assem- M
Y reduced the general fund tax by one and SO
Ii mills, e., from four mills to two and half th
lis, and made no corresponding reduction re
appropriations. This cause, as we'll as the 81
luction OF licenses then made for the future, nj
9 founded upon the revenue expected to be an