Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-04-02
The Bull-dOzAd Blacks.
ror,s,.vh DECLARED TO BE A REPUBLICAN,
srATE-coLoRED MEN LEAVING on ACCOUNT
OF OPPRESSION

OF OPPRESSION.
WAsHrscro-, March 30.-The Second Ex-
odus Committee to-day examined John c.
Lewis. coIored, resident of Natchitoches
Parish, La. and an ex-member of the Pack
ard Legislature. Mr.. Lewis began by stating
that the colored people in Louisiana have had
since 1874, "a very uphill road to travel
As Z race they are very jealous fthe political
and civil rights recently conferred upon them,
and whenever any of these rights are with
drawn or denied to them they naturally feel
discontenfed Their political rights he said,
had been denied them, and this was the prime
cause of the exodus. Another cause was I'M
fair treatment by the owners Of land and
merchants. Every possible advantage had
been taken Of them, and, feeling aggrieved
they had looked round for relief, and the only
soIace offered was TO emigrate. Seeing so
many colored people leaving, il was thought
best he said, BY influential colored men, to
sy.temaiize the movement. So a convention
was held for that purpose in New Orleans, in
April, 1879.
Referring TO the political causes Of the ex-
odus, the witness said that Louisiana was
republican If that vote could be got out, and
there was no law to reverse itlawfully. The
democrats, however, had reversed it unlaw-
fully. He then related the manner id which
he claimed that this reversal was accomplished
by the democrats in his parish, (Natchitoch-
CO. He said that in September, 1873. an or
ganization called the ''Twenty-ninth Associa-
ton was instrumental in effecting this re-
versal. They herded the blacks together, and
forced them to vote the democratic ticket.
Badges announcing that the wearers had vot-
ed the democratic ticket were pinned to the
apcls of their coats after voting, as a source
of protection from the mob patrolling the
streets, and these badges were far more po
tent than the arm Of the law. They drove
from the parish republican leaders for no
other reason than that they were influential
and popular with their friends. Witness
himself was driven away because he was
ganizng a republican club. White men had
TO leave their friends, their homes and their
country simply because they were popular
with the negroes and could control their
votes. Witness then read a series of joint
resolutions adopted by the democratic legis-
lature of Louisiana in April, 1877, and ap-
proved Of bv Gov. Nichols, which Endorsed
the policy Of President Hayes, promising the
execution of the said policy in Louisiana,
guaranteeing the enforcement Of the laws
rigidy and mpartially to the end that vio-
ence and crime might be suppressed and
promptly punished, and promised that the
bumblest laborer, of either color, should re-
ceive full and equal protection of the law in
person, property, political rights and privi-
cges. These promises of equity, justice, and
protection by the legislature, the witness said,
had not been kept. and the proof of it, he
thought was showing itself in the exodus.
Referring to President fIayess conciliatory
policy, he said the colored people were COM
petely demoralized by it. They expected
the Government would recognize Packard as
6overnor of louisiana If Packard had
been recognized the Nichols Government
would have dsbanded; as it was, just as
soon the Government withheld its support
the Packard Government disintegrated rapid
". because ut the seat of Government, where
the strife existed, public opinion and public
sentiment sustained the democrats. The
witness thought the exodus would continue
to increase, but that it would not assume
greater proportions to the West than hereto
fore, a great many would go to Texas and
the border. In the state of Texas, he said
there are great many German settlers, and
colored people have more faith in the liberty
loving Germans than in the white people of
Louisiana In Texas he thought the Ger
mans would allow them to vote as they
pleased, even if they did not vote as the Ger
mans might desire. The election of dem
ocratic President in 1880, witness thought
would create CONSERVATION among the colored
people of the South and they would endeav-
or to go, as they went to Kansas, pell-mell
anywhere they felt sure they would be treated
better than in the South.
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