The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-12-17
ARRANT JAOKAssEs.

In many places throughout the
South there is a set or element 10
the community that does more to-
ward retarding its growth and de-
velopment than short crops. lack Of
railroad facilities. or any other draw
back that can be named. Louisiana
has her full share Of this eleiheot.
We refer to the chaps who think !,
smart 10 bulldoze the negroes. whose
chief glory is IN having ".hnmpped"
some id sassy niger" The Soon
er these fellows learn that q negro
has as much right to be sassy aud
impndent MS they themselves have.
the better it will be for AL concerned.
The negro in the equaiof the white
ruan, in the eyes Of the law, and no
amount Of staggering can make The
fact any lessa fact lbat lie mag be-
ten thousand tunes below tue white
man in the social scale, cuts no figure
in the eyes OF the law. Another fact,
which We desire to name IA this con
nection, is that the negro is seldom
disposed to be ut all impndent or slls-
agreeable unless he has been nggra-
vated beyond endurance by the over
bearing and imposition VI some uu-
principled white man.
We have been led to the foregoing
remarks by the following c,rcum-
stance, which occurred in our neigh
boring parish of Cataboula. aud
which goes to show how seriously
$, .ch lawlessness may effect u COM
munity
Tie Rev. Gutheim aud Mr.. Sinsds
had secured thirty-two families fol
colonization gu Sicily leland IN Cata-
houla parish, aud these immigrants
bad got as Tar as New Orleans. when
they were told that life and property
were unsafe where they were going
that men were killed and whipped by
iDobs in that parish aud the authori-
ties failed to arrest aud prosecute
the perpetrators of such outrnges.
Upon hearing these accounts the i'm
migrants derlined to go further. aud
they were only prevailed on to do 50
after they had been assured by Gov.
McEuery that such occurrences were
isolated, that law and order prevailed
in that parish, that its citizens were
1 refined aud educated. aud they would
see the laws executed. ~
| This occurrence seems to have
caused qnite stir among the good
people Of Catahouln. and they have
bad meeting and adopted the fol-
lowing document. which q signed BY
the chairman Of the meeting and for
ty other citizens:
SIcuS Island, LOUISIANA, I
November II, 1851. :
! We the propertybuIders. taxpa, ers
and citizens Of Sicily Island, Cata-
houla parish, La, IN view of the dis
turbed state of affairs in cur midst,
being law-abiding people and invok-
ing the majesty Of the law. aud =
| sNHEREAs, LaboreFs have been re-
peatedly threatened that they would
be- shot, hung. burnt out, taken ont
ut night, AM. whereas the laborers
ara afraid to hunt their stock 10 the
woods, are AFRAID Of night visits b.
lawless parties. and are afraid of in
jnry If they make affidavit against
the parties who seek to run them
away from their homes and iujur~
them; now, therefore, as this condi
ton of tbings has existed 30 l0ug iu
|, our midst, aud before being driver,
to extreme measures, we do hereby
solelnnly protest and euter this OR
protest against all aud every iswless
act, aud we do guarantee to each and
every one who wnl make y luIl state
mrnt Of the party or parties CONCERN
ed III threatening :he life. or in any
other WAY interfering with p-aceablr
hnbnrers engaged in their honest Ia:
burs. n,ght Or day. to protect them
land cause tile arrest Of Such gnIliy
parties immediately. and their pun
'shment by law
AND. be it distinctly understood, il
our laws are so that they cannot pro-
rect as. or will not then, we, recog-
n,zing the principle that 'self pro-
lection is the first law Of nature" will
; protect ourselves, our rights and ous
I 81 ~ vsouA sIxxx