The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1881-09-14
TOBIAS ssDROPS US A LINE" FROM
COLFAX.
CoLFAx, La. !
Sept. II, '81.(

Lear DenlOcf1t-
The time has been when if l was
in Colfax would have been asham.
ed to have acknowledged it, but all
that is past. Behold the changing
hand of Time! Contrast yesterdays
peaceful, quiet, happy Sabbath with
that other Sabbath-that awful Eas
ter Sunday of 1873, and say who has
told US a wiser truth than thai
Heavens first law is Order" Vile
presumptuous man may for while
stir up strife, confusion and disor
der, but the processes Of Time vii
sooner or later bring him under sub
lection to the law.
A TOWN WITH A HISTORY.
Before the war the Calhouns had
amassed fortune and absorbed land
until they had here property worth
the ransom of King. Nine thou.
sand acres of open cultivated land in
one solid body, and one thousand
slaves to do their bidding, yielded
them a princely revenue, the like OF
which we read in romance nova.
days. After the war, with slaves all
free, there was a decided change in
their condition. The Radical Legis-
lature of 1859 at the request of the
heirs made the Parish of Grant out
OF the territory of Rapides and Winn
and located Colfax on one of their
plantations. Then began that strug
gle between the elements of disorder
and the law of nature which culmi
mated in the "Colfax Riot" and
which served to write in blood upon
the pages OF history the oft taught
lesson that the Anglo Saxon Will
not be the slave of an inferior race.
TIE BEGINNING OF THE END.
1t was from the trial of the Grant
Parish prisoners in the United States
Court at New Orleans that I trace
the beginning Of the downfall of
Radicalism in this State. The judg
ment of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the case of the Uni
ted States VS.. William j. Crulkshank
ct ais, denying the jurisdiction of any
but the State Courts over such often
ces was a death blow to Radicalism.
Easter Sunday, 1873, and the 14th
Of September, 1874, are marked
epochs in the downfall of its power
in Louisiana. For its baptism in
blood and its conservation by fire we
owe thanks to this youngest of
our Towns with history of it's own.
AS 1T is TO-DAY.
The visitor to Colfax now finds a
oeaceable, orderly little Town of
perhaps one hundred and fifty inhab
tants, doctors, lawyers, officers, mer.
chants and few gentlemen of ele-
CANT leisure, stretching itself along
The bank of Red River from opposite
The mouth of Cane River down and
or three blocks back, with some nice
dwellings,, many hospitable, kind
hearted people who daily talk of
heir hopes of the growth of their
Town to metropolitan proportions
fhe Town has been kept back by the
'uinous, selfish policy or the owners
If the land who will not sell lots and
Who seem to be determined to retard
ind stay its growth all they can.-
)ne may go further and fare worse
han at Colfax. They are talking
low of tap to the railroad four
niles away on the other side of the
liver.
THE CoLFAx LYCEUM.
| found this institution of which /
lad heard through the Chronicle in
ull blast, with full list of active
members and quite a respectable Ii
'rary of its own. I had the pleasure
# attending its session in the after
loon of yesterday and was highly
entertained with the impromptu
eadings and other exercises. The
venerable Doctor Deal gave US ''The
Noble Savage" according to Dick
'ns' idea of him, in forcible and ell
giant way all his own. Counsellor
Thorpe read 'What My Lover Said''
md another selection, and Counsellor
Vickliffe gave us SHARK Twain at
he Grave Of ADAM" The gentle
men Of Colfax have set an example
hat we of our more pretentious
Town might follow with profit and
'erhaps with pleasure, if we could
'e assured of the harmony that pre-
'ails with them.