The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-01-01

In a conversation with a CRITIC reporter re.
Gently about affairs In the sunny South,
with gentleman from that part OF the
country who 70 well.posted on Its politics, the
lattor said.
"By tho way, do you know the true history
OF Kelloggs defeat FOR Congress2"
emo" reel pended the reporter, T have read
great deal about II, but ind It's mostly
honrsay."
"Mr. Keloggs defeat" resumed the other,
'in the Third Congressional District OF Loulsi.
ane, was preceded and foreshadowel by an
exhibition OF campaign hocus-pocus In the
spring local elections In his district. Tho con.
.test on that occasion was over the judgeship,
and the territory involved formed part OF Mr..
Kellogg's district; In fact It included the most
potent and reliable Republican strongholds
thereof. The parlshes OF IBERIA ana st. Martin
are thickly- populated Creole regions, and
they present the spectacle-rare In the South
OF white community almost evenly divided
on party questions. In that bucolic nelghoor-
hood the Republicans are Just as respectable,
Just as wealthy, Just as ready TO fight as the
Democrats; and, with the negro thrown 10,
ihoy arc good deal more numerous. iberia
and ST. Martin became the reproach and the
despair OF the dominant party OF the State.
"Regularly aud unblushlngly they rolled
upiRepuDllcan majOrltles at every recurring
election. Bulldozlng wouldn't work, because
the Creole Republican was quite as nimble
with his shotgun as the Creole Democrat
Ostracism possessed no terr0rs, for the RepuD-
llcans had as good society as the Democrats.
BallOtboX stunning did NOT commend itself as
sHluorious pastlme, with cloud OF Ca
diau cowboys looking on and spelling for q
skirmsh. Yet something had to DO done.
Tho local Democrats were losing caste. Party
leaders IN the heavy negro parishes further
north, such rs Texas aud Madison I'm Gen.
eral J. Floyd Kings district, where, with only
n fat q nf Ipu az
more thousands OF colored Republicans, they
smiliDgly Mnded their ticket every timc by
5000 10 $500 maiority-party leaders In
those gifted localities began to point the I'M.
ger OF scorn at recreants tame and mean
spirited enough 10 submit TO mere numerical
superiority. The brethren from iberia and st.
Mai tin came to be treated as poor and not
wholly reputable relations. At party feasts
they were seated below tho salt. Generally
they quoted low uponsthe market, and were
sad and desperate IN consequence.
"When the spring OF 1884 rolled around,
and the contest for tho iudgeship came on, the
Democratic leaders resolved 10 make bold
stroke for victory. The Republican candidate
was Fontelieu, already Incumbent; a man OF
good standing and family, OF established per
sonai courage, and Of the most pr95nounc GEO
Gates, who, In the days OF Republican SUI
pIemacy, had been q fervent Republican, but
who changed his politics when the State
coterie who had set up the Job no human being
credited Gates with half chance. His oppO.
hbDl Wub lub III bNeTy way anu ub
was backed by a majority who couldn't be
| bullied or ca1Oled by any OF the then known
methods. Election day came, and, as every
body expected, the Republicans arose 8s one
| man and voted for FOntelleu. Late In the
| afternoon the boxes were closed and then the
count began, BY o o'clock every box included
In the election proclamation had been footed
up and n crestfallen Democrat mot in the
| eecreD sent 10 New Orleans The despatring
message, 'Fontelieu wins by eight hundred
II was at this iuncturo that the trap was
I sprung and the transformation sCens brought
| on,
| hearts over another crushing downfall, and
| the Republicans were painting the barrooms
/ red with waesail, q solitary horseman might
have been seen canterlng down the st. Martins
| Vile road and making his way TO election head.
| quarters. He was an untutored child OF the
| Attakapas and he smelt OF catfish, but he sat
upon HE mustang proudly for, gripped In his
upon the published programme, yet one which
| fitted the situation like gQB de suede
The had come from the bowling swamp
| some thirty miles away to the Northeast
| from Bayou Pigeon, the lonellest and most
| desolate part thereof. Bayou Pigeon is Que OF
network OF streams which cut into a thou
| known aB the Atchatalaya swamp. II is a tor
| ritory peopled only by alligatOrs. 1t Is an.
nually submerged from four to twenty feet
sippi. During the fall aud early winter the
| lumbermen set up their camps and cut
timber In great quantities. In the spring,
/
| and float out their RATS TO the saw mills of
| the Teche. AT the time OF the election referred
| to the whole Bayou Pigeon country was under
water At the best of times 1t is about as de-
| sirable for q residence and about as densely
| populated as the Florida Everglades.
| "Yet this ssimple, transformations oadieu
| hung his pony to a swinging limb, and,
| 10 the Democratic managers disclosed a
| box which he had brought that night from
Bayou Pigeon, and which contained the vote
| OF that populous and thriving precinct. Alone
he third the bosky ma2es OF the swamp,
| sometimes by pirogue down the Pigeons hur.
| rytng stream, sometimes on foot ana last
| upon the stolen plug without. But he had
| come, aud with him victory; for in that box,
go hardly borne by flood and field, were
| found-as VIC are sinful worms thirteen Inn.
dTed honest Democratic UOtesi no less, no more
thirteen hundred votes for Gates; none for
| Fontelieu. There were no Republican ALI
| gators In Bayou Pigeon swamp that day; they
were solid for Democracy and reform,
"And this is true history OF the manner In
| which KellogR's district was wrestod from the
| Phillsiines and handed over 10 the party OF
sweetness and light. By the time.the Novem-
| Der elections came the finishing touches had
been put upon the district. The Governor OF
the State sent the militia over there early IN
the summer to quell the noisy remonstrancea
| OF the Republicans. Later, q we'll aimed vol
ley into Kellogg barbecue disposed of eigh
teen undesirable voters and, finally, the now
rampant Democratic chiettans conceived and
executed the happy thought OF putting Fonte
| lieu and all the rest OF the prominent Repub
licRns Into jail and keeping them there, with
out a hearing, until after the election. IL
fact, It is scarcely necessary 10 dwell upor
| Rellogg's defeat. AS the gentleman who
brought in the Bayou Pigeon box would say
'Oa "a sans dire""
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