Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-24
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Organization to Prevent Intermar-
riage of Whites and Blacks.
From the Ne1o York Sun.

From the Ne'o York Sun.
NEW ORLEANS. Sept. 20.-A practical
movement has been inaugurated In BOs-
sier parish, in this State, for the abolition
OF miscegenation. There have been dur
ing the past year or so several spasmodic
efforts in this direction. both in Louisiana
and Mississippi. Self-constituted vigi-
lance committees have warned white men
with negro wives and mistresses to leave
them and lead a regular lite, and when
this failed have ridden through the par
ish, severely whipping botn men and wO-
men who disObeyed this order. In Mis-
sissippi there were several arrests, con-
victions and sentences in violation of the
law prohibiting intermarriage between,
the races, and in Louisiana one man was
severely cut in a scrimmage arising from
this movement. But these anti-mlscege-
nation raids were spasmodic, the freaks
of a few wild young men. The present
movement is more serious and more gen.
eral, and is a thorough and practical
organization, like that of the Prohibition
lists, to break up miscegenatlon.
The first meeting was held in Bossier
parish in July, where the subject was
generally discussed, and adjourned over
to this month TO find the drift OF public
opinion. 1t was found that public senti-
ment among the whites was well nigh
unanimous on the subject. The recent
meeting held at Cottage Grove, in the up
per portion OF Bossier parish, was the re.
suit. There was no secrecy or mystery
about il, 1t was an open mass meeting,
in which all the people Of the neighbor-
hoOd-farmers, clergymen and others
assem- bled. The meeting was opened
with prayer and presided over by a cler-
gyman. The resolutions were of the
strongest character. Those guilty OF
miscegenation were threatened vita So
cial boycott, and warned that they were
insulting the race feelings and moral
principles OF the community. But the
gist of the meeting was the appointment
of vigilance committee of nineteen to
serve notices on these white men living
with negro WOmen-the vlgilants were
not instructed as TO what they should do
II this warning is unheeded-and the ap-
pOintment of another committee to assist
in the organization Of anti miscegenatlon
societies in other parishes in the State.
THIS plan OF operations is warmly SUD-
ported by the press. The BOssier Banner
declares that race purity must he pre-
served at all hazards, the line must be
sharply and distinctly drawn, and those
who cross 1t must pay the penalty. The
RObeline Reporter, OF NatchitOchea, edit
ed by the father of the present Attorney
General OF the State, approves the idea.
AS this sentiment prevails in most of
the Delghboring parishes, it Is thought
that the present organization, by givinga
start TO the anti-miscegenatiOn sentiment
which in this part OF the State Is now
stronger than the anti-lquOr sentiment
it Will spread through North Louisiana if
not into the neignboring States of Missis-
sippi, Texas and Arkansas. There is no
law In Louisiana against the intermar-
riage or cohaDItation of races, this pro-
hibition, which was strongly urged by
many persons, being voted down in the
late Constitutional Convention, but mis-
cegenatiOn is growing rarer every day, IN
Difference to the strong public sentiment
on this point.