The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-09-30

r +
and that Thousand men would assem-
BILE at Sabine at sunrise the following
morning with Wiuchpsters and shot
guns to carry their point. He stated
that the gentlemen composing the
committee were influential and con-
servative citizens of Sabre parish,
Mr.. Afford being his uncle, MIR. Sib-
lev his brother-in-law, and Mr.. Peters,
prominent and conservative man.
All of these gentlemen agreed that in
view of the inhamatorv reports which
had been circulated throughout the
parish, the more irresponsible class of
citizens could not be controlled, and
if the friends of the amendment per-
sisted in holding the meeting, blood.
shed would surely follow and families
being divided on this question, the
strife would be most deplorable ani
disastrous to the prosperity of the par
ish.
Upon these representations Mr..
Presley promptly decided to postpone
the barbecue until the minds of the
people could be disahused Of the false
impressions made by the rumors, and
he gave the committee note 70 his
friends in Many requesting them to
distribute the meat aud bread among
the people of the town and to aban-
don the idea of holding the barbecue
for the present. Mr.. Presley stated
to US that the money to defray the er-
penses of the barbecue was contribu-
ted by citizens of Sabine parish, and
he would publish their names in the
r next issue of his paper. He said that
the statement regarding the band Of
armed men from Natchitoches parish
was ridiculous mistake on the part
, of the people of Sabine, and could
! only have been inspired by designing
politicians. The fact of the matter
9 was the Natchitocbes brass band had
been engaged to furnish the music
for the occasion, and that fact har
been advertised by means of posters
0 which were scattered all over the par
: ish. This fact was the basis for tht
+ report that an armed hand from Nat
chitoches were to enter Sabine parish
"When our party arrived at Robe
: line Mr.. Presley informed us that tn
e barbecue had been postponed and tn
# preparations for it discontinued, AM
in order to prevent any misapprehen
sion as to our position we requeste'
him to put his statement in writing
. which he did, as follows:
y "RoBEL1NE, La, Sept. "a. 1891.
y M sssrs. j. w. sandiford, R. H. Snyder
I. A. Marshall, and others:
"Gcntlemen Our friends have cor
cluded to postpone the holding of tn
;. barbecue and public meeting at Man
10 on tomorrow, the 25th inst. Certai
uufnunded .rnmors have caused ba
feeling to exist between those favor
ing the amendment, free speech an
N free thought, and their opponents
and as both sides were determined
we therefore concluded, in order
prevent further animosities and es
citement, to postpone the meetiu
y until some future occasion when tn
j. false impressions shall have been II
moved. This conclusion was reaohe
= when it was too late to notify yo,
Hoping that you have suffered no il
10 convenience from your visit here, an
ID that we will soon have the pleasul
to of meeting you at some future time,
1t am, yours, respectfully,
g S. 9. PRESLEY"
VI "And we replied as follows:
"RoBEL1NE, La, Sept. "a, lS9
'g rs. G Presley, Esq:
to "Dear Sir-Your letter just receive
informing US Of the postponement
the public meeting and barbecue
r. Many on tomorrow.
:. - eve regret that these unfound'
'i rumors have been circulated throug
e' a. out Sabine parish to unduly excite al
-. - prejudice many of. yonr good cltize
10 aud cause state of feeling betwe'
g friends and..neighbors that would. LEI
to serious ana unpleasant results
this time should the public meetil
Is, be held.
nd "You gentlemen who give the bs
'ss becue and invited speakers to atten
of course, must have control OF t
N, affair. In the future we will be pl
re pared to accept an invitation to me
't- rhe good people of Sabine aud d
tn cuss the issues of the day.
In "Yours sincerely,
We - w. SANDIFoRD,
A. "R. H. SNYDER, JR.,
he "'r. A. MARSHALL, JF
I'd "Prominent citizens called on us
wn the hotel at Robeline and express
81, their regret at the unfortunate occ'
I'D renee, and stated that as soon as