St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-07-10
OF
STATE.

The Clarion learns with pleasure
that the candidacy Of Sheriff NJ. L.
Swords for the Office Of Secretary Of
tie State is meeting with support
and encouragement throughout the
State.
1t was not necessary that Sheriff
Swords of st Landry should have been
introduced formally to the people of
Louisiana. The very mention of his
name was sufficient to launch his can
didacy and to have the prominent
Democrats of Louisiana take him into
serious consideration. They well re-
member his many battles for the
Democratic party; they well know his
f-earlessness and his devotion to the
principles Of White Supremacy and
Democracy; they well know his stall
wartness to friends and party.
knowing, and remembering, these
things, it IS not surprising that so
many Of the simon-pure warehouses; of
Democracy should have at once taken
up The gauntlet for Swords.
70 review Mr.. Swords political his
tory would be quite a difficult task.
From the age Of majority he has been
constant and alert in the politics Of
the parish, for many years without
reward. asking for none and being
satisfied to be allowed to fight for
what he considered good and right.
he first came into prominence in the
a~nti-Iottery campaign in this parish,
being selected chairman Of the Dem
ocratic Executive committee Of the
pariah-that is, chairman of the anti
lottery wing, for the party was split
ID Sc. Landry at that time. The
campaign was bitter and fierce, but
ehe a%nti-lottery people managed it 50
we'll and intelligently that st. Landry
is On record as polling the banner
vote of the State for the a~nti-lottery
candidate for Governor-1730, ma
iority!
Swords was made assessor and
registrar Of the parish, and again
Bis determined and uncompromising
lighting nature came to the front.
The campaign Of 1896 was even more
memorable than that of 1892. It
was the campaign that lighted the
torch of White Supremacy in
louisiana and that era of the white
man had it's birth in st. Landry, and
nd mar on earth could have contri-
buted more to the happy elimination
Ehan M. L. Swords.
Not only did he take his life in his
hands in going throughout the parish,
whore negroes we're huddled up to
register, but we're in most instances
prevented either by some timely
move of Swords, or by armed bands,
but rather than register negroes in
0pelousas he peeped from behind
prison bars for several days, a volun-
tary prisoner. His enemies had
caused his arrest for disturbing negro
registration, and to their surprise in
stead Of furnishing bond, he went to
jail. knowing that with the registrar in
jail the registration of negroes had to
stop. The militia was here in charge
of the square, and negroes were being
hauled in every imaginable convey
auce-from high officials buggies
to cane carts-into 0pelousas to
register under the protection of the
militia. But the registrar was in
jail. and notwithstanding that his
enemies plead with him to permit
them to go on his bond, he persist
emily refused. saving IF my friends
cant get me out. / will not accept
favors from my enemies Of course
Ia had passed the word to his friends
not to bond him out.
His success as leader of men made
hisn al iavineibe candidate for Sheriff
~ 1900. There was considerable
disposition il the ranks of his own
friends to "sidetrack' him, but he
announced that he was a candidate
for Sheriff and went in and won.
Now the Office belongs to him-three
times has be been triumphantly elect
cd Sheriff, and . point has been
reached now chat il would not be an