Year: 1878

rate the incidents attending the late viola


ton of the compact between the President


and the government now in control of the


State in virtue of the compact alone. We


call it a violation of the compact becaus


it was made by the State authorities on


behalf of the party and the people VIII ich


it represented. The statement of Mr..


Blunt is succinctly this: That meetin G


of Republicans, colored and white, was


held in the town of Natchitoches on the


same day, with meeting of the Demo-


cratic parish committee; that the proceed


ings Of the Republican meeting were con-


fined to the election of officers of the


parish committee, and that speeches were


made by white and colored Rep ublicans


on usual and legitimate objects of po-


litical campaign, bat that no word of op-4
position to the laws, or threat OF violence


was used. That after the adjourn ment


and separation of this meeting, he " ent


to his home on his own property, in the


town of Natchitoches, where there was no


other person than himself, his wife,


daughter and his sister. That when


leaving the meeting he had no fear what


ever of any personal violence; that about


two o'clock in the evening there came to


his house more than two hundred men,


who demanded that he (Blunt) should


come out of his house; that upon being


told by his family that he was not there,


the men broke open the locked doors and


searched for him throughout the building,


at first without success, but subsequently


ascertained his place Of concealment be-


tween the floor and rafters of the upper


story. He was then summoned to sur


render. That upon his refusal to do SO he


was told that guard would be stationed
around his house, and that he would be
starved out Being armed with q rife
and revolvers, he had resolved on des-
perate resolution, when the man who
seemed to be the spokesman or command
er of the party told him that if he would


come down and surrender not hair of


his head should be harmed. That un-


willing to trust this assurance, he, Blunt,
refused to surrender, when the same man
stated to the armed men the promise made
to him, Blunt, and then addressing the


men said, ''ell who are in favor of keeping


this promise made to Blunt will make it


known by saying aye. That there was


a general vote of ''aye." It was then added,
) by the same man, ''an who are op posed to


keeping the promise will make it known
by voting no" No one voted in the
: negative. That he, Blunt, seeing no
chance between beeing starved out or
! shot, decided to surrender. He was then
= taken, held by both arms, and in the


midst of armed men. was marched to the
! ! courthouse, where he was kept under


guard by armed men. About one or two
z o'clock in the evening news arrived that
the colored people, greatly excited, were
! marching to the rescue of Raford Blunt;
: that the prisoner was told to use his in
fiuence to prevent their advance; that he
a disclaimed any knowledge of or RESPONSE
bility for this movement, but sent young
: man who returned with a report that he


could find no body of armed men; that a


second alarm having occurred, he, Blunt


at his request, sent another messeng er,


who, on his return, was struck over the


head with gun and SO wounded that q
i doctor attended to the wound. This mes
IS senger said he was coming to tell them
:. that the people whom he saw were goine G
s away. That subsequent report having
l. come in, he, Blunt was told that if the
10 colored people advanced he would bt
10 killed. He reminded the speaker that he
(, Blunt had surrendered under a promise
If of personal safety. That at the suggestion
1, of his guard the prisoner sent his wife
ss accompanied by friend, to the coloret
le people, and that upon her assuran ces anC
IS solicitation these people disp Tha


be, Blunt, was told by those who had hin
! under guard that his political infuenc
! with the negroes was considered danger


Gus; that this was a white man s countr.
D. and no Radical rule would be allowed
n He was then required to prom Use that b
Ill would quit the parish, his State and th
ID United States. In reply he stated tina

n these were hard terms, but that he woul
wv comply with them. He asked two o
lie three days to take care of his property
I'D provide for his family, and prepare 70
90 90 going away for good. In reply he wa
n told that he could not be allowed to die
n tate to them. He was then marched :


his house, which he found open and i


disorder He had taken brief leave {
liy his wife and daughter at the cou rthous'
~ and they now put up for him som
- clothing He had little mon ey, som


nineteen dollars, His horse was brougt
&. to the door, and at between midnight an


one o'clock on his day of capture he lei
Is, his home midst guard of mounted mer
,ly who accompanied him for about mil
w beyond the limits of the town. That


this point they halted, and with som
7s. friendly expressions from some OF tt


men, who shook hands with him, he 81
by out to comply with this order. Tbs
hs Ile feeling in danger of his life, he very 500
a uuitted the main roads and made his wa