Year: 1876




furiously up to his house, warning
him to appear Immediately at cer-
tain point with his shotgun, rs the
..njrgers were aiming aud preparing
70 massacre all the white people, ana
we must defend ourselves! !" lie new
er obeyed this warning, for AZ thH'
very moment his own negroes were
at work or skulking in the woods 10
keep frcm being killed. He says all
the stories of negroes arming, ne
groes marching on the town" etc.
were simply lies gotten up to cover
varlike demonstrations against
peaceable and docile people in furth-
erance of the plan to c:rry the elec-
liOn.


Right in the busy season the bull
dozers would ride through his plant
alton, throwing down fences. and lea
wing them down. looking for negroes
whom they had driven from their
cabins. and who woulG hide between
the cotton rows for protection. The
terrorism was so complete that his
hands finally slept in the woods ev-
cry night, coming out every morning,
working every day, and returning to
the woods at night. The blacks upon
the ueighboring plantations were no
better off. He knew of two Instances
of negroes vino were forced TO join
the Democratic clubs. They after
ward attended Republican meeting.
The bulldozers made an example OF
these 10 terrify the rest. One they
shot dead as he was coming To town
upon load of wood. The other they
took from his catin at night and shot
him to death in the presence Of his
family.


The story of these horrible outrages
I could not believe did l not have
corroboration from an entirely differ
ent source. There is little doubt in
nv mind about it. | have tried to
doubt, but cannot. The horrible sto-
rv is too well authenticated. Other
wise | should never give it currency.


4 After the election he hoped for a
cessation of the reign Of terror. But
matters grew worse. Having carried
! the election by such outrageous means
the whites set about getting up testi-
mony TO the fact that the election was
in all respects fair and peaceful, and
all men voted their sentiments!


Being a justice of the peace, be
he was called upon to swear the
blacks to affidavits that they voted
the Democratic ticket freely and
without constraint! These affidavits
were in printed form, and were for
transmission to New Orleans for the
use of the Democratic committee. He
says that the poor blacks did not
want to swear any such thing, but
were forced to, or rather that their
fears were so played upon that they
dare not refuse. Out of 150 that he
took thus i'm one day, he is confident
that $50 will swear that they did not
want to sign their affidavits. But
what were they to do? They were
upon the land of the Democrats. They
had nowhere to 60. They must come
under the political yoke and accept
the situat on. The great Republican
party, which they love as the Christ
ian his God, does not protect them
They are left to stand alone. and they
cannot stand


He says he knows of two blacks
who were made to swear they voted
the Democratic ticket freely and with
out constraint who hadn't t voted it al
all. but, In fact, had voted the Re-
publican.


Another one said to him privately.
ut is two miles from where | live to
the woods. My bOss-naming him
says if do not swear to that affidavit
| [ cannot have his oxen and wagon to
haul my wood this winter. cannot
carry the wood so far. l have no
team of my own. No land to work
except what he gives me. So shall
have to sign, but / would rather be
whipped :"


And these affldavits will be submit
ted to Congress and the North as an
evidence that the Louisiana blacks
voted the Democratic ticket freely
and without constraint! Do you
doubt the geDuineness of their con
version? Behold the affidavits!


Meantime matters got warmer and
warmer for this planter. AT one d
the swearing meetings a resOlute
black man (whose name l have) after
the statement had been read over tC
him several times, said, 81 don't
want TO sign that. can't sign it,
The justice told him not to do it then,
This created much additional preju-
dice against him. He was reported as
O hindrance to our cause Presently
a delegation, most of them stranger:
20 him, waited upon him with long
statement for him to sign to the effec
that the election in that parish was il
every way peaceable and quiet; tha
there was no intimidation, and thai
every maa voted his honest senti
ments. He firmly but politely refused
to sign. They did not threaten him
but there was something in their de-
meanor and in the very air which
foreboded danger. He left the parish
the same day. and says he will never
return there to live. He fears nothing
from his immediat neighbors. They
would not injure him, and would re-
pret TO have him injured, but the bru.