Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1879 — Work of the Teller Committee. [ARTICLE]

Work of the Teller Committee.

The Teller Committee went to New Orleans to ascertain the truth of charges as to intimidation and fraud at the elections last fall. It had been charged that Republican leaiders in Natchitoches, Tensas and other parishes in Louisiana had been driven from mnne just previous to the election, and that their Republican followers had been in some cases shot down, and in others threatened and maltreated. Faced by these charges, the Democrats, after the election, pronounced them the exaggerated stories of frightened negroes or unprincipled carpet-baggers. They admitted the shooting in the cases of Fairfax and others, but claimed that the causes were to be found outside of politics. Among the first witnesses called by the Teller Committee were three ex- . Confederate. neither negroes nor carpet-baggers, but natives of the South, and identified with Southern interests. These gentlemen served through the war in the Second Louisiana Regiment, and, doubtless, saw enough of service to understand whether men who fired pistols in people’s faces meant business, or were only in fun. These men have been Republicans since 1871, and, like Gen. Longstreet, have been earnest in the expression df their opinions. It was not claimed that these, men were bad citizens. l lt was simply charged that they were Republicans; and that they advised the colored men to cut loose from the Democrats and vote the Republican ticket. On this charge they were arraigned by. an armed mob, and ordered to leave the country until after election. Refusing to obey the order, they were hunted down like criminals, and were finally driven from the parish. The witnesses testified that this method of proceeding against leading Republicans and property owners was

very comffioft, aad that f the reason given in every case was that the Democrats proposed to allow no interference with their plans. They desired the colored men to vote the Demo|praUc ticket, and Republicans who advised them to vote otherwise were ino-Adiarieeand must either agree to say toothing or leave the country. The story of the Fairfaxwrngedy, in Tenaas Parish, was told byveral witnesses, and the sworn testimony makes it worse than did the ne’ropapcr reports. Fairfax, an upright man, and a Republican, at^c^ ed »‘".J 11 . 8 house by Capt Feci and' jiis Regulators. The Feck party surrounded the house and opened fire oO urep, w«wen and children. The fire vuas returned by the friends of Fairfax, anJ , the assaulting party retired. Capt. Feckwas tilled,, and, anjbng (he /new! fhets brought out by the committed ij statement that he was killed by Bisfcwn men. Fairfax was an flftcenjli<i(J’££ That is to say, he was an influential, upright man, and. the Republican . candidate for Congress." THe object bf the attack on his house wap to drive him from the country. He acted as would Ben Hill, or Mr. Lamar, nr even Mr J Watterson, under like circumstances, and. declining to go, resolved to defend his home. Not until feet was shot down did his family and friends turn on the assailants, and, with a bravery that would have made an equal number of white men fantous, drove the Democratic bull-dozers from the ;fiejd.' liTlxii unexpdbtßd; insult afouSbcTthi Vflmlfy, an<r -rtflu clubs" from other parishes and from otherStates hurried to Tensas. Then, as one of the witnesses explains..the killing of negroes began. They were hunted.from the brush and,woods, and over eighty ivere shot down, asjtiough they had been so manyi hogs.’ ’jUiey were not guilty of any crime, nor were say theywere §nd followers of Fairfax. They were tenacious about voting the llupublioqn ticket and a little stubborn about leaving home. The facts as andpturdcr Game out in the committee's investigation in such a way as to make them more startling and unpressiye than when they appeared in telegraphic dispatches. For the first time the story is told connectedly by the participants and also the sufferers. This is only the beginning. The story of |raud in South Ca.’“°l> na an< l Alabama is to ediuelater, and au? on ff tlie witnessed 1 will bq many pY-(lnnfen.' > rates and Independent Democrats — Inter-Ocean.