Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II, Part 30

Author: Fortier, Alcee, 1856-1914, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Association
Number of Pages: 1326

USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 30

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The New Orleans Times was started in 1863, while the country was in the throes of civil war, and the Democrat was established in 1875 in the days of reconstruction. In 1879 a syndicate headed by Maj. E. A. Burke purchased the Democrat and the following year Mr. Burke became sole owner of the paper. In Dec., 1881, he bought the Times and consolidated the two papers under the name of the New Orleans Times-Democrat, which is now one of the best known papers in the South, issuing daily and semiweekly editions. Page M. Baker and Norman Walker are the present editors.

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Prior to the Civil war a number of papers were established at various points in the state outside of the city of New Orleans. The Planters' Intelligencer was founded at Alexandria in 1827 by R. Smith. The Alexandria Gazette was established a year or two later by Smith & McCoy. In 1838 Louis Zimm started the Red River Republican at Alexandria, the first Democratie paper in Rapides parish, and the next year the Red River Whig was started at the same place in opposition, with John H. Ransdell as editor. The Caddo Gazette of Shreveport began its career about 1840, and in spite of hard knocks it survived until 1871. The Baton Rouge Advocate and the Baton Rouge Gazette were both active political organs during the 40's. In the latter part of 1843 G. A. Stevens began the publication of the Marksville Villager, in English and French, but in March, 1844, it was succeeded by the New Villager, which was published by A. Denas. In the spring of 1859 the paper was purchased by P. D'Artlys, who changed the name to Le Pelican. In June, 1845, the Western Democrat was established at Alexandria by David Martin. The Prairie Star, a Whig paper, was started at Marksville in August, 1848, by E. J. Foster, and about the same time the Natchitoches Chronicle was founded by Thomas C. Hunt. The first paper in De Soto parish was the Logansport Advertiser, which was established by Peter Shearer sometime in the 40's. In April, 1849, it was changed to the Mansfield Adver- tiser, the publishers at that time being Hamilton & Parsons. The Independent, printed in both English and French, was established at Abbeville in 1852 by Val Veazey. Five years later he sold it to E. I. Guegnon, who changed the name to the Meridional, under which it is still running. The Opelousas Courier was started in 1852 by J. H. Sandoz, and it is still in existence. The same year Le Meschacebe, the first paper in the parish of St. John the Bap- tist, began its career, its founder being Charles Lassigue. It is now published at Reserve and has always been printed in both English and French. The Calcasieu Press was founded in 1855 by Martel & Spence, and was the predecessor of the Lake Charles Press. In June, 1856, Fenlon Cannon and S. L. Taylor began the publication of L'Organe Central at Marksville. It was printed in English and French and was intended to be the organ of the Know Nothing party in that section. Consequently its career ended with the downfall of that organization. The Bossier Times was established by Mitchell & Lowry in 1857. In Sept., 1858, Mitchell became the sole owner and continued the publication of the Times until some time in 1859, when it suspended. The outfit was purchased by A. A. Abney and B. F. and T. M. Fort, who established the Bossier Banner the same year. The Sparta Times, the official organ of Bienville parish, was published by a Capt. Twitchell during the 50's. About 1859 The Jeffersonian was started at Sparta by Judge J. R. Head as an anti-secession organ, and in 1860 The Southern Banner was started at the same place by W. E. Paxton in opposi- tion to The Jeffersonian. The Sugar Planter was established at West Baton Rouge in 1859. It is still running, and, as its name in- dicates, is devoted chiefly to the interests of the sugar industry.

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In the decade immediately preceding the outbreak of the Civil war the disturbed state of the public mind offered encouragement to journalists of ambitious propensities, with the result that a ntlm- ber of newspaper enterprises were launched, most of which ended in failure. Among the Louisiana publications that sprang up and perished during this period may be mentioned The Minden Iris, The Minden Herald, The Minden Montor, The Mansfield Column- bian, the Alexandria Reporter, The Shreveport Night Guard, The Alexandria Constitutional, The Homer Iliad, and the Commercial News of Shreveport.

Since the war a large number of newspapers have been estab- lished in the state, but lack of space forbids anything like a detailed history of each one. Ayer's Newspaper Directory for 1908 gives the following list of Louisiana publications :

Dailies .- Alexandria Town Talk, Baton Rouge State, Baton Rouge Truth, Benton Watchman, Crowley Signal, Donaldsonville Times, Hammond Herald, Jennings Times-Record, Lake Charles American, Lake Charles Press, Monroe News, Monroe Star, New Iberia Enterprise-Leader, New Orleans Abeille, New Orleans Item. New Orleans News, New Orleans Picayune, New Orleans States, New Orleans Times-Democrat, Plaquemine South, Ruston Leader, Shreveport Journal and Shreveport Times. A majority of these dailies do not issue Sunday editions.

Semiweeklies .- Abbeville Idea, Lafayette Advertiser, New Or- leans Neue Deutsche Zeitung. New Orleans Picayune, New Orleans States, New Orleans Times-Democrat and Shreveport Times.

Weeklies .- Abbeville Herald, Abbeville Meridional, Alexandria Baptist Chronicle, Alexandria Louisiana Baptist, Alexandria Lou- isiana Democrat, Alexandria Town Talk, Amite City Florida Par- ishes, Arabi Saint Bernard Voice, Arcadia Argus, Bastrop Enter- prise, Baton Rouge Banner (colored), Baton Rouge People, Baton Rouge State, Baton Rouge Truth, Benton Bossier Banner, Bernice. Journal, Bernice Union Herald, Berwick Register, Bogalusa Amer- ican, Boyce Advertiser, Breaux Bridge Valley of the Teche (Eng- lish and French), Bunkie Review, Clinton Southern Watchman. Colfax Chronicle, Colfax Grant Parish Democrat, Columbia Cald- well Watchman, Convent Interim ( English and French), Cou- shatta Citizen, Covington News, Covington Saint Tammany Farmer, Crowley Rice Belt News, Crowley Signal, Delhi Amer- ican Citizen (colored). Denham Springs News, De Ridder Enter- prise, De Ridder Messenger, Dodson Times, Donaldsonville Chief, Donaldsonville Democrat. Donaldsonville Fraternal Union (col- ored ), Donaldsonville Progress, Eros Plaindealer, Eunice Gall, Eunice News, Farmerville Gazette. Floyd News, Franklin Saint Mary Banner, Franklin Saint Mary Record, Franklin Watchman and Vindicator News, Franklinton New Era, Franklinton Wash- ington Leader, Gibsland News, Grand Cane Advocate, Greensburg Saint Helena Echo, Gretna Colored American Appeal, Gretna Jei- fersonian, Gueydan News, Hahnville Saint Charles Herald, Ham- mond Ilerald, Hammond Louisiana Sun, Hammond Southern Vin-

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dicator, Harrisonburg Catahoula News, Harrisonburg New Era, Haynesville Independent, Homer Guardian Journal, Houma Cour- ier, Houma Terrebonne Times, Independence News, Jackson Demo- cratic Record, Jackson Feliciana Record, Jeanerette Coast Herald, Jena Tribune, Jennings Times-Record, Jonesboro Jackson Inde- pendent, Kaplan Times, Kentwood Commercial, Lafayette Adver- tiser, Lafayette Gazette, Lake Arthur Herald, Lake Charles Amer- ican, Lake Charles I'ress, Lake Providence Banner-Democrat. Lakeside Cameron Courier, Lecompte Drummer, Leesville Leader, Leesville Vernon News, Lockport Lafourche Democrat, Logans- port Inter-State Newsboy, Mansfield De Soto Progress, Mansfield Enterprise, Mansfield Journal, Many Sabine Banner, Marksville Avoyelles Enterprise, Marksville News, Mer Rouge Democrat, Minden Colored Reformer, Minden Democrat, Minden Webster Signal, Monroc Bulletin, Monroe News, Morgan City Review, Morgan City Rural Topics, Napoleonville Pioneer, Natchitoches Enterprise, Natchitoches Times, New Iberia Enterprise, New Iberia Iberian, (Sec New Orleans below.) New Roads Pointe Coupée Banner, New Roads Pointe Coupée Echo, Opelousas Cour- ier, Opelousas Saint Landry Clarion, Patterson New Era, Plaque- mine Iberville South, Point a la Hache Plaquemines Protector, Pollock News, Rayne Tribune, Rayville Richland Beacon-News, Reserve Meschacebe (English and French), Ringgold Vibrator, Roseland Herald, Ruston Leader, Ruston New Era (colored), Rus- ton Progressive Age, Saint Francisville True Democrat, Saint Jo- seph Tensas Gazette, Saint Martinville Evangeline (English and French), Saint Martinville Messenger, Saint Martinville Saint Mar- tin Banner, Shreveport Caucasian ( which also issues a tri-weekly edition), Shreveport Louisiana Searchlight (colored), Shreveport News-Enterprise (colored), Shreveport Times, Shreveport Watch- man (colored), Slaughter Enterprise, Slidell Advocate, Tallulah Madison Journal. Thibodaux Commercial Journal, Thibodaux La- fourche Comet, Thibodaux Sentinel, Vidalia Concordia Sentinel, Vivian Tri-State Sun. Washington Post, Waterproof Enterprise, Welsh Rice Belt Journal, West Baton Rouge Sugar Planter, White Castle White Castilian, Wilson News, Winnfield Comrade, Winn- field Farmer's Union Banner, Winnfield Southern Sentinel, Winns- boro Rising Star, Zwolle Eagle.

The weekly publications of the city of New Orleans are the Abeille, Catholic Churchman, Christian Advocate, Harlequin, Her- ald, Italo-Americano, Jewish Ledger, Jewish Spectator, Louisiana Planter and Sugar Manufacturer, Louisiana Record (colored), Morning Star, Olive and Blue (published by the students of Tulane university during the school year). Picayune, Southwestern Chris- tian Advocate (colored), Southwestern Presbyterian, Sunday States, Sugar Planters' Journal and the United Labor Journal. , Semimonthlies .- Only a few semimonthly journals appear in the directory. They are the Lumber Trade Journal, Messenger, Vindi- cator and Y. M. 11. A. Magazine of New Orleans, and The Look- out of Opelousas.

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Monthlies .- Alexandria Louisiana Christian, Crowley Rice Jour- nal and Southern Farmer, The Industrialist, Insurance Agent, Louisiana Grocer, Louisiana School Review, Medical Surgical Journal, Men and Matters, Odd Fellows' Reporter, Southern Buck, Square and Compass, and the Trade Index, all published in New Orleans, The Opelousas Baptist Advocate (colored ), and the Winn- field Guardian.

Quarterly .- The Comptes Rendus de l'Athénée Louisianais.

Newton, Cherubusco, lawyer and member of Congress, was born in the state of Louisiana, May 15, 1848. He received an academic education ; taught school and at the same time read law; was ad- mitted to the bar in 1870, and began practice in his native state. In 1873 he formed a law partnership with Col. William J. Hall, which continued until Col. Hall's death in 1884. Mr. Newton entered local politics : was elected to the state senate in 1879 and served for 4 years; declined an appointment as judge in 1885, pre- ferring to remain in active practice; and was elected to the 50th Congress as a Democrat in 1886.

New Verda, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Grant parish, is about 2 miles southwest of Verda, the nearest railroad station, and 10 miles north of Colfax, the parish seat.

Nezpique, a post-hamlet of Acadia parish, is situated on Bayou Nezpique, which forms the western boundary of the parish, 8 miles northwest of Iota, the nearest railroad station, in the great rice district of southwestern Louisiana, and in 1900 had a population of 40.

Nicholas, Robert Carter, U. S. senator from Louisiana, was born at Hanover, Va., in 1793. He graduated at William and Mary col- lege, and during the War of 1812 served as captain and major. He moved to Louisiana, where he became a sugar planter ; was secre- tary of state: was elected U. S. senator in place of Charles E. A. Gayarre, declined, and served from 1836 to 1841. His death oc- curred in Terrebonne parish, La., Dec. 24, 1857.

Nicholls, a post-hamlet of Plaquemines parish, is situated on the east bank of the Mississippi river, almost opposite Empire, the nearest railroad station, and about 18 miles below Pointe a la Hache, the parish seat. It is a landing for several lines of steam- ers and in 1900 had a population of 100.

Nicholls, Francis Tillou, a brigadier-general in the Confederate army, 20th and 23d governor of Louisiana, is a native of that state, having been born at Donaldsonville. Aug. 20, 1834, the youngest child of Thomas Clarke and Louise H. (Drake) Nicholls. He is a descendant of John Nicholls of Cornwall, England, who was a soldier in the War of 1812: a member of the Louisiana legislature : judge of the district court for several years ; and who was appointed senior judge of the court of appeals in 1843. Francis T. Nicholls was educated at Jefferson academy, New Orleans, until appointed a cadet in the U. S. military academy at West Point, where he

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graduated in 1855 and was commissioned second lieutenant of artillery, in which capacity he served against the Seminoles in Florida and later was stationed at Fort Yuma, Cal. In 1856 he resigned his commission in the army to study law ; was admitted to the bar in 1858, and began practice at Napoleonville, La. When the Civil war broke out he raised a company of infantry, of which he was made captain, and when the company was assigned to the 8th La. regiment he was made lieutenant-colonel of that organiza- tion. He was in the first battle at Manassas, Va., June 21, 1861, was next with Taylor's brigade of Ewell's division in northern Virginia, and in the spring of 1862 he participated in Stonewall Jackson's valley campaign, losing his left arm at Winchester, May 25. At the same engagement he was captured, but was exchanged the following September. In the meantime the 15th La. infantry had been organized and he had been commissioned its colonel, but before he could join the regiment he was promoted to brigadier- general (Oct. 14, 1862), and assigned to the command of the 2d La. brigade, Trimble's division. Jackson's corps, which he gallantly led at the battle of Chancellorsville. Here he lost his left foot by a shell, and after he became convalescent he was placed in com- mand of the post at Lynchburg until 1864, when he was made super- intendent of the conscript bureau in the Trans-Mississippi depart- ment, with headquarters at Marshall. Tex. In 1876 he was elected governor for a term of four years, at the expiration of which he was appointed a member of the board of visitors to the West Point academy by President Cleveland. In 1888 he was again chosen governor of the state, and in 1892 was made chief justice of the Louisiana supreme court.

Nicholls' Administration .- The first administration of Gov. Nich- olls began with his inauguration at St. Patrick's hall. in the city of New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1877. The reason of his inauguration at this hall instead of at the state house was that the latter was in the possession of S. B. Packard, who had been the Republican candi- date for governor in 1876, and who claimed the office by virtue of the report of the returning board, of which all the members were Republicans. It soon became apparent, however, that Nicholls had the support of the people. All over the state public meetings were held and resolutions adopted pledging support and allegiance to his administration. On the 9th several thousand members of the White League (q. v.), under the leadership of Gen. Frederick N. Ogden, took possession of the police stations, the arsenal and the cabildo, these places being surrendered peaceably or with only a slight show of resistance. The same day Gov. Nicholls issued the following proclamation to the people of Louisiana: "I would be most profoundly surprised and disappointed should any citizen of Louisiana at this moment so far forget himself as to be guilty of any excesses whatsoever. There is danger in collecting in large bodies. I urge you, therefore, to retire at once peacefully to your homes. The greater the wrongs to which you have been sub- jected, the greater to your own credit should you recognize and

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recollect your own simple and plain duty as citizens. Let no one be injured, however obnoxious he may be, and let the people of the whole country see that we are law-abiding, just and moderate."

Gen. Augur received orders from the president to preserve the status quo between the two state governments, but the U. S. troops were not used to establish the authority of Packard, as had been done in the case of Kellogg. This condition of affairs caused some of the members of the Packard legislature to desert and go over to that of Nicholls. The Packard legislature was never able to secure a quorum in the senate, but notwithstanding this fact, on Jan. 10 a joint session of that assembly elected W. P. Kellogg to the United States senate, only 17 senators and 66 representatives being present. Packard continued to hold possession of the state house, which was strongly guarded. The Democrats understood that any attack upon it would precipitate a conflict with Gen. Augur's troops, and wisely refrained from making any attempt in that direction. Thus matters stood until March I. when Packard appealed to President Grant for the recognition of his government and received the following answer: "The president directs me to state frankly that he does not believe public opinion will longer sup- port the maintenance of state governments in Louisiana by the use of the military, and that he must concur in this manifest feeling. The troops will hereafter, as in the past, protect life and property from mob violence when the state authorities fail; but under the remaining days of his official life they will not be used to establish or to pull down either claimant for control of the state. It is not his purpose to recognize either claimant.

C. C. SNIFFIN, Secretary."

This was somewhat disconcerting to Packard and his adhierents, though they may have been able to derive some comfort from a despatch from U. S. Marshal Pitkin the next day, which stated: "Any aggressive course taken by the Nicholls element will be promptly arrested. * * All we asked was a maintenance of *% the status quo till President Hayes' accession. This we have. Hon. W. H. Hunt accompanied the president-elect hither from Ohio, and authorizes me to say to you that Gov. Hayes unquali- fiedly states that he has given nobody warrant to indicate what will be his policy toward Louisiana. Do not permit your friends to feel any disquietude because Nicholls' agents here despatch empty fictions by the yard. A member of the cabinet said to me a few moments ago 'President Hayes would impeach his own title were he to refuse Gov. Packard recognition.'"

President Hayes was inaugurated on March 5, and soon after- ward began the consideration of some course looking toward a withdrawal of the troops from Louisiana in such a way as not to precipitate a conflict that would again render their presence neces- sary. To this end he decided to send a commission to New Or- leans to represent him unofficially and undertake to carry out his object. The commission was composed of Gen. Joseph R. Hawley, of Connecticut ; Judge Charles B. Lawrence, of Illinois; Gen. Jolin

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M. Harlan, of Kentucky; ex-Gov. John C. Brown, of Tennessee ; and. Wayne McVeagh, of Pennsylvania. On April 2 the secretary of state placed in the hands of the commissioners written instruc- tions, of which the following were the principal features: "That you should devote your first and principal attention to a removal of the obstacles to an acknowledgment of one government for pur- poses of an exercise of authority within the state. If these obstacles should prove inseparable from whatever reason, and the hope of a single government in all its departments be disap- pointed, it should be your next endeavor to accomplish the recog- nition of a single legislature as the depositary of the representative will of the people of Louisiana. * * * If, therefore, the disputing interests can concur in or be reduced to a single legislature for the state of Louisiana, it would be a great step in composing this unhappy strife."

The commission arrived in New Orleans on April 5 and the same day Packard sent a despatch to the president, asking that the in- structions to the commissioners be amended and enlarged so as to give them power to determine which was the legal government, which the legal judiciary, and whether domestic violence and in- surrection prevailed in the state, within the meaning of Section +, Article 4 of the constitution of the United States. His request was not granted, and the commission proceeded with its labors. A mass meeting was held in New Orleans on the 6th, at which the com- .missioners were present. Resolutions were adopted, declaring the loyalty of the people to the Federal government, expressing confi- dence in Gov. Nicholls, denouncing the pretensions of Packard, and claiming the right of local self government. A committee of the general assembly extended to the visitors the hospitality of the state. On the 16th the legislature adopted a joint resolution setting forth the policy of the Nicholls government, viz .: To accept in good faith the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the Federal con- stitution ; the rigid and impartial enforcement of law; the promo- tion of kindly relations between the white and colored people of the state; and the education of all classes of people. The resolution was transmitted to the commission by Gov. Nicholls on the 18th, with his approval. Two days later the commission finished its labors and the president directed the removal of the troops to such barracks as might be selected for their accommodation. On the 21st the Packard legislature disbanded, several members going over to the Nicholls legislature at Odd Fellows' hall, and others handing in their resignations. The final report of the commission was made on the 21st, the troops were withdrawn on the 24th, and the administration of Gov. Nicholls was firmly established. One paragraph of the commission's report deserves more than passing notice, i. e .: "It should be further stated that it is not claimed by the counsel for the Nicholls government that the legislature could not create a returning board and clothe it with these powers in regard to the appointment of presidential electors, since the provisions of the state constitution, on which they rely, relate only

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to the election of members of the legislature, of the governor and the lieutenant-governor." This statement was doubtless incorpo- rated in the report in order to quiet the president's mind regarding the validity of his own title to office, for it seemed to be an anoma- lous condition that Gov. Nicholls should have been legally elected, while the electoral vote of the state was given to Hayes.

The regular session of the legislature had adjourned on March 1. but a special session was called immediately and it continued until April 26. Its legality being fully established, Henry M. Spofford was elected to the U. S. senate on the 24th without opposition, though 89 ballots had previously been taken. During the two ses- sions much important legislation was enacted. Expenses were re- duced, the laws simplified, committees appointed to investigate the conduct of several state offices, and the election law of 1872 was repealed. May 10 was generally observed throughout the state as a day of thanksgiving. On July 5 proceedings were commenced against the members of the returning board for uttering forged and counterfeit returns, and the case was brought to trial in Jan., 1878. Thomas C. Anderson, a member of the board, was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary, but the supreme court set aside the ver- dict and discharged the prisoner from custody, "not because the act charged was not committed, but because when committed it constituted no crime known to the laws of the state."

In his message to the legislature on Jan. 8, 1878. Gov. Nicholls said: "Today peace and quiet prevail throughout the state ; politi- cal excitement has ended: the voice of the people is everywhere respected ; the rights of all are fully guaranteed : the laws, through the instrumentality of the courts, are properly and impartially administered and enforced : and in spite of the unpropitious season. which has disappointed the expectations of our agriculturists, and marred to some extent the bright material prospects of 1877. there exists a strong feeling of hope, relief and content among all classes in Louisiana." He reported the total interest-bearing debt of the state. when the refunding should have been completed, to be $11,- 785,293.21, and recommended rigid economy in the matter of appro- priations. In closing. he protested against the action of a majority of the U. S. senate in rejecting Judge Spofford and seating Mr. Kellogg, a protest that was subsequently concurred in by the legis- lature. During the session retrenehments were made in the various state offices and departments amounting to about $130.000, and the expense of the general assembly was $200.000 less than any year since the beginning of the reconstruction period. Twenty-one amendments to the state constitution were adopted and submitted to the people at the next general election. when all were defeated. The year 1878 is memorable for the severe epidemic of yellow fever that carried off nearly 4.000 persons, among them Gen. John B. Hood. Considerable attention was given to education this year. A university for colored students was ordered established in New Orleans : the state university and agricultural and mechanical col- lege at Baton Rouge was recognized, and on Nov. 4 the academical

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Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II, Part 30

Author: Fortier, Alcee, 1856-1914, ed. 1n Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Association Number of Pages: 1326

Author: Fortier, Alcee, 1856-1914, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Association
Number of Pages: 1326