Pistols and Politics: The Dilemma of Democracy in Louisiana's Florida Parishes, 1810-1899

307 Pages·1998·16.115 MB·English

by  Samuel C., Jr. Hyde

PISTOLS and POLITICS
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PISTOLS and POLITICS
The Dilemma of Democracy in Louisiana's
Florida Parishes, 1810-1899
Samuel C. Hyde, Jr.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Baton Rouge
Published by Louisiana State University Press
Copyright © 1996 by Louisiana State University Press
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Louisiana Paperback Edition, 1998
Designer: Michele Myatt
Typeface: Goudy Old Style
Typesetter: Impressions Book and Journal Services, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hyde, Samuel C., 1958-
Pistols and Politics: the dilemma of democracy in Louisiana's
Florida parishes, 1810-1899 / Samuel C. Hyde, Jr.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8071-2270-9 (pbk.)
1. Florida Parishes (La.)—Politics and government. 2. Florida
Parishes (La.)—Social conditions. 3. Violence—Louisiana—Florida
Parishes—History—19th century. I. Title.
F377.F6H94 1996
306'.097631-dc20 96-24025
CIP
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and
durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book
Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. ®
For my parents
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CONTENTS
Preface xiii
Introduction i
1 • A Brief Moment of Stability 17
2 • Government Far Behind the Times:
The Seeds of Chaos 46
3 • An Education in Violence 102
4 • Opportunity Lost: Incipient Chaos Delayed 139
5 • Organized Lawlessness: Chaos Ascendant 180
6 • War Without Honor: Chaos Ensconced 227
Bibliography 263
Index 281
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ILLUSTRATIONS
MAPS
• Major Waterways, Highways, and Railroads
in the Florida Parishes, ca. 1852 24
• Locations of Principal Feud-Related Murders
in the Florida Parishes, 1883-1899 240
PHOTOGRAPHS
following page 91
• Centenary College at Jackson, La.
• The Silliman Female Institute at Clinton
• Yellow Fever Quarantine Station in Rural
East Baton Rouge Parish
• Richland Plantation in East Feliciana Parish
• Bonnie Burn Plantation in East Feliciana Parish
• East Feliciana Courthouse, Clinton
• Preston Pond, Jr.
• Silas T. White
• Vincent Scivique
• James G. Kilbourne
• Baton Rouge During the Civil War
• Harvesting Corn in Livingston Parish