Sugar Planter [West Baton Rouge, LA], November 24, 1860
Quite an excitement was raised on Grosse-Tete a day or two since, by the apprehension of two men who had been detected in tampering with negroes. One of the individuals got clear of summary punishment from some little extenuating circumstance in his favor; but the other, said to be an Irishman, was tied up, soundly flogged, branded on both cheeks, and ordered to leave—quick! While we hope our citizens will ever be on the alert to detect and bring to justice any one found interfering with our slave population with a view of creating discontent, or endeavoring to enveigle any of them from their homes, we question the propriety of their taking the law into their own hands and inflicting such punishment upon offenders as their judgment may dictate. If one set of men claim such a privilege, another may do the same thing, and so on to the end of the chapter. Such behavior is subversive of all law and order—the first principles of all free governments.