Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-20
vvnppAL RAYoHErs IN LOUISIANA.

A large space has Oeen VoeuPisu a.
the press of late by dispatches and artl-
eles concerning the Louisiana maddle,
and now that it has been settled for
some days by a peremptory dispatch
from Washington announcing which side
the government would favor, brief re-
sume Of the affair is in order as part OF
the history Of the times in which State
lines are rapidly fading into mere geo.
graphical divisions. In the first place
the carpet-baggers, to perpetuate their
own power, enacted law making the
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secre-
tary of State and two State Senators to
constitute board to canvass all returns
from the registrars. Warmoth, the Coz
eruor. was not a candidate for reelection,
nor vas Pinchbeck, the saffron colored
Lieutenant Governor. The former, al
though a bold, bad carpet Dagger, went
fer Greeley, thinking that the strong side,
and expecting to return Legislature
that would elect him to the United States
Senate. Pinchbeck stood by Grant, and,
ofcourse, had an eye on the Senate him.
self or would support Casey General
Grants brother-in-law, for the position.
Pinchbeck. however, ran for Congress
man at large, to keep his hand In, and
has been recognized as such by the
Washington authorities. Pinchbeek, 1t
should be bourne in mind, was State
Senator, and his term expired on the
fourth Of November, but previously ne
became President Of that body, and as
such acted ex-ofieio Lieutenant-Gover-
nor of the State. Since then War
moth has been impeached, and Pinch
beck, by this slim tenure of office, be-
comes Governor of Louisiana. Senator
Kellogg. of the United States Senate,
without resigning, was at the same time
one of the candidates for Governor,
although plainly ineligible under the
constitution. Warmoth recognized the
returning board to suit himself, and
Kellogg caused the old board to be con-
tinued under law which be bad en-
gineered through Congress TO suit such
a contingency. Hence there we're two re-
turning Boards and two Legislatures,
The Kellogg Legislature was returned
by a United States Marshal, under au
thority of an inferior Federal Court
Kellogg does not claim that he or his
Legislature were really elected, but that
they would have been if Warmoth had
not prevented certain negroes from
voting. Warmoth's friends deny that
there was any interference. The st-ug-
gle before the courts was bitter and
complicated, and the details would
hardly prove of interest to the general
reader. Curiously enough, the law con-
stituting the old beard had been Ie-
pealed, but the new one could not be
appointed until the meeting of the State
Senate. Two OF the old members had
resigned to become candidates. War
moth convened the Legislature, but was
still at loss and disadvantage, as it
was yet unknown who would constitute
the new Senate. At this juneture he
removed the Secretary Of State, and re.
organized the Board so az TO have it all
bis own way. The old board refused
to be set aside, aud claimed au.
thority under the act Of Congress
referred to. Hence the two boards.
The Kellogg or custom-house party ap-
pealed to the State and Federal courts,
which both sustained the old board.
Both of these judges belonged TO tie
custom.house ring. Upon this Warmoth
declared the State judge defeated by
the returns, and sent body Of police
TO install the new one, which being done,
the new judge dissolved his predecessor
injunction against Warmoth. The Gov
ernor proceeded then to act in defiance
OF the Federal judge. Kellogg de-
clared in the Federal court, Durell,
Judge, that ten thousand voters had
been deprived of the right to vote for
him for Governor. He produced four
thousand affidavits to prove this, all
printed and signed with cross. War
moth held most of the returns 10 his
possession, yet the old board proceeded
20 return certain officers as elected, and
they were installed Federal troops
we're ordered to seize the State
house. PinchbecE, whose term ex-
pired before Warmoth was deposed,
was installed as Governor, and the
new Legislature, elected By hearsay
or mere guess, proceeded to impeaeh
the illustrious but Inflated carpetbagger
Warmoth. They haze already passed
all manner of appropriation bills and
assessments Of taxes upon property.
Federal bayonets. then, have fixed upon
the State the following. A United
States Senator is Governor; & negro
United States Collector of the Port Of
Shreveport Is Lieutenant Governor;
mulatto Surveyor Of the Port Of New
Orleans is the PresidsHt Of the Senate
a United States postmsstss is Speaker
of the House; az Assistant TressE-er
Of the United States is Auditor, while
sixty-eight rsgroes compose the Senate
and Lover House, a majority Of ~ion,
We are told by the T;1es, hold subordi-l
nute Offices in the Collectors and Asses
scr department Of the United States