New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-09


dens of taxation may be lightened and our
people assisted to tide over the present mo.
mcntary depression.
| reassert now the opinion which ha We
expressed in three successive annual
messages. that the general government
owes to the people of the South gen
orally and especially to the people of
Louisiana and of the lower Mississppi.
national assistance in the rebuilding of
the ievees. and also in the construction
of railroads. A small proportion of the
aid which has been so literally granted to
the Northern States in the last ten years.
granted now in a udiciouS manner TO orr
section would increase the production of
our great staples many per cent, and do more
to cement the kindly feelings now resuminc
their ancient sway in the hearts of our peo,
pie than any enforcement bills.
Ii is also desirable tnat all disabili
ties and legal penalties inflicted on nc
count of the late war should be done away
with.
The number of persons who remain under
congressional or constitutional disabilities
5 extremely small, yet as "A step toward
complete reconciliation, an act of tulI and
inal amnesty To all concerned in the war
would have an important and salutary in
duence. The noble example of the State of
louisiana, which was the first State TO ex-
plunge from It's statutes all discrimination on
account OF differences in the past civil war
may be wisely and safely followed bv the
general government. The President of: the
United States has already followed it.
hope that you will instruct our Senators and
Representatives in Congress to initiate him
IN this respect.
As the chief executive of the State
It il my duty to call YOUR attention
70 grave. Illegal and dangerous abuse
by certain federal officers OF their official
power, by using 1t to interfere in and attempt
10 control political assemblage of the citi-
Zens OF this state, convened to Deliberate
upon State affairs. In other States a very
moderate and limited exercise of federal in
duence, extending only so tar as the use of
the federal patronage for the purpose of
eleCting or influencing delegates to political
conventions, has been met with severe and
merited rebuke from the people, and has
been thought serious enough to demand
congressional investigation. In this State,
federal interference in State matters has
gone tar beyond what it did in those States
10 which congressional attention has been
directed 1t has embraced not only bribery
the use OF patronage. and the active. undis-
gulsed interference Of federal employees as
such IN political meetings, but in addition
10 these reprehensible acts, the federal al
pointees in this State, or many of them,
have resorted to menaces, threats. the
PROSTITUTION VI oHlttu States DuIltlln1S 10
factlous party purposes to the ex-
ciusion of the business public and be-
yond this, even, what is unprece-
dented in the history OF this country
the employment and presence of large
numbers of armed deputy United States
marshals, and of armed United States
troops, to interfere with, menace and con-
troll a political assemblage OF citizens of the
State. | recite briefly the facts that are
EntpD;pu tn this m urra m
the peace and dignity of the State. In time
OF profound peace, without any competent
authority, of the least necessity. and with
Out consultation with. or the consent of the
State authorities, the United States officials
here, in violation of law, convokcd political
convention in the Customhouse in New Or
leans. and this against the wishes and in the
;ace OF the solemn protest of large major
lty OF the convention. The doors of the
Customhouse were locked and barred for a
cay, and the whole business public who had
interests there were excluded.
United States deputy marshals. selected
II many instances from rough and lawless
characters, were specially deputised for the
occasion. armed with loaded reyOlyers and
stationed within the building and around
Ae United States courtroom des grated for
me convention. The United States Mar
snai previously declared that they should
Oe stationed within tue convention itself.
iAcf Instructions had been such that these
deputies were lns0lcnt aud violent III Ian
guage and marnsu toward the daIcpates
tvnfire AT No :. extent az to excite serious
; Iii Dance. and going so far on the part of
some of them as the offering of personal
violence to the delegates.
aited States troops were drawn up Ill
the Customhouse. Their very presence was
an alarming attack upon the right Of public
assemblage, and upon every tradition and
principle OF American liberty. They inter
rupted the deliberations OF the delegates
This interference of federal officers. armed
with federal authority and federal guns and
pistols III the affairs of pcaCcdble political
meeting OF the people of a State, is a Very
serious cncroachmtnt upon the peace and
dignity OF the State, and upon the individual
liberties of its citizens. | can not suffer 1t
- pass by without entering against ii my
solemn protest, and inviting you most sell-
ously to Join with me in asking the national
government to investigate the outrageS OF
ts subordinate officers and to punish the
guilty parties. A full statement OF the mat
ter has been laid before the President. and
can not but believe that after careful in
vestigation he will disayow these lawless
acts of his appontees. and dismiss the guilty
ones from office.
The unanimous condemnation of these
abuses by the press and the people of all
parties throughout the country, and the
general Indignation which they have eX-
cited show that the people everywhere are
alarmed at their occurrence. The American
people have heretofore been extremely
jealous OF even the appearance OF military
interference or dctation in civil affairs. We
can not too promptly or emphaticallr signify
0t,f dlSapprObation of the slightest step TO-
ward the predominance of the military over
the civil authority.
II. c. WARMOTH.
Governor of Louisiana.
NJ. Carr of De Soto, in the chair
Mr.. Davidson, of Livingston. moved that
tive thousand copies of the Governors
message be printed, and that they be
equally divided among the members by the
Chief Clerk
Carried.
Mr.. Faulkner, Of Caldwell, introduced the
following resolution:
ReS0lred. That We, the members Of the
House of Representatives, of the State OF
Louisiana. do hereby approve Of the recon-
mendatiOnS Of the Governor on the subject
Of reform, as far they 90, and we do Lere
by:pIedge ourselves to carry them ont, 50 far
as we are concerned.
Mr., Bentley, of St Mary. called for the
previous question.
e Carried.
On the adoption Of the resolution the
yeas and nays We're demanded by Mcssrs. |
Abel of Bossier, and Barrett. Of Orleans.
with the following result:
ieas.Spcaker Brewster, and McSsrs. |
Abel barrett, Belot, Bentley, Bickhan, |
nIuht' bowen, Brown. Buckingham. Carr, |