The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-01-13

their ancient sway i'll the hearts OF our peo-
pie than any enforcement bills.
1t is also desirable that all disabilities and
legal penalties inflicted ON account OF the late
war should be done away with.
The number of persons who remain under
congressional or constitutional disabilities is
extremely small, yet as a step toward COM
plete reconciliation, an act of full and hnal
amnesty to all concerned in the war would
have an important and saiutary mf1uence
The noble example of the State of Louisiana,
which was the first State to expunge from Its
statutes all discrimination on account OF DIT
ferenees In the past civil war, may be wisely
and safely followed by the general govern
ment The President of the United States
has already followed it. l 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 is my
| duty to call your attention to grave, illegal
and dangerous abuse by certain federal Off
GERS of their official power, by using 1t to in
| terfere in and attempt to control political
assemblage OF the citizens of this State, con-
vened to deliberate upon State affairs. In
other States, very moderate and limited
| exercise of federal influence, extending only
SO far as the use of the federal patronage for
the purpose of electing or influencing dele
gates 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 mat
/ tiers has gone far beyond what it did in those
States to which congressional attention has
been directed. 1t has embraced not only
bribery, the use of patronage and the active,
undisguised interference of federal employees
as such in political meetings, but in addition
| to these reprehensible acts, the federal APP
pointees in this State, or many of them have
resorted to menaees. threats, the prostitution
off ba TT.tffaA Sfafa hriiHimns factions
party purposes to the exclusion of the busi-
ness public and beyond this, even, what is
unprecedented in the history of this country,
| the employment and presence of large NUM-
bers of armed deputy United States mar
shals, and of armed United States troops, to
| interfere with, menace and control apolltlcal
assemblage of the citizens of the State. re-
cite briefly the facts that are undenied as to
this monstrous outrage on the peace and dig
nifty of the State. In time of profound
peace, without any competent authority, or
the least necessity, and without consultation
WITH or consent of the State authorities, the
/ United States officials here, III violation of
law, convoked a political convention in the
! Custom-House in New Orleans, and this
against the wishes and in the face of the
| solemn protest of large majority of the con-
vention. The doors of the Custom-House
were locked and barred for a day, and the
whole business public who had interests
| there were excluded.
United States deputy marshals, selected
in many instances from rough and lawless
| characters, were specially deputi2ed for the
occasion, armed with loaded revolyers and
stationed within the building and around the
United States courtroom designated for the
convention. The United States Marshal pre-
viously declared that they should be station
ed within the convention itself Their in
/ struetions had been such that these deputies
were insOlent and violent i'll language and
manner toward the delegates, even to such
an extent as to excite serious disturbance,
and going so far on the part of some of them
as the offering OF personal violence to the
delegates.
United States troops were drawn up in the
| Custom-House. Their very presence was an
alarming attack upon the right of public as
semblage, and upon every tradition and
principle of American liberty. They inter
rupted the deliberations OF the delegates
This interference of federal guns and pistols
i'll the affairs of a peaeeable political meeting
of the people of State, is very serious en-
encroachment upon the peace and dignity Of
the State, and upon the individual liberties
of its citizens. Icallnot suffer it to pass by
| without entering against it my solemn pro
test, and inviting you most seriously to join
with me in asking the national government
to investigate the OutFages of its subord
mate officers and to punish the guilty parties
A full statement of the matter has been laid
before the President and / cannot but be
lieve that after a careful investigation he viii
disavow these lawless acts of his appointees
and dismiss the guilty ones from office.
The unanimous condemnation of these
| abuses by the press and the people OF al
i parties throughout the country, and the gen
eral Indignation which they have excited
show that the people everywhere are alarm
ed at their occurrence. The American PEG
pie have heretofore been extremely. jealous