The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1872-05-18
The --latest News.
Telegraphic Dispatches to the Associated Pre-


y" IA@
IN CONGRESS.
Mr.. Kellogg called up the Louisiana Election
Bill.
Mr.. Casserly denounced it as one more step
toward general torcible Congressional control
of the State elections. but he tOrbOre to discuss
it at length. knowing that its passage was fore
ordained by the Senatorial caucus.
NJ. Bayard questioned the Constitutional
power Of Congress to pass the bill and Incident
ally said that having examined the election laws
of Louisiana he satisfied that they were
passed for the purpose Of facilitating fraud.
Mr.. Trumbull opposes the bill Oh the same
grounds.
Mr. Carpenter denied that the bill had any
other object than to save the expense and trouble
of two elections.
Mr.. Morton expressed the same view, and in
j reply to Mr.. Bayard said that the election laws
of Louisiana vested extraordinary powers III
the Governor the State. and that as the present
Governor had now abandoned the Republican
party and joined their opponents, they We're
probably expecting to have those powers eXer-
cised for their benefit.
Mr.. Bavard said he would object juSt as
strongly to giving such powers to Il political
friend as to an opponent.
Mr.. Morton read extracts from the report Of
the House Committee the Louisiana Riots to
show the disturbed condition of that State prior
to the last Presidential election, and argued
that this bill WAS necessary to guard agaiSt
, similar OutrageS at the next election.
Mr.. Blair said that the report from which
Mr.. Morton read was partisan document and
he changed that the majority of the ku-kluX
Committee. appointed to investigate the con-
1it0n of the South last year, hsd ovcrruled all
attempts by the minority to investigate the
state ct affairs in Louisiana because they were
/ afraid to face the facts
MeSsrs. Pratt and Scott denied this and said
that the reason the majority refused to invtStl-
gate louisiana was that they thought II their
duty to do first what the committee ap
pointed to d0-iEquire into the ku-klux out
RACES and had not to do more After Il wand
ering political discussion the bill waS passed by
80 yeas to 10 nays.
The Senate then held 4 brief executive SEES
sion. after which the open session wuS resumed
and the bill to amend the enforcement act WAS
taken up. The act provides for the appoint
ment for supervisors of election 1T the congress
iUnal election i'll each voting precinct and whrae
a request for such appointment is made by two
citizens. In the discussion that ensued Mr..
Kellogg referred to the delegates who attCnuud
the Convention at Cincinnati from the Southern
States saying, many OF them were adVeuturers
and bad men, who had oppressed and plum
dercd the people of the States which. self
constituted delegates. they prOtessed to repre-
sent. (Casserly.) Il wish the Seuatorto state
whether those who committed the onrragcs he
denounced did so after or before they became
liberaliZcd!' tMr. kel0gg.) Before and after.
Mr.. Kellogg again lutlnlated that nl&nvut the
delegates to Cincinnati from other States were
and called upon the Senators from other States,
Georgia, Florida, and TeXaSS, to state who the
men We're that assumed TO represent those
States Mr.. HILL of Georgia. said he would like
the gentleman to tell. ifhc could. who they were
who represented his State ttieOrGial: that he
was sure he did not know them. Dir. Hamilton.
who attended the Cincinnati Convention. said
there were 10 carpet baggers among those from
his State. Mr.. kellogg yielded for motion to
adjourn. The matter comes up tomorrow.
l.;
for appointing inspectors Of election. and have
agreed to take i vote at o'clock Monday.
Mr.. Kellogg. during the discussion. referred
to extracts from the Bee and other papers show
ing the sentiment of the people and their earnest
desire to secure a fair election. He SalU: II YOU
give the people of Louisiana fair election rest
assured the people will elect honest officers.
There WAS 10 State where the people We're more
loyal, more generous, and more hOspitable than
the people of Louisiana. They are quiet and
law-abiding. He admitted that in 1868 there
was violence, and that great wrongs were COM
mitted. The ravages Of war had swept them.
Their plantations. gin houses and sugar houses
iii ruins.
Many were inbucd with the spirit of despair
and recklessness eugendtred by the war but
Notwithstanding the burdens expressing them
nndcr the operation Of outrageous laws their
plantations are beginning to show the result OF
industry.
The grievances they have borne should go far
to secure an acqHittal and forgiveness for what
ever they have heretofore done in violation Of
law.
What the people want is good laws honestly
administered, and if they Can have 4 fair elcr-
tion they will take care that they have good laws
and honest officers to administer them. One
reason why the white people Of louisiana are
favorably disposed toward the present Federal
administration is largely owing to the fact that
they believe it froWns upon that class of men
who has done much to burden them with
debt and taxation.
LATER.-WashiIgto May I4.-The House to-
night passed bill fixing the first Monday in
November for choosing electors for President
and Vice President in 1872 in Louisiana.