Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-24

the status quo; and that our complains. there
fore, are unreasonable. If the opinion we have
be correct. such condition ought not TO effect
our action. When the king Of Great Britain
established arbitrarily u government in
one of the colonies, the remaining colo
MES took the alarm lest it might serve
is a precedent as well as an instrument 10 cStab-
lish such governments elsewhere Besides men
are less patient under wrongful orders and acts
of judicial tribunal than even OF violence from
other sources of authority. A government
which rests for its organization upon any illegal
judicial order, executed by marshal with com
panies of soldiers, does not command as much
respect or authority as if the judicial append
ares had been dispensed with, and the army had
set up the government with a strong and usurp-
ing hand.
The committee take the liberty to say that
they have had no connection with these suits as
partisan attorneys; neither do they claim any
OF the offices in dispute. They have not hereto
lore been concerned in the controversies among
the political classes which have endangered the
peace of and brought scandal upon the state
They affirm that during the last four years there
has not been good government in louisiana
There mas been extravaganza, prodigality, dis
honesty and waste in the public expenditures 4;
the public debt has been enormously increased
with but little corresponding benefit; the credit
Of the state has been gwen to specializing cor
porations for personal aims; the taxes on prop
erty have assumed such proportions that they
might be called rents paid by the proprietor to
the state for its occupation and use; the taxes
on business Cypress the community and labor.
ln% classes; the laws to control elections, cor.
pOrations and public institutions stimulate these
excuses OF office holders, and the consequence
is one OF depression and discomfort.
The state needs an honest, faithful and respon-
SiOle government, conducted to attain public OBJ
iectS, and not TO enrich its members or TO per.
petuate their power. There was an earnest effort
to obtain such government at the last election,
We affirm, without fear of contradiction that
the foregoing statement exhibits on the part of
the United States court, the most unguarded and
baSeless usurpation of jurisdiction and authori
ty of which the annals of Jurisprudence afford
any example. Inc action OF the returning
board, recognized and vested with all It's powers
by this court, has been equally unprecedented.
Without any official returns before them-with-
out which their action would have been right
fully void, they have presumed 10 proclaim the
results OF the election. The declaration by
them of the votes cast in the different
parishes is as purely fancifu as il no election
whatever had been held. They have arbitrarily
reduced the votes ON one side aud increased
them on the other in different parishes to suit
their purposes. In several parishes, while re-
turning OF even adding TO the votes cast for
their candidates, they have simply annihilated
or stricken out entirely the votes cast for their
opponents. In other parishes they have exactly
revised the returns, giving TO their candidates
the majority, which has rarely been returned
Tor their opponents. They have not pretended
10 furnish the public with any statement of the
basis on which they proceeded or the theory on
which they acted. Their whole conduct IS
without any kind OF reasonable explanation
We submit TO the people OF the United States
that such proceedings reach point at which
the whole theory oil popular government is re-
versed and overthrow. The means by which
such results have been reached are enough TO
startle the public mind, but the results Them.
| selves are not less appalling. Aside from the
general affairs OF the state, we find the egisla-
ture OF the state delivered over into the hands
OF men who were not elected, and who are NJ
terly unfit for positions OF such Responsibility
AT its organization it contained SiXty-eight per
sons Of color, most of them totally uneducated,
with very small minority of whites. Since
that time they have expelled members whose
seats were uncOntested. They have uuseated
members returned elected by their own board,
and seated their defeated opponents, on the sim
pie ground that the former had not appeared 10
clam their seats
The result is, that, originally bad as the legis-
lature was, it makes itself worse day by day :;
and the result is, that soon the conservative ele-
ment of the state will have no representation
whatever. To those who fatter themselves with
the hope that Mr.. Kellogg would not willingly
a0et any scheme oil outrageous disagreement
it is now apparent that, even suppOsng this 10
| be true, the power Of restraining has passed en-
tirely beyond his control; and that, SHOULD he
attempt to thwart the schemes Of the legislature,
his own impeachment would be a probable
event of the future.
In conclusion, we would state that we have
attempted to perform the duties of our mission
in the pureSt non-partizan spirit; that we have
not sought to furnish capital to any political
party, or TO excite popular camor in tue inter
ests of any faction. We have laid our case be.
fore the president and his attorney general, and
we willingly testify that we have been courteous.
ly received and patiently listened to. While
they have refused the specific measures OF relief
for which we applied, they have given reason
for such refusal, in no manner implying their
indisposition 10 see justice done. They have re-
ierred us to congress, and we feel assured that
we shall have the immediate sanction of the
president so far as we invite an impartial inves-
tigatIon of the facts OF our case and that we
Shall have his cooperation in any measure Of
relief which congress may adopt after the inyes-
LEGATION.
The people Of Louisiana, ignoring party, and
conscious OF an honorable effort to place in
office men of tried proDity, seek Justice not
generosity. They ask for calm, impartial ex-
animation Of the recent extraordinary events
within their borders, in order that the truth may
be known and that there may be a speedy cor
rectlon OF the dangerous evils now threatening
the very life of their STATE.