The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-05-17
The Overthrow of Republican Govern
ment in Louisiana,

@-ANAAN - A48tA@A&AA4Lf
When such an influential and independ-
/ emit jorrnal as the New York Herdia
/ sounds the alarm to he friends of liberty
| ID the earnest words which are contained
in an editorial in lis issue Of the Sth inst,
il is time for partisans to cast aside their
politics and seriously contemplate the sit
uation. We reproduce the entire article
and bespeak for It from Republicans and
Democrats careful pcrusal Itruns thus
The overthrow of the regularly elected
government in Louisiana, through the aid
of federal bayoncts, is producing its legiti-
mate results in disorder, riots, and blood
shed throughout the State. Aseyere fight
took place yesterday, at St. Martinsville,
between the citizens and Kelloggs police
and serious disturbances occurred in New
Orleans. Some foolish youth fred pistol
at the usurper; but, fortunately for the
good name and cause Of the people, with
out fatal result, When the administration
at Washington prostituted the United
States Army to the work of driving from
power the legitimate authorities Of Louis
lana aud installing the minority candidates
in their place the people Of New Orleans,
compelled to choose between massacre and
submission, yielded their liberties to pre-
serve their lives, Their city was in the
hands Of federal troops their halls of leg
islation were filed with armed men and
surrounded by artillery; their Courts were
broken up at the point Of the bayonet ;
their public officers were seized and con-
fined on the authority Of orders Issued by
a dcbauched United States Judge and ex-
ecuted by an INSCRIPTIONS United States
Marshal The President, advised by a
partisan Attorney General, approved and
endorsed the acts Of the usurpers, recog-
nized the Kellogg gang as the regular State
government and refused to allow any APP
peal from his arbitrary decision. IL the
people of New Orleans had then executed
the law on the reyolutionists and meted
out to them the punishment they deserved,
the streets of the city would have been
swept by United States artillery, and men,
women, and children would have been the
victims of general massacre. The citi-
Gems weighed the cost of asserting their
rights and declined to pay so heavy price.
They trusted that time and The peaceful but
strong expression of indignation that arose
from all parts of the State would secure
their liberties from further outrage and
would at last restore to them those consti-
tutional rights of which they had been
robbed
The forbeaance of the people Of New
Orleans was applauded by their fellow
countrymen throughout the Union. The
rebellion of the South had left behind it
wounds too deep and memories too painful
to suffer our citizens to look calmly upon
renewal of civil strife The South gen
orally felt that the past needed atonement,
and knew that any resistance, even to
federal tyranny, would be cruelty used TO
the injury of the Southern States But
the events of the past few weeks in Louis
lana render it doubtful whether the pa
tient endurance of the people of New Or
leans will suffice TO avert from the State
the evils of civil commotion. The KEEL
logg usurpation emboldened by the sue
cess of its first crime against the laws and
the constitution, is seeking to render its
power absolute all over the State. The
ignorant negroes, rendered brave by the
discovery that the United States Army is
at their back, are prepared to aid in any
outrages the Kellogg whites may prompt.
Kellogg and his associates have therefore
resolved to override the popular will in
every parish, and to place creatures of
their own in every public office. Appoint
ments are made without any pretence of
authority, and the hired ruffians known as
the Metropolitans, an armed force ere
ated in New Orleans in violation of law,
and composed Of all the thieves and cut
Threats whose knives are at the service Of
any one who can pay for them, are sent
from parish to parish to make war upon
the people, if necessary, to drive out the
legal authorities and to install the Kellogg
appointees. With Characteristic coward
ice the white rufians prompt the negroes
to take prominent part in the fighting,
and hence the trouble is fast assuming the
terrible aspect Of war of races. Already
one fearful massacre has occurred and the
unfortunate blacks have suffered the most
severely, their white prompters leaving
them to their fate In the parish of st.
Martins, state of civil war actually exists,
and regular battle between the New Or
leans cutthroats and the negroes on one side
and the citizens of st Martins on the other
side is imminent. st Martinsville is in a
state of siege We read of the throwing
out Of pickets, of the arrival of recruits
and reinforcemcnts, of the blockade of the
Court House and of other military move
ments, just as il state of war actually
existed
Do the American people pause to reflect
upon the fatal consequences Of this condi-
ton Of society in one of the sovereign
States Of the Union? DO they persuade
themselves that the liberties of the people
of Louisiana can be stripped from them,
that the legally elected officers of the
Louisiana State Government can be driv-
en- from power at the point of the bayo-
net and the liberties and rights of other
communities and other States be yet pre-
served? Do they picture TO themselves
the horrors Of war Of races, or imagine
that in the event of a conflict between the
whites and blacks of Louisiana the scenes
that would follow could be confined to one
State Of the Union? The occurrences in