Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1873-05-09
The Louisiana Troubles.


Our dispatches have teemed OF late
With accounts Of the troubles in Lou
isiana. and this morning we publish
the particulars Of an attempt to
murder Governor Kellogg. Almost
the entire Commonwealth, indeed,
appears to tie in a state OF anarchy.
There is of course a cause for all this.
1t will be remembered that at the last
election two Boards Of Canvassers set
themselves up to canvass the returns.
The President stood 10y the Kellogg
faction, and as might he re IDLY
imagined, members of that party
were counted into office. The other
side carried the case TO Washington,
and there demanded an investigation,
which Was granted, but the findings
Of the committee were never acted
upon. The origin of all the troubles
In Louisiana is pointedly set forth in
the report Of the United States Senate
Committee. composed largely of
Republicans, to whom the ~inveStiga-
ton was intrusted. As pertinent at
this time, we make the following ex-
tract from the committees report:
Viewed in any light. the orders
and iniunctions made and granted by
Judge Durell in this cause are most
reprehenSible, erroneous in point of
law. and are wholly void for want of
jurisdiction, and your committee
must ex press their sorrow and humil-
iatiOn that a Judge of the United
States should have proceeded in such
fragrant disregard Of his duty. and
have 40 far overstepped the limits of
Federal jurisdiction. There is moth.
Ing in all the comedy of blunderS
and frauds under consideration more
indefrnsible than the pretended cam
vass Of this kellogg fraud.
1t was testified before your Com
mittee. by Mr.. Bovee himself, who
partici ated IN the anvas by the
Lynch Board, that thew were deter
mined to have a Republican Legisla-
ture, and made their canvas to that
end. The testimony a~bundantly es-
tablishes the fraudulent character Of
their canvass. In some cases they had
what were supposed to be copies of
the original returns !; in other cases
they had nothing but newspaper
statements. and i'll other cases, where
they had nothing whatever to act u;,-
on, they made an estimate. based
upon their knowledge of the political
complexion Of the parish. of what
the vote ought to have been. They
also counted a large number Of af-
ndavits purporting 10 be sworn to by
voters who had been wrongfullv de-
MED registration or the right to vote,
many of which affidAvits thew must
have known to be forgeries. 1t was
, rstified by n witness that he forged
l,0OO aftidav:tS and delivered tn I'm t
the Lynch Board while it was in SEES.
sion. 1t is quite unnecessary to waste
time in considering this part Of the
case for no person ran examine the
testimony ever so curSOrily without
seeing that this pretended canvass
had no semblance of integrity.
1t is the opinion Of Your committee
that but for the unjustitiable inter-
ference of Judge Dureli. whose orders
were executed by United States
troops. the canvass made by the
DeFeret Board and promulgated 10y
the Governor. declaring McEnerv t.
have been elected Governor. etc. and
also declaring who had been elected
to the Legislature. would have been
SS'4uieSceu III Nv tIc people, aIu t1at
government would have entered
quietly upon the exercise of the sovr-
reign power of the State. But the
proceedings of Judge Durell, and the
support given to him by United
States troops resulted in establishing
the authority of Kellogg and his as
sOciates in State offices. and the per-
sons declared elected by the LYME.
Board to he elected to the Legisla-
ture. We have already seen that the
proceedings of that Board cannot ie
sustained without disregarding all
the principle of law applicable to the
subject. and ignoring the distinction
between good faith and fraud"