Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-05-30
Affairs in Louisiana.

charitable!
Affairs in Louisiana.
In his address to the people. of Louisi
ana Governor Kellogg reviews at length
the history of the troubles. He says:
During all the excitement which preceded
my installation as Governor was desirous and
at all times expressed n willingness to have an
adjustment on fair and equitable basis
After was inaugurated the Chairman of the
Republican State Committee made an offer to
leading members of the Fusion party to scat
forty-five members of the lower house and
number of Senators. This proposition met
the appreciation of many of the leaders of the
party 1t was rejected, in part, on the alleged
ground that we would not reseat the six
expelled Senators who had deserted their seats
and betrayed their constituencies by going
into the Fusion assemblage.
At all times after this there was a disposition
on the part of the leading men of the Republican
party and of the Legislature to make any rea-
sonable adjustment.
1t will be borne in mind that the compost
tion of our Legislature, alleged to be inimical
to wholesome legislation, was the strong OBJ
lection made to our government Without
admitting the justice of this objection-which,
indeed, is abundantly disproved by contrasting
the action of the present Legislature with that
of the past Legislatures, or even that of the
Odd Fellows Hall, which passed no reform
measures--we yet were willing to concede to
the opposition such a representation as even
they admitted would enable them, acting in
concert with Republican members known to
be in favor of reform, to secure the passage of
such measures as would tend to correct
existing abuses, to restore public credit,
and to develop the internal resources Of
the State The proposed adjust
ment would have given white
majority in both branches of the Legislature,
and, as they themselves conceded, would have
enabled the opposition, if so disposed, to pre-
| vent all questionable legislation, had any such
been attempted, and to insure economy, re-
! form and the advancement of the material in
terests of the State. Repeated conferences
were had with the authorized committees of
| the Fusionists, at their own instance, with q
| view to an adjustment, and l believe they will
do me the justice to say that they were CON
| vinced of my sincerity in desiring such aeon
summation.
During the last days of the session a COM
mttee authorized by the Odd Fellows Hall as
| semblage waited upon myself and others, and
| finally It was understood that proposition to
seat forty-fve Fusionists in the lower House,
and eleven Senators, would be satisfactory tO
the majority.
With commendable patriotism and self-sac
rifice members of the lower House, sufficient
| in number to make up the required forty-fve
| II =
board, came forward and signed a writer
! pledge to resign their seats in favor of those
claiming to represent their respective districts
| then sitting in the Fusion assemblage. A
written pledge was also made by majority OF
the Senate that they would sea-
Senators, in addition to those returned by thu
legal board, it being conceded, for the purpose
of this proposed adj djustment, that the contestinl
Senators had received majority Of the votes
cast in their respective districts. We had sat
| isfactory assurances from our friends, both il
Washington and here, that this adjustment, i
effected, would be approved.
! was well aware that my action in this mat
ter would soon tend to bring upon me th
suspicion of my own party and every kind o
discomfort and miscOnstruction from both my
friends and opponents but was willing L
risk all this if by so doing could reasonabl!
expect to restore harmony and prosperity Il
the State Yet, while 1 Vas doing this in tn
interests of the State, certain prominent Flu
siOnsts were endeavoring to negotiate trad'
with Lieutenant-G Governor Antoine, by whicl
he and other colored men were to desert m'
and join them.
Right at this inncture 1t was insisted, among
other things, that the old Warmoth Senators
who had seeded from the Legislature, anC
had subsequently been expelled, should be re
seated, and in n caucus of the opposition th'
question was sprung thatno proposition woul(
be entertained that did not include the read
mission of these Senators. 1t was general.
admitted that several of them had been fraud
ulently declared elected in 1870; that they diC
not represent the districts from which the.
were accredited; that their legislative caree
had been such as gave no reasonable assur
ances that they would work in the lnteres
of reform, or that they had the pros
perity Of the State at heart. Yet the combines
efforts of these men, their urgent appeals Il
their associates in Odd Fellows Hall, added 4
the votes of those who were opposed to an
adjustment at all, resulted In the adoption o
a resolution by the Fusion body that no ad
justment would be acceded to that did not in
clude these expelled Senators. Here again tn
influence which has been the bane of Lousian
made itself felt, and these Narmoth Senators
who had seeded from the legal Legislature
order to carry out the original compact loolIin
to the destruction of the Republican party
contributed largely, at least, to the defeat {
an adjustment so nearly reached.
| An appeal to arms was made. The Oppos
tion-though they had specifically declared
through the person claiming to be their Alto
ney-General, that they only desired to inaugu
rate their government so as to obtain a legi
status and make a case for the courts-prC
cured arms and munitions of war, and made
systematic effort to organize n militia for I'll
avowed purpose of overthrowing the establish
ed government. The militia was scattered
the local authorities, and the next day the Cd
Fellows Hall assemblage was dispersed.
The agitation which now convulses the Stat
proceeds principally from three classes. Firs
body of worthy citizens unversed in politics
some of whom did not even vote at the lai
election, who have been bllndly misled into Ii
belief that no portion of the present State Coy
ernment was elected. Second, disappointe
politicians, dependent upon Office for the
! livelihood Third, the men connected with III
monopolies and fraudulent schemes originate
under the late Administration, and whose onl
chance Of protecting their interests, no
threatened by my Administration, and Of PR
venting the shameful robberies perpetrated uI
! on the people from being brought TO light, Ii,
in agitation and anarchy The public disorder
and the sentiments of ostracism and antagol
{ ism engendered by these three classes, aided b
a subsidized partisan press, are q standing M
mace preventing capital and labor from comm
here. The tide of immigration turns asiC
from the tempting climate and productive so
, of this State, and the army Of European Il
) bOrers, warned away by lawlessness and ins
curity, passes on 10 Texas or the West. I'll
? State is yearning. for the aid Of 70
eign capital TO renew its leyees, foreign i
Dor to revive its agriculture. But II is absul
: for any community that encourages lawles
ness to hope for the confidence Of The capital
: or the aid of the industrious laborer. Nothir
7 can save the State but the enforcement of Law
IN Il