Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-17
The Outrage at CoIfax.

SlOnS. i nc TROUBLES anu TIOGS dI SOlIdA |
are but renewal of the contests grow
ing out of the claim of two rival govern
ments and legislatures to the supreme |
control of the State. Our dispatches |
Yesterday morning stated that the whites
had retaken Colfax, and that not negro |
was to be found for miles around. We |
know not-and care not-from what
source the telegram came, or from whom |
the information contained therein was
but it will be found that the
reports are highly sensational in their
character and colored to suit the views
of the McEnery party. The riot and
outrage, if we understand the matter
correctly, is this time with the whites
and not with the blacks. The trouble
dates back to the election of last No
vember, or rather had its origin in the
results, or alleged results, thereof, 1t
seems that one Rutland" who is-or
styles himself-a judge, was one of the
fomentors of the disturbance, and the
information was mainly derived from
him; but of this anon. 1t seems that,
acting upon the advice of this Rutland
and others, Governor Kellogg had COM
missioned sheriff and some other Off
GERS, who had been candidates on the
fusion ticket, but had not, as it appears,
delivered the commission. Subsequent
information and investigation developed
the fact that the officers so commissioned
were members of the band charged with
having burned the house of Judge Phil
lips and murdered Recorder White in
September 1871. 1t was also charged
that they were not, in fact, duly elected.
Acting upon these representations, COM
ing both from republican and fusion
sources, Governor Kellogg revoked their
commissions and issued others to their
competitors. Whether he was right or
wrong in this action, it is not necessary
to discuss. Either view of the question
would not justify a rot If Governor
issues commission by mistake, he
ought to have the right and power to re-
woke it. Such right and power, how
ever, would depend upon the local or
would be answerable for the exercise of
the power Be this as it may new COM
missions were issued. Politics had moth
ing to do with the question up to this
time neither had color. 1t was entirely
a question of fitness and propriety. AS
we have said, new commissions were is
sued. The recipients thereof proceeded
to Colfax and demanded possession of
the court house, which was refused.
They thereupon took possession of the
court house and county property, but
without, as far as we are informed, any
disturbance. There seems to be no doubt,
thus tar, that the only OmCers VINO neIu
commissions from the proper authority,
that is the only persons who had show
of authority, were in the quiet and
peaceable possession of the public prop
erty and public buildings. In any other
community or State, proper case was
prepared for presentation to the courts
for their adjudication. We are some
what surprised that, even in Louisiana,
this particular controversy was not so
submitted by the ''outs." The decision
would, undoubtedly, have been salts
factory, as this same Rutland was judge.
They preferred, however, to try Fernando
Woods tactics. They had the right to
presume that what was good Democratic
law in New York city, would be good
fusion law on the Mississippi river. We
need not recall the particulars of the
armed and forcible resistance of Fer
nando Wood and his adhercnts to the
metropolitan police law Fernando
Wood was, at the time, as he has been
ever since, one of the bright particular
stars of the Democracy. He was Mayer
of the city of New York, and it was his
duty to see that the laws were duly en-
forced. He discharged his duty by
trampling the laws under foot and, with
his armed minions, forcibly resisting the
execution thereof. Law and right ulti-
mately prevailed, as they always will,
and he was forced to yield obedience
thereto. This "Judge" Rutland seems
to be an humble imitator of Fernando
Instead of attempting to rectify the
wrong, if any wrong there was, he-we
take his own statement for it-repaired
to some neighboring "pinery woods" as
as they are called, and, with the aid of
members of the fusion Legislature, or
ganized bands of men-Democrats,
Liberals and fusions-from the neigh
boring parishes to Ego to Grant and
fight. Grant, it will be understood, is
the parish in which Colfax is situated.
We do not learn that the ''rioters," as
the dispatches are pleased to term the
negroes and white men, who are acting
with them, had committed any
particular excuses. They took quiet,
armed possession of the public
buildings, and were determined to
maintain the same at all hazards. Of
course, no body of men, thus assembled
and thus opposed, will act in strict &C
cordance with law and propriety, or
with due regard to propriety. We have
been somewhat surprised that there
should be so little property destroyed
and no lives sacrificed by these, So
called ''rioters. Not so with the Claw
and order" party, headed, perhaps, by
"Judge" Rutland, and, certainly. ac-
companied by pretended sheriff. They
fire on flag of truce, set fire to the
Court House, in order to destroy its
occupants, shoot the negroes as they
come from the burning building, so that,
as the telegram says, mot negro is to
be found for miles around The cap
tain of steamer, which arrived at New
Orleans, Tuesday, says that he saw from
the boat ''about fifteen or twenty negroes
lying around the banks dead" and re-
ports that about one hundred were
killed and many more wounded, while
only one white man was reported killed
and two seriously wounded. We know
not which party was legally entitled to
the offices. As far as this OUTRAGE is