The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-04-26
SPEECH OF GOV. McENERY.

SPEECH OE 6Ovs MCENE h1s
At the large meeting Of taxpayers
held In Monroe on the 10th inst, Gov.
McEnery spoke about p hours. We
can only give short synopsis Of his
speech.
The Governor said that he had not
come among the people to indulge in
the flights Of fancy, or to deal with the
flowers of rhetoric, but to speak plainly
to state the practical means Of pre-
serving constitutional rights and Amer
lean freedom. The contest in Louisi-
ana is not localized. A sentiment of
patriotism is stretching over the land,
and the Louisiana contest is becoming
national in it's character. Men, ire
spective of party, are watching with
interest our actions here. Democrats
and Republicans are looking at the
issue as being above party strife and
party chickering's. They feel that if free
government is stricken down in Louis
lana that it is only a question Of time
when an imperial despotism will
throttle the liberties of the people eve
rywhere. Hence, he had the most
hopeful view Of our case. We are con-
tending for a great Observation-Disclosures
nee government and republican insti-
tutions should be perpetuated, and
every citizen in the American Union
was alike interested in the result.
The history Of the Louisiana case was
given III detail. After n fair election
probably fairer than in many of the
States Of the Union-it was shown by
tho officials records in his possession
that he had been elected by more than
10000 majority. The victory of the
Fusionists was acknowledged every
where; BY every Intelligent voter in
the State; by the universal sentiment
OF the country, and the result given
publicity everywhere as an acknowl-
edged fact. Even Kellogg had &C
knowledged it and was seeking new
avenues of preferment for admission to
the u. S. Senate by bringing about q
union Of opposing elements in the Flu
sion Legislature, but in this he most
ignomineously failed. a plan was de-
vised to defraud the people out of the
result of the election. Kellogg, Beck
with, Casey and others organized the
conspiracy against the government of
Louisiana at the Custom House. The
official returns had shown that he was
elected, and to get over this fact puz-
zled the conspirators. Kellogg Mt last
said: "I have it. We have U. S.
Judge who is partizan, who is with
us. He will give US relief on any show
Ing" A bill in equity was filed ostcn-
sibly for the purpose Of perpetuatins
testimony to be used in some future
action which Kellogg alleged he inten-
ded to bring. The whole machinery
was put in motion, and at the dead
homo from his cups, from a feast to
which the conspirators had invited
him, in his chamber, his mind aud
body paralyzed and untitled by intoX-
ication, by one stroke Of his pen, at
tempted to sweep away the liberties %
tno people Oh TIC St0tS Oh lAOlllSluIlts "
degrade the proud State; to drag her
down, and place her people under the
iron heel of a stranger, a usurper. This
act is without a parallel in history ; is
unequalIed by any act Of the notorious
Jenries, whose name has come down
to us for more than century loaded
with infamy.
He was not afraid of investigation 4:
he courted it. Kellogg had alleged
fraud in the election. He had proposed
60 go into the court Of his own selection
before Durell, whose partizanship and
corruption was well known to the
whole country--and Try this question
of fraud, in every parish and precinct.
Kellogg had shrunk from the investi-
cation, choosing rather to rest his
claims upon force, Federal power and
perjury. What was the irresistible
conclusion? That the allegations were
untrue, and he know he would stand
convicted before the American people
~>S he u