New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-09
THE STRUGGLE IN LOUISIANA.
synopsis Of an Address by T.. L. BlllpGs
Esd, mt Hatfield, Massachusetts.

IL a.
Our talented fellow citizen, E. c. Billings,
Esq. has been enjoying portion OF his
summer vacation in his native village, Hat
field. Massachusetts. but has improved his
time by preparing very able address on
the subject of "The struggle between the
civilization of slavery and that of freedom,
recently and now going on in Louisiana.
This address was delivered to large meet
ng of the citizens of Hatfield on the TWEEN
tieth ultimo, and has been printed at the
Office Of the Northampton Gazette Printing
Company, making, with the appendix,
neat looking pamphlet OF thirty-one pages.
1t gives a very full history OF the political
movements in this State, which eliminated
in the establishment in authority OF our
State government, which side Mr.. Billings
strongly espoused and now as earnestly de-
tends. We give below a synopsis OF the
argument OF the address. and several ex-
tracts of interest to the general reader:
SYNOPSIS OF THE ARGUMENT.
The confessed minority of the Democrats !;
their combination with Governor Warmoth,
that they might get some sort OF evidence
of having carried the State and thus, by
force and the convention of their pretended
legislature, get control OF the State The
plan failed, because the Republican major
ity could not be overcome even by such
Vaccinations. The ballots, as actually
cast. elected Governor Kellogg by $4,000
majority This is conclusively shown by
evidence derived from the FnsioDists, as
well as from the undisputed general facts.
1t was, therefore, vital to the success OF the
scheme of the Fusionsts that they should
have a board of returning officers who
should be in their interests. This was the
turning point in the struggle. Hence the
attempt of Warmoth to make new board
When the State court decided against his
board, he inaugurated an era OF violence,
violently turned out the real judge and in
stalled one of his own. When violence had
thus stricken down the State tribunal, Gov
ernor Kellogg commenced his suit in equity
in the Circuit Court OF the United States.
On the question as to whether the circuit
court had jurisdiction over the case of kel-
logg VS.. Warmoth, the statute giving jurls-
diction and the p.eadings in the case are
laid side by side, and we see no escape
from the conclusion that the court was
vested with complete jurisdiction. AS to
the issuance of the order directed to the
United States marshal to take possession OF
the Mechanics Institute and hold it. sub
ject 10 the order of the court the facts and
circumstances are fully stated. 1t was the
private household property OF Mr. War
moth, who was in open and continuing
contempt against two orders of the court
not TO interfere with the returns and to
deliver them to the clerk to have them
copied. He was seeking to combine with
him or rather place before him a pretended
Legislature in the declaring of whom to be
elected and converting of whom he was at
nj
the court. For these reasons, and above
all, to get possession of the election returns
which were concealed in the building, the
order was made. In a case of such a char
acter we do not see that the court trans
cendtd the proper bounds OF d chancellor,
for the question was whether the power of
the court and the whole object of the suit
should fail
Judge Durell's action was prompted by
the purest motives, and was performed
amid such dangers that it was requisite to
have him surrounded by a guard for three
months The abuse which has been SO out
rageously heaped upon HIM comes from bis
fearless administration OF the obnoxious
laws OF the United States in a community
owhere the bitternesses OF slavery have taken
such deep root
We give what he says OF Judge Durell in
this connection:
JUDGE DURELL.
This case was but an illustration. and cpl
tome OF the contest which was beng waged
throughout the whole State. The civiliza-
ton of slavery which had swayed our nation
for fifty years. with its mario w-minded, in
tolerant. but lmperious Gictatlon-with Its
o1positon TO free discussion-with its con-
Nant and ever recurring appeals 10 violence,
with its strength and hope residing in vio-
Ience-stood on field where il had hoped
for restoration to so much OF its old su-
Dremacv. and saw that il had lost: that il
had lost. too, where it had sacrificed even its
own self-respect to win. Ii saw State
snatched from its grasp just as its greedy
fnoers were clutchIng II. Overlooking the
fact that the Judge was but the law speak
inc in IT'S integrity, refusing, 100, to see i'll
;ts disastrous set back the word of that
sleepless vengeance which pursues great
wrongs. it turned like fury upon Judge
Durell. Its supporters and nlhlohs nave
flooded the country with attacks upon him.
M oId svmpathizers with slavery all over
fine country tried to forget their discontinue
at the defeat of their strangely selected
presidential candidate by joining In this de-
with the malignity of fiends they have
ossailed his character. When ina renuitloh
of a Judgment, in my hearing, he Apply quo
ted from Lord Bacon's essay on ]uulcatuie'
wherein he says that the judge VINO sios IA
Gods seat should level down the Nils au9
t,I nm fine valleys. should bear even handed
i in, p thew falsely quoted him, as blasphe-
J, uo,l saving that he "was Gods viceger'
eut" They have accused him OF into1 Xxi! "a
t;or and fiat, too, when the order OF which
! have spoken, was issued. l shall speak
: nI hdnI on this subject. Judge Durell has
no excesses, he has no ungensleman1ilhk x.
habits. myself drew that order WORD "