New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-04
GENERAL HERRoN's EXPLANATION


sue of the twenty eighth. 1t will be read
lily recognized by every intelligent citizen
of New Orleans as clear, straig ghttorward,
truthful history of our election contest,
being faithful to matters OF evidence as we'll
as points of law. For a reason easily I'M
derstood, the editor of the Herald processes
bis inability to comprehend General Her
rons note. lie. us hope his readers arc
blessed with more sagaclty, or honesty,
which will amount to the came thing. Tie
note is published in the same issue, and, in
fact, appended to the latest prouuncia-
mento of our delegation" which hap
pened 10 be in New York at the time. The
reporters of the Associated Press sent us
the manifesto, but ignored General Her
ron's letter, which we give, as follows:
TO the Editor of the Herald
The HeraM is usually so correct in its
statement of public matters that | was
greatly surprised at the inaccuracies il the
leading editorial of the twenty-tOurth IN
slant on the Louisiana trouble, and Atylng
been somewhat mixed up III the affair
deem it 10y duty to make the proper correc
tions. Under the State law the returns of
laid before and canvassed by d returning
board" conRosed of the Governor, Lieu.
tenant Governor, Secretary OF State, John
Lynch and I. G.. Anderson. and any mem
Der of the board who is a candidate at toe
election is ineligible TO act as q returning
officer. The board met in accordance with
the law on November u, there being pres
ent Governor II. G. Warmoth, Lieutenant
Governor Z. 3. s. Pinchback, Secretary of
7 / M
ganized by selecting Governor WarmOth as
chairman, and John Lynch as secretary. On
motion of Governor WarmOth the board ad-
iOurned until the next day, for the purpose
If having Chief Justice LudeiiDg, of the
Supreme Court. present TO administer the
required oath. On the thirteenth instant
the board met pursuant to adjournment,
the same members present, and the oath
was administered to all by the Chief JUS
tice Lieutenant Governor Pinchback and
T. G., Anderson being candidates, on mo-
ton of Governor Warmoth their places
were declared vacant. At this uncture
1.-THE board having been III session an hour,
and holding its second meetlngl Governor
Warmoth handed me notice of my re
moval as Secretary OF State, which l de-
clned to accept not acknowledging his
power to remove ME. l then nominated
James Longstreet and Jacob hawkins to
!
votes of John Lynch and myself, and a
motion to adjourn was carried by the same
vote.
During the interval between the first and
second meeting of the board Governor War
moth had come TO the conclusion that Lynch
and myself would not certify the fraudulent
tabuation which he had prepared, and
therefore to effect his object he must get
rid of US. He came to the second meeting
fully prepared, having in the anteroom
Wharton, who was TO succeed me as Secre-
tary of State: Hatch and DaPonte, who
were to be mem bers of the board; Judge
Cooley to administer the oaths, and a select
party of friends to witness the coup detAt
With the notice of my removal IN his pocket
and the persons above named sitting IN the
next room he permitted the Chief Justice
TO administer the oath, he and | standing
side by side while taking it, and making n o
objection to my voting on several matters
until the election of two persons to fill the
vacancies came up.
Then he called IN Mr. Wharton, whom he
claimed to have appointed Secretary of
State. with Hatch and DaPontn, and pro-
ceeded to organize beard Of his own. Mr.
Lynch and myself withdrew from the
room, the regular board having adjourned.
The Office and records of the Secretary of
State having been taken possession OF by
Mr Wharton, | at once applied to the
Eighth District Court, and obtained an in
junction against Wharton, and also brought
suit against him under the intrusion into
Office act" Longstreet and Hawkins, who
were duly elected members ct the board at
its regular sitting, were sworn in by Chief
Justice Ludeliug, and the board, thus com
posed, obtained an injunction against the
board selected by Governor WarmOth. On
the eighteenth instant after regular trial,
obtained Judgment against Wharton, and
was duly declared the legal Secretary of
State aud the injunction against Hatch
and DaPOnte was made perpetual,
Finding the State courts would not aid
him, Governor Warmoth, without awaiting
the action Of the returning board, proceed
ed to commission new judge for the
Eighth District Court, and a new sheriff,
and, p It'll the aid of the Metropolitan Police,
forcibly removed from the bench the Judge
who rendered a decision in nv Iavor, seat
ing his own appolntee. The Attorney Gen
eraI of the State, having appeared for me in
the suits brought, was also removed, and
II. ID. Ogden appointed; but the Supreme
Court refused to recognize either the AttOr-
ney General or sheriff appointed by War
moth At this time w. 7. Kellogg filed
bill in chancery in the United States Circuit
Court against Ii. G. Warmoth, and re.
straining order was issued pe'dcHie lite. In
the face of this order, as well as of the aC-
ton of the State courts, Governor Warmoth
continued issuing commissions to such
persons as he declared elected, and is
sued proclamation calling meeting of
the Legislature, furnishing the daily papers
a list Of the persons he claimed were
elected He publicly defind the United
States Court, and stated he had the militia,
police and other armed forces to carry out
his plans Under these circumstances bit
two courses were open to Judge Durell-
either to enforce his decree or to acknowl-
edge that political desperate could over
ride the authority of the United States.
Very properly he chose the former, and the
marshal was compelled to ask the aid of
General Emory. The federal government
did not interfere in any manner, except to
enforce the decree of the United States
Court, and it could do nothing less. The
statement of the committee from Louisiana
that Lynch and myself had conspired to
get up fraudulent returns, and that | had
in advance ordered a new 5ea5 O5 the
State, are both utterly false.
On my return to New Orleans from the
North, / feund that Governor WarmOth
had removed the seal of State, together
with valuable election records. from nv
Office, and had locked them in his safe. |
therefore ordered new seal of State for
the office, as had right to do. The citi
zens' committee failed to say that the State
courts had decided against Governor War
moth, and that judges, sherifs and other
officials, when found in the way, were
removed by force, and that this
lawless and revolutionary conduct was fully
ind0rsed by them, sfor by such means !the
old Slidell Democracy expected to get con
troll of the State The October elections
settled tho political matters in Louisi-
ana beyond any question, all the old
Republicans who had been acting with
the Liberal movement returning to the reg
ular organization. The Republicans have
everything TO gain by thorough investiga-
ton Of the troubles, for it would shaw con
that the State went Republican by
Il nnN t0 IS 600 majority The secret OF the