Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-20

SDce. O4ersteppnS nis tr{5uic loiiB 20
does Interfere; he Restraints al other return
ing officers but those recognized and desig-
mated by him from returning The vote. BY
an act of usurpatiOn still more palpable aud
fragrant, he orders that the statehouse be
taken possession of by troops; be virtually
orders who shall be members of the Legis-
lature- nay, / think it is not an inexcusa-
bic exaggeration when l say he virtually
makes or creates that Legislature. In ex-
ecuting these gross and fragrant usurpa-
tons, he is supported by the military force
of the federal government. The usurpa-
ton is consummated under the protection of
federal bayoeets. The Legislature so created
by the interference of the federal court, con-
yenes. - Thus the usurpation was on
summated--su surpation without shadoT
of law as an excuse, with nothing but
fraud and force to stand upon-a usurpa-
ton palpable, gross, shameless, and utterly
slbverslve of all principles of republican
governments usurpation such as this
country has never seen, and probably no
citizen of the United States has ever dream
ed Of The offspring Of this Legislature is
The Kellogg government"
And even Senator Morton cannot avoid
in bis extreme partisanship showing his
honest opinion of its villainy in these words:
"The conduct of Judge Durell, sitting in
the Circuit Court of the United States, can
not be justified or defended. He grossly
exceeded bis jurisdiction and assumed the
exercise of powers to which he could lay
no claim. In the Antoine
case Judge Durell not only assumed to de-
termine who constituted the legal returning
board, but to prescribe who should be per-
mitted to take part in the organization of
the Legislature, and to enjoin all persons
from taking part IN the organization ,ohO
loere not returned by the Lynch board as
elected, and this assumption of Jurisdiction
was made in the face of the express pro-
visions in the act of 1870 that its benefits
should not extend to candidates for cleo /
tors, for Congress, or for members of the
State Legislature.
"His order issued in the Kellogg case to
the United States marshal, to take posses
sion of the Statehouse for the purpose of
p. evening unlawful assemblages, under
which the marshal called to his aid a por-
ton of the army of the United States as
posse cOnaitdtuS, can only be characterized
as gross usurpatioD."
Upon these facts our citizens, in one of
the largest mass meetings ever held in New
Orleans, appointed a committee of two
hundred OF the most worthy and respected
people in the city to wait upon the Presi-
dent and request the withdrawal of federal
interference. In reply to the notice of
their coming, Attorney General Williams
sent me the following dispatch, which |
quote without comment:
WASHINGTON, D. c., December 49,
Your visit with hundred citizens will be
anavaiing, so far as the President Is con-
cerTled. His decision is made, and lUiH not
be changed, and the sooner it is acquiesced
in the sooner good order and peace will be
restored.
GEO. 81. WILLIAMS, Atty Gen'l.
In the extremity Of our distress-busi-
ness being paralyzed, commerce frightened
away, trade stopped, credit destroyed, con-
fidence lost, and, withal, taxes increased
we appeal to our brethren of sister States
to consider our situation. We feel that our
sad lot to-day may be theirs some other
day through the same means, and that
therefore they should, and douOlless will,
feel interested in seeing that their Senators
and Representatives in Congress take steps
to right those wrongs. Our only hope is
in the interposition of the States of the
Union through Congress; because if We
seek to right ourselves, our enemies will re.
vive against US the unhappy cries of the
late civil war, and falsely represent US as
seeking to reopen its dead issues. As to this
question we pointtO the record of the last pc
litical canvass in this State to demonstrate to
you what is the truth, that our peo
pie have honestly aud squarely &C
cepted all the results of the war; the meas
ures of reconstruction; the enfranchise- |
ment, suffrageship and right to hold Office |
of the colored people, and all the constitu- |
tional amendments. In the last canvass the |
Peoples or Fusion ticket had upon it Re- |
publicans and Democrats, white and color |
ed, Southern and Northern men, Fee eral |
and Confederate soldiers. In our platform |
we ignored all past differences. We sought |
solely to obtain a government of the whole |
people, that should be representative, eco
nomical and just. This government we |
obtained by the honest votes of the people |
at the late election. 1t has been yrested |
from us by this grave usurpation. cannot |
describe to you the gloom and despair of |
our people. We feel that unless their cause |
is made common one by the people of the |
other States, elections, so far as we are con- |
cerned, are mockery, and free government |
ended.
Hoping that this appeal may receive your
mature and deliberate attention, aud will be |
By you made known to the people of your |
State, and that it may enure TO the benefit |
of free and just government throughout the |
Union, and earnestly inviting you to join |
in the appeal now being made by the peo-
pie of this State to the President for an ex- |
ira session of Congress, in order that nee |
essary and legal measures may be insugura-
ted by that honorable body which will give |
to the people of Louisiana a just, free and |
republican Government, l remain, sir, with |
great consideration, your obecient servant
JOHN MCENERY,
Governor of Louisiana.