The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-06-07
ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR ncENERy
To the People of Louisiana.

by the intervention of the judicial, mil
ltary and executive authorities of the
United States, 1 deem it my duty, in
view Of the recent proclamation of the
President relative to Louisiana affairs,
to address you some words of advice
and counsel.
The Federal Executive, in the face of
the report of the Committee of the u.
;. Senate, declaring unanimously that
the U. S. District Judge usurped juris-
diction, and that his court was without
! authority to coerce a State or seize or
overthrow its government, has issued a
proclamation commanding the citizens
OF the State to submit to the Kellogg
| usurpation.
1T Is apparent to you as we'll as to all
citizens of this Union that the Presi-
! dent is resolved at all hazards and at
all costs to sustain by the military arm
of the nation, the present usurpation of
the State government, ushercd into eX-
istence by the midnight order of U. $.
District Judge Durell, executed by
United States bayonets, and presided
over by Mr.. William Pitt Kellogg
You are ordered and required by the
President to view with calmness and
resignation the overthrow of the legal
government of your State, elected by
y
law; the displacement Of judges, clerks,
sheritis, recorders, justices of the peace,
police jurors, etc.,-in fact, the displace-
ment by force of the whole machinery
OF governfr. .ent-Statc, parochiai and
municipal and the installation by
force OF persons hotoriously defeated ut
the election, and whose only title to
Office rests upon the return of Il return
ing board Witl1outa single official return
or vote before it to canvass or count,
and predicating its illegal action upon
affidaVits Gn many instances forsctl),
certificates, statements, census returns,
etc.
You are commanded by the President
to oppose no armed resistance to this
admltted usurpation, which, without
the potential aid of Federal authority,
would cease to exist in thirty days, and
I counsel and advise you to obey this
peremptory ordor of the president.-
Grant, as the Chief Magistrate of the
nation, has assumed the high and grave
responsibility of foisting upon the peo-
Pie OF this State usurpation without
precedent in this or any other free
country, and he is ansWerabie before
the bar OF public opinion of this Re
public for this high-fandcd measure, so
utterly destructive Of free government
in this country.
The President of the United States.
with the army and navy at his COM
mand, has the physical power to coercc
the people OF this State into any line of
policy he may be pleased to dictate,
and it would be but folly and madness
10 lnterpoSc any resistance likely to
bring us in conflict with the national
authority; and as it has already been
II
kcllogg's government, unaitlcd by Fed
eral power, was poWerless to enforce it's
mandates, further violent dcmonstra-
tions will prove barren of useful or
practical results.
While the Presidents proclamation
will speedily repress any threatened
outbreak in any part of the State, vet
the deeply fixed sentiments of irreprcs-
sible hostility in the minds and hearts
OF an outraged people, against the vilest
usurpation ever attempted to be f,stcn-
cd upon freemcn, will find their full
scope and vent, and advise that these
manly and patriotic sentiments take
form and shape through all moral and
legal agencies possible to be devised.
To abandon at this crisis of our affairs
the peaceablc and legal means within
our powers by which we may contest
| until the last hope is gone the protein
slons Of this usurpati0n to the title of
being the legal government of Louisi-
! ana, would be an aDaSrment Of our
| manhood, and thrusting our nccks in
| tho yoke of tyranny and oppression
already prepared to receive them.
With the Executive of the United
| States to support him, Mr.. Kellogg
| may, until Congress meets, administer
| his government with some apparent
degree Of success, but this should not
cause us to despair of ultimate relief.
The public sentiment throughout the
Union, and the sentiments and opinions
of members of Congress lead me to the
| we'll considered conclusion that when
Congress assemblies in December our
difficulties will be speedily adjusted
| and that if we fail in securing Il rccog-
milton of the government elected by the
! people (and an earnest effort will be
made in that dircction), ut least Con-
| greSS will surely initiate and pass the
| necessary measures, according to Lou
| isiana Legitimate government, TO
! which hcr citizens of all classes and OF
all parties will bow in willing and
loyal obcficncc.
In the ncantisuc | trust that peace
and order may reign supreme through
out the State, and that all our indus
| trial pursuits will be uncmbarrasscd by
the political difficulties into which, un.
happily, VIC have been so unnecessarily
and ruthiessfy plunged, and especially
.v.