The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-06-11
ADDRESS OF GOV. McENERY
TO THE
PEOPLE OF LOU ISIANA.
EXECUTIVE FF1cE,)
New Orleans, May 81, lS73.i-

ernOF OF Louisiana, OVerthrOWn solely |
by the intervention of the judicial, mill
itary and executive authorities of the |
United States, l deem it my duty, in
view of the recent proclamation of the |
President, relating to Louisiana affairs,
to address to you some words Of advice |
and counsel.
The Federal Executive, in the face of
the report of a committee of the United
States Senate, declaring unanimously
that the United States District Judge
usurped jurisdiction, and that his court
was without authority to coerce 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 well as to all
the people of this Union, that the Pres
ident 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, ushered into ex-
istence by the midnight order Of United
States 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
you in pursuance of all the forms of
law, the displacement Of judges, clerks,
sheritfs, recorders, justices Of the peace,
police jurors, etc.-in fact, the displace-
ment by force Of. the whole machinery
Of government, State, parochial and
municipal, and the installation by force
of persons VIGOROUSLY defeated at the
Ielection, and whose only title to office
rests upon the returns of a returning
board without single official return or
vote before it to canvass or count, and
predicating its illegal action upon atli-
davits, in many instances fOrged,) cer-
titicates, statements, census returns, etc.
You are commanded by the President
to oppose no armed resistance to this
admitted usurpation, which, without
the potential aid of Federal authority,
would cease to exist in thirty days.
And [ counsel and advise you to obey
the peremptory order of the President.
President Grant, as the chief magis-
trate of the nation, has assumed the
high and grave responsibility Of foisting
upon the people Of this State a usurpa-
ton without precedent in this or any
other free country, and he is answera-
BILE before the bar of public opinion Of
this republic for this high-handed meas
ure, so utterly destructive of free gov
eminent in this country.
The President of the United States,
with the army and navy at his COM
.mand, has the physical power to coerce
the people of this State into any line OF
policy he may please dictate, and it
would be but folly and madness to in
terpose any resistance likely to'bring us
in conflict with the National authority.
And, as it has already been successfully
ernment, unaided by Federal power,
was powerless to enforce It's mandates,
further. violent demonstrations viii
prove barren of useful or practical re-
suits.
!. While the Presidents proclamation
will speedily repress any threatened
J outbreak in any part of the State, yet
the deeply fixed sentiments Of irrepres-
sible hostility in the minds and hearts
of an outraged people, against the vi
lest usurpation ever attempted to be
fastened upon freemen, will find their
: full scope and vent. And advise those
manly and patriotic sentiments to take
{ form and shape through all moral and
legal agencies possibly to be devised.
10 abandon, at this crisis of our af-
fairs, the peaceable and legal means
f within our power, by which we may
contest until the last hope is gone, the
pretensions Of this usurpation to the IL
tie of being the legal government of
Louisiana, would be all abasement of
our manhood, and thrusting our necks
in the yoke Of tyranny and oppression,
Q already prepared to receive them.
r With the Executive of the United
States to support him, Mr.. Kellogg may,
until Congress meets, administer his
government with some apparent degree
I of success, but this should not cause us
to despair of ultimate success. 49,;
The public sentiment throughout the
t Union, and the sentiments and opinions
n Of members of Congress, lead me to the
;. well-considered conclusion that, when
s Congress assemblies in December, our
: difficulties will be speedily adjusted,
: and that if we fail in securing recOg-
8 milton of the government elected by the
u people (and all earnest effort will be
8 made in, that direction,) at least Con.
q gress will surely initiate and pass the
, necessary measures according to Lou.
= isiana a legitimate government, tc
t which her citizens, of all classes, and
d of all parties, will bow in willing ODE
dience. 80,
; In the meantime, I trust that peace