The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-12-10
Contin,,1d fom iAc Nra Pagc.


idering that the present State sdmlnis-
ration Of Louisiana has been the ohIy
government in that State for nearly TWO
years. that It has been tacitly acknoWl-
Sdged and acquiesced in as such by Con-
,,-ssa and more than once expressly re-
so0nized by me, l regarded it as my clear
Jnlv when legally called upon for that
vnrnose 10 prevent its overthrow by an
AIMED mob under pretense OF fraud and
;Tregularity in the election of 1872.
7 have heretofore called the attention
.fConeress TO this subject, stating that
an account of the frauds and forgeries
committed at said election, and appears
Mat The returns therof were legally can
voeaed. Il was impossible to tell thereby
vho were chosen but from the best sour
oes of information at my commana,
have always believed the present state
oficers received a majority OF the votes
SetuaIly cast at that election. repeat
what | said in my special message OF
February 23, 1873, that in the event OF no
adion by Congress, must continue to
recognize the government heretofore re-
OogniEed by me.
THk HnlIE LAAuOEos
regret to say that with the prepara-
Aona for the late election, decided indi-
dications appeared in some local
itiee in the Southern States of deter
mination by acts of violence and intimi-
1Gtion. 10 deprive citizens of the freedom
0fthe ballot because Of their political
Ouipions. Bands Of men masked and
armed, made their appearance; White
Leagues and other societies were formed;
large quantities Of arms and ammunition
we're imported and distributed to the Or
GaniEations military drills with mem
SeinR demonstrations were held, and with
all these, murders enough were commit
ted 10 spread terror amoug those whose
political action was to be suppressed If
pOaible by those intolerant and criminal
proceedings. In some places colored la
boFers were compelled to vote according
10 the wishes of their employers; under
threats of discharge if they acted other
wise, and there are too many instances
in which, when these threats were disre,
garded they were remorselessly executed
BY those who made them. understand
T6at the Fifteenth Amendment to the
Constitution was made to prevent this,
and like state of things, and the act OF
Nay 81, 1870, with amendments, was is
med TO enforce its provisions, the object
Of both being to guarantee to all citizens
The right TO vote, and to protect them in
the free enjoyment of that right En-
ioined by the Constitution to tuke care
that the laws be faithfully executed, and
convinced by undoubted evidence that
violations ofsaid act had been committed,
and that widespread and fagrant dis
regard of it was contemplated, the proper
officers were instructed to prosecute the
offenders, and troops were stationed at
convenient points to aid these officers, If
necessary Sim the performance Of their
official duties. Complaints are made OF
this interference by federal authority
but If said amendment and act do not
proyide for such interference, under the
circumstances as above stated, then they
are without meaning, force or effect, and
The whole scheme of COlored enfranchlse-
nent is worse than mockery and little |
better than crime. Possibly Congress
nav find il due TO truth and justice 10 as
~srtain by means of a committee whether |
he alleged wrongs to colored citizens for
uoliticai purposes are real, or the reports
hereof were manufactured for the occa-
Ion. The whole Of troops in the
Aates of Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia,
VlOgida. South Carolina, North Carolina,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, missis-
Appi, Maryland and Virginia at the time
ofthe election were 4,082. This embra-
a. parrisons of all the forts from the
Delaware TO the Gulf Of Mexico
ANOTHBR TROUBLE
has risen in Arkansas, article l3 ofthe
Constitution of the State, which was
Adopted in 1868, and upon the approval
of which BY Congress the State was re-
Utored TO representation as one of the
States of the Union provides IN eiect
mat before any amendments proposed 10
the Constitution shall become part
nereof, they shall be passed by two sue
ooaEiye Assemblies, and ratified by a ma
loYitV ofthe electors Of the State voting
thereon. On the 1lth of fMay. 1874, the
Governor convened an extra session OF
he General Assembly ofthe State, which
IN the 18th of the same month, passed
an act providing for convention to frame
a new Constitution pursuant to this act,
md At An election held on the Both Of
June, 1874, the convention was approved
and delegates we're chosen thereto, VINO
awembled on lhe l4th Of last July and
framed new constitution, the schedule
of which provided for the election OF an
entire new set ofState officers in man.
neF cantrary to the then existing election
laws of the State. On the 18th Of Octo-
Der. 1874. this Constitution, as therein
was submitted to the people !
lor their approval or rejection; and &C
cording to the election returns was ap-
proved by large majority Of those quail
fled TO vote thereon, and at the aame
election persons were chosen TO NIL all 6
he State, county and townshsp Offices )
The Governor elected in 1872 for the !
.erm of four years, turned over his office 4.
% the Governor elected under the new !
Constitution, whereupon the Lieutenant ;
Governor, also elected in 1872 for a term
Of four years, claiming to act as Governor, !
and alleging that said proceedings by
which the new constitution was made and
, new set of officers elected were uncon- ..
utitutional, illegal and void, called me, az .
provided in section 4. article 4, Of the
constitution, to protect the State from do
nestle violence. AS Congress is now in :
Vestigating the political affairs of Arkan- J
nas, / have declined to interfere. The
whole subject of executive interference a
with the affairs of State is repugnant to
pnblic opinion, to the feeling of those
who, in their official capacity, must be
used in such interposition, and to him or
those who mnst direct. Unless most
dearly on the side oflaw, such interfer- =
once becomes crime. With the law to
support it, it is condemned without a i
hearing. desire, therefore, that all ne !;
Oessity for executive direction in local af- ! !
hiB may become unnecessary and obsO- :
lete. invite the attention, not of Con-
ETess, but of the people OF the United y
states, to the causes and effects Of these !
unhappy questions. Is there not dis =
noaitfon on one side to magnify wrong :