The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-24
| LOUISIANA.
The New Orleans Conserva-
tives Make an Appeal to
the American People.
They Denounee Their Present Rulers
as a Horde Of usurpers
and Robbers;
Claim that the Action of the Return
ing Board is Illegal
and Unjust.
And that the Will of the Constitutional
Majority is to be Ignored.
New ORLEANS, La, Dec, %.

ADDRESS OF THE COMMITTEE OF SEVENTY
TO THE PEOPLE OF UNITED STATES.
The committee of seventy, whose repre-
sentative character is well known to tn,
country, call the attention of the people o
United States to additional wrongs aud in
dignities under which the race of free peo
pie of Louisiana are now suffering. Fol
two years we have been in vain appealing
| to the President and congress for relie
from the injustice, oppression, and robber
les OF the usurping state government plac
ed over us by the private order of a drunk
en- United States Judge written in bis
chamber and sustained by the United
States army brought here beforehand for
that purpose, This governor, ineligible
under our constitution, and
DEFEATED AT THE POLLS
by $500 majority. and by such means in
stallea and maintained in power, had been
unable. after nearly two years misrule, to
gain the slightest toothold in the confidence
or respect of the people, and as soon as
the Federal army was withdrawn, within
one hour, his show of authority and force
melted into air before the calm determine
ton of an outraged people, and he sought
refuge in the sanctuary Of the United
States custom house. Immediately upon
command of the President, all the fruits of
the brilliant victory attained by our citi
zens with the state house, public build
ings, and archievcs
WERE SURRENDERED
to an officer Of the United States army. who
returned Kellogg to his Gubernatorial seat
For several weeks before the election on
the I'd of November 1874, the whole state,
and especially the Democratic parishes,
were harassed by the United States army
Our best and leading citizens were arrest
ed on trumped-up charges, made by the
irresponsible tools Of the Radical party, for
the purpose of intimidating the whites and
carrying the election against the will of the
majority. Notwithstanding this, our peo
pie, knowing that their continued existence
in this state depended upon their driving
the government Of the plunderers' from
power; knowing that by this government
and the eXorbitant taxation imposed by
this government, and the corrupt legisla
tors who had no interest in the state, the
value of property had been destroyed, and
instead of being blessing,
HAD BECOME A BURDEN
knowing that the fountains of law and JUS
tice had been corrupted, and that the gov
ernment, whose endeavor should be pro-
lection had been changed to an engine Of
oppression and extortion, only limited by
its imbeciity; knowing these facts, and
with all the machinery of the election laws
devised to perpetuate Radical rule in the
hnn do pt y nd ith 3 hn / .al
States army in the hands of the chairman
of the Republican state central com nittce,
and used as an electioneerng engine
against the conservatives, they succeeded
in carrying the state by at least 50 900
majority, with a majority of 2S IN the
house of representatives, and ma,
iority on joint ballot in both houses.
The city of New Orleans was carried by
the Conservatives by over 1900 majority.
The fact of
THE CONSERVATIVES HAVING CARRIED
THE ELECTION
has been well known ever since the 5th of
November, because the ballots were count
ed at the polls Immediately and returns
made out in duplicate. Yet even now,sev
en- weeks after the election, we are threat
ened with being defrauded of our victory
and our franchise election. The returns
were submitted to board OF returning of
fcers consisting of five members, four of
whom are identified with aud Committed to
the usurping government These men,
aside from their party affinities have not
sustained such character before the COM
munty as to inspire us with confidence in
their integrity and impartiality,nor to give
any hope that they will
FAIRLY AND HONESTLY
compile and promulgate the returns. They