The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-12-19

/ lana called upon me. as provided by the Con-
stitution and laws of the United States, to aid
| in suppressing domestic violence in that State.
! This call was made in view of a proclamation
issued on that day by d. G.. Penn, stating that
| he was elected Lieutenant-Governor in 1872.
| and calling upon the militia of the State TO
| arm, assemble, and drive from power the usIrp-
| ers, as he designated the officers of the State
| government On the day | issued my procla-
nation | commanded the insurgents to dis
perse within five days from the date thereof,
| and subsequently learned that on that day they
| had taken forcible possession of the State
House. Steps were taken by me TO support
| the existing and recognized state government,
| but before the expiration of the five
days the insurrectionaTy movement was
| practically abandoned, and the officers of the
! state government with some minor exceptions
resumed their powers and duties Considering
that the present state administration of Louisi-
ana has been the only government in that state
for nearly two years; that it has been tacitly
acknowledged and acquiesced in as such by
| Congress and more than once expressly recog
nized by me, | regarded it my clear duty.
when legally called upon for that purpose. to
prevent its overthrow by armed mob, under
pretence of fraud and lrregulality in the cleo
ton of 1872.
| have heretofore called the attention of
| Congress to this subject. stating that on ac-
| count of frauds and forgerles committed at said
election, and because it appears that the re-
turns thereof were never legally canyassed, it
was impossible to tell thereby who were
chosen. But from the best sources of infOr-
nation at my command | have always believed
| the present sta Q officers received a majority
of the legal votes actually cast at that election.
| repeat what | said in my special message of
February 18th, 1873, that IN the event of no ac-
| ton by Congress- must continue to recognize
| the government heretofore recognized by me-
| regret to say that with the preparations
| for the late election decided indications APP
peared i'll some localities in the southern states
| of determination, by acts of malice and in
! tmidatlon, to deprive citizens of the freedom
| OF the ballot because of their political opiu-
| ions. Bands of men masked and armed, made
| their appearance white leagues and other So
| cieties we're formed, large quantities Of arms
and ammunition were imported and distributed
| to these organizations. military drills with
menacinS demonstrations held, and with all
these, murders enough were committed to
| spread terror among those whose political ac-
ton was to be suppressed If possible. BY
| these intolerant and criminal proceedings. in
some places, cOlored labOrers were compelled
| to vote according to the wishes of their en-
| plOyes under threats of discharge if they acted
otherwise; and there are too many instances in
which, when those threats were disre-
| garded, they were remoselessy ex-
| ecuted by those by whom made
| understand that the Fifteenth Amendment
| to the Constitution was made to prevent this
and like state of things and the act of Nav
| 31st 1870, was passed TO enforce its provisions
| the object of this being to guarantee to all
| citizens the right to vote and to protect them
III the free enjoyment of that right. Enjoined
| by the Constitution to take care that
| the laws be faithfully executed and
| convinced by undoubted evidence that viola
| lions of said act had been commit
! ted and that widespread and fragrant
! disregard of it was contemplated, the proper
| officers were instructed to prosecute the Of
faaTnf
lent points to aid those officers, if necessary.
| in the performance of their official duties
| Complaints made Of this interference bv
| Federal authority. but if said amendment and
act do not provide for such
| interference, under the circumstances
as above stated, then they are without mean
! ing, force. or effect, and the whole scheme of
! cOlored Acknowledgement Is worse than mock
cry and little better than curse. Possibly
Congress may find it due to truth and Justice to
| ascertain, by means OF committee, whether
! the alleged wrongs to cOlored citizens for po-
| ltical purposes are real. or the reports thereof
! were manufactured for the occasion.
The whole number of troops in the states of
| Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South
| Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky. Tennes-
SEQ, Arkansas, Mississippi. Maryland and Vir-
! glnia at the time of the election. was 4.OS2
! This embraces the garrisous of all the forts
| from the Delaware 10 the Gulf of Mexico.
Another trouble has arisen in Arkansas. Ar
| ticle - of the constitution of the
! state which was adopted in 1868,
and upon the approval of which. by Congress.
| the state was restored to representation as one
| of the states of the Union, provides in effect
| that before any amendments proposed TO this
| constitution shall become a part thereof they
shall be passed by two successive assemblies.
and then submitted to and ratified by major
ity of the voters thereon. On the 18th of
| May 1874, the Governor convened an extra
| session of the general assembly of the state
| which on the 18th of the same month passed
All act providing for a convention to form
new constitution. Pursuant to this act and at
an elect N held on the 30th of June 1874. the
| convention was approved, and delegates were
chosen thereto, who assembled on the 14th dav
of last July and formed a new constitution.
! the schedule of which provided for the election
of an entire new set of state officers in man
! ner contrary TO the existing election laws of
the state. On the 18th of October, 1874 this
! constitution, as therein provided, was pre-
scented to the people for their approval OF re-
! lection, and according to the election returns
was approved by large majority of those
| qualified to vote thereon, and at the
! same election persons were chosen to fill
| all the state and county and township Offices
! The Governor elected in 1874 for the term of
| four years turned over his Office to the Gov
| ernor chosen under the new constitution
whereupon the Lieutenant Governor also
! elected in 1872 for the term of four years.
claiming to act as Governor, and alleging that
said proceedings by which the new con-
stitutlon was made, and new set Of
| officers elected were unconstitutional Illegal
and void, called upon me, as provided
| i'll section 4 article of the Constitution TO
protect the state against domestic violence.
As Congress is now Investigating the polit-
lcal affairs of Arkansas ] have declined to in
| tertere. The whole subject of executive in
| reference with the affairs of state is repug-
nant to public opinion, to the feelings of those
who from their o cial capacity must be used
| IN such lnterpostion, and TO him
! or those who must direct. Unless most
clearly on the side of law. such interference
! becomes crime. With the law to Support it,
1t is condemned without hearing / desire
! therefore, that all necessity for Executive di-
rection in local affairs may become unnecessa-
| rv and obsolete
! invite the attention, not only of Congress
| but of the people OF the United States to the
causes and effects of these unhappy questions
| IL there not disposition one side to mag
! MY wrongs and outrages, and on the other
side to bellttle them or justify them? If pub
| hc.opinion could be devoted to a correct sur-.
! Yey Of what is and to rebuking wrong and
! aiding the proper authorities in Furnishing it.
a better state of feeling would be inculcated
! and the sooner would have that peace
! which would leave the states free indeed to
! regulate their own domestic affairs [ believe
| on the part of cur citizens of the southern
| states, the better part Of them there is a dis
| position to be law-abiding. and to do no VIC
lence either to individuals or the laws existing
But do they do right in ignoring the existence
| of violence and bloodshed. inresistance to con-
stltuted authority? | sympathize with their
| Frustrated condition, and would do all in my
| power to relieve them Acknowledging that in