New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-14
TIE GAME OF INTIMIDATION.

Gent success, by the Slu "a NAJ eo"o
Of violence. 20 defeat . full, free add fair
expression Of the voice Of the people in
the laie election in this State. It will
also have 70 be admitted that the oppo.
nents of republican government have
played their game rather adroitly up to
the present time: so dexterously, in fact,
as to deceive many well meaning man
who delights in being classed as lone OF
the people," while. at the same time. ne
is uneoasc;ously !ured into one OF the
worst political traps that vas ever invent.
ed C v.ess government from the hands OF
the people and turn il over TO few polif'-
cal desperadoes. The plot called tor
MANY acts Of violence before the election;
but it was skillsully devised that election
dav in Louisiana should be remark
ably peaceful. and that fact was
TO be regarded :.s undoubted evl-
dence that intimidation and violence
had not prevented the voice Of the actual
majority in Louisiana from being heard az
the ballot box on the second Of November.
Eu. this fact is not sufficient to prove that
violence, enacted in many parts Of the
State during the five or six months that
Immediately preceded the election, had
not made the game Of intimidation played
by the opponents Of republican govern
ment a success TO a certain extent. Take
North Louisiana, for instance, as an
example Of what the conduct Of the White
League has done to intimidate the Repub-
lican voters embraced within the parishes
Of that portion Of our State. viii any one
have the hardihood to say that the game OF
intimidation has no: prevented very
arge number of the Republican voters in
that portion Of our State from exercising
the right Of suffrage? We think not. Yet,
if the opposition deny this, there is ample
evidence TO show that intimidation and
fraud have been freely 7racticed to pre-
vent anything like fair expression OF the
voice OF the people in that part OF our
State. The colored Republican voters
had been thoroughly cowed for months
before the election-so much SO, indeed,
that they were afraid to attend Re.
publican meetings. for the purpose ct
organizing and preparing for the cleo.
ton in November. They were. in
fact. notified by the White League.
that if they attended Republican meet.
ings they would DO SO at the risk
Of their lives; and in some instances where
black men attempted to brave this threat
by attending club meetings they became
the victims of White League violence.
This condi ton of things continued until
almost all white Republicans in that por-
ton Of the State had been killed or forced
to leave their homes. The plot now
thickened fast and deeds Of violence be.
came SO frequent and atrocious. threat.
ening to eliminate in the overthrow Of all
lawful authority in the State. that Gov
ernor Kellogg felt compelled to invoke
national aid in support Of republican
government in Louisiana. This was not
done until after the game of intimidation
had produced powerful and dangerous
effect throughout the State and was aboutto
consumate its work in this city by Selling
the State House and forcing an unlawful
government upon the people. This was
degree OF violence that called Tor national
aid to restore law and order. and it was
promptly rendered. The violence that
had cowed Republicans in Northern
Louisiana and usurped the government Of
many parishes without meeting much
opposition had been encouraged to usurp
the State government. 1t was here that
the revolution commenced in the northern
parishes was destined to meet with
check; but it must be confessed tina: the
plotters, though compelled to yield some
of their advantages here, had produced
through violence and bloodshed condi-
ton Of affairs in the country parishes
that proved fatal to q full and fair ex-
preston of the voice of the people
in the last election. This was par
ticularly the case in that portion Of the
State where violence was first perpetrated.
In the first place, the northern parishes
of the State were deprived OF full and
fair registration; that work did not COM
mence in some of the parishes until after
the arrival of troops, and then there were
but few days left to accomplish it. 1t is
true the presence of troops at first IN
spired confidence among Republicans.
and many showed a disposition to register,
but the time was too short, and many
were deprived of the privilege. This was
particularly the case in the parish OF
Caddo, where the work of registration was
confined to week. In this parish alone
more than one thousand Republican voters
were thus prevented from registering.
The violent conduct of the White League
was the cause Of this. Their conduct had
so thoroughly intiniidated the Repub-
licans of that and other parishes in
Northern Louisiana that it was found I'M
possible to have fair and full registra-
ton. even with the presence Of troops.
But the work of intimidation did no. stop
here. 1t was KEEP. up after the arrival OF
troops. and it was powerfully felt on the
day OF election. In some Of the par
;shes tina: were known to be largely Re-
publican scarcely Republican vote has
been cast. and in others large Demo.