Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-12-08
Louisiana and Arkansas.

"i our attention will be drawn 10 the u"sCI'
tied condition of affairs 10 some OF the South
cru States. On the 18th OF September last
the Governor Of Lou,iauu called uliou me, as
provided by the Constitution aud laws OIL the
United States. to aid in supprcSsing domestic
violence in that Stale. TuS cali was made III
view OF Il proclamation issued uu that day ty
D. r, Pcup. claiming that he was elected
Lieutenant Governor III 1872 and calling up.
on the militia Of the Stale TO arm, assemble,
and drive from power the uSurpc.s, as he de-
signated the officers Of the STATE government.
On the next day Issued NY proclamation
commanding The Insurgents to dispense within
five DAYS from the date thereof, aud subs
oueatly learned that Oh that day they had
taken lurcibe possession OF The State House.
Steps were taken by me 10 support he exisiins
aud recognized State government; Dut before
the expiration of the five days the instruction,
airy movement was practically Abandoned, ana
the officers of the State government, wi'h s"mc
minor exceptions, resumed their powers aud
duties.
"Cons;dering that the preseut State admlnis-
tration 10 Louisiana has been the only govern
ment 10 that State for uearIy two years, that
it has been taclty acknowledged aud acqnles-
ced in by Congress, aud more than once ex-
pressIy recognized BY me, regarded II as NY
clear duty, when legally called upon Tor that
purpose, to prevent lis overthrow by an armed
mob under prctcnse of fraud aud lrreguiariiy
10 the election of 1872. have heretofore call
ed the attention of Congress TO this SUBJECT
stating that on account OF the frauds anu Tor
geries committed at said election, and because
it appears that the returns thereof were never
legally canyassed, it was Impossible to tell there
by who were chosen; but from the best sources
of information at NY command have always
believed the present State officers received d
majority of the legal votes actually cast at that
| election. | repeat what | said IN my specla!
message OF February %, 1879 that III the
event of 90 action by Congress must continue
to rccognlze the government heretofore recog-
nized by me.
II regret to say that with preparations Tor
| the late election decided Indications appeared
| in some localities 10 the Southern States OF Il
determination, by acts OF violence and lnunl-
datioD TO deprive cltZ=ns OF the freedom OF
| the ballot because uf their political opinions
Bands of men, masked aud armed, made their
appearance White Leagues and other socle-
were formed large quantities OF arms aud am-
| munition were imported AID distributed TO
| these organizations military drills with meua-
| cling demonstrations were held, aud, With all
these, murders enough were committed to
spread terror among those whose political &C
| ton was to be suppressed, it possible, 10y these
| intoeraut aud criminal proceedings In somc
places colored latores were Compelled To vote
according to the wishes Of their employers uu-
der threats Of discharge if they acted otherwise,
and there are, too, many Instances III which,
when these threats were dlsrcgardcd, they
we're remorselessly executed by those who
made them.
II understand that thc fifteenth amendment
to the Constitution was made TO prevent TINS
and like state OF thugs, and the act OF May 81,
1870 with amendments, was passed to enIorcc
its provisions the object OF both being 10
guarantee TO all citizens the right to vote and
to protect them in the free enjoyment OF that
right. Eujoined by the Constitution TO take
care that the laws be faithfully executed, and
convinced by undOuUted evidence that ylo-
latioDs of said act had been Committed, ana
that widespread ard fragrant disregard of 1t
was contemplate, the proper officers were H.
structed to prosecute the Offenders, and troops
were stationed at convenient points To aid these
officers, If necessary, III the pcrtorlnaucc oil
their official duties Complaints are maic ui
this Interference BY Federal authority, Tut ii
said amendment aud act do not provide Tor
such interference, uuder ttI circumstances as
above stated, then they are without meaning,
force, or effect, and the whole scheme OF col
ored enirauchsemeut is worse tian mockcry
and little better than crme. Possibly, Con
gress may iiud II due to tru' II aud Justice to
ascertain, by means OF cOunllttcc, whether
the alleged wrongs to colurcd cltizeus Tor pot-
ica purposes are real or the reports thereof
were manufactured Tor the occasion. The
whole Du,uber OF troops in the States OF LOusl,
ana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Caro-
lima, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Arkansas, Mississippi, Maryland and Virginia
at the times Of the election we're iOS2. This
eu braces the garrisous OF all the forts from the
Delaware to the Gulf of Mexico.
Another trouble has arisen in Arkansas.
Article Is of the constitution of that State
(which was adopted in 1868, and upon the APP
prevail of which by Congress the State was re-
stored to representation as one of the States of
the Union) provides lu effect that before any
amendments proposed to this constitution shall
become part thereof they shall be passed by
two successive Assemblies, and then submitted
to, and ratified by majority OF the electors Of
the State voting thereon. "a the 18th OF May,
1874 the Governor convened an extra sessoL
of the General Assembly Of the State, which.
on the 18th day Of the same month, passed an
act providing for a convention to frame new
constitution. Pursuant to this act, ard at an
election held on the 30lh of June, 1874 the
convention was approved, and delegates were
chosen thereto, who assembled on the l4th Of
last July and formed new constitution, the
schedule Of which provided tor the election OF
an entire new set of State officers 10 a manner
contrary to the then existing election laws Of
the State. On the 18th Of October, 1874 this
constitution, as therein provided, was submit
ted to the people for their approval or rcjac
ton, and according to the election returns was
approved by large majority Of those qualified
to vote thereon, and at the same election per
sons were chosen to ill all the State, county
and township Offices. The Governor elected
in 1872 for the term Of four years turned over
his office to the Governor chosen under the
new constitution, whereupon the Lieutenant
Governor, also elected 10 1872 for term of four
years, Charming to act as Governor, and alleging
that said proceedings by which the new con-
stitution was made and a new set of officers