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

aOQ afkansaS.
"Your attention will be drawn to the unset
tied condition of affairs 10 some OF the ooutH-
ern States On the 18th Of September last
the Governor of Louisiana called uron me, as
provided by the Constitution and laws oil the
United States. to aid in suppresslng domestic
violence ia dat State. TINS call was made III
view OF proc'auatlon issued on that day ny
ID. B. Penn, claiming that he was elected
ldeu,euant Governor IN 1872, and calling up
On the militia OF the State 70 arm, assemble,
and drive irom powc: the usurp2rs, as liz de-
Sirnatcd the officers of the ) ate gOvcrnneoi.
On the uext day ] issued my proclamation
commaudiug the Insurgents 10 tlspersc w'thlh
five DAYS from the date thereof, aad subs.
oueB,y learned that on that day they bad
taken forc!blc possession OF the State House.
Steps werc taken by NE TO SUPPORT Ihe cX'st'Eg
aud recoguizcd State sovc!nntb'; bus '.i"ie
the expiration OF the five day. the u>ufr, elton,
ary movement was practically ahahconru, ana
the officers Of the State government, "''h some
minor executions, resumed their powers aHd
duties.
"Consderiug that the present STATE adnin'S-
tration 10 Louisiana has been the only govern
ment 10 that State Tor nearly Two years, mat
it has been tact!y acknowledged anc acquires
ccd in by Congress. and u,ore than 0nce cx-
pres>ly recognized by me, regarded II rs my
clear duty, When legally called urou Ter ina:
purpose to prevent It's overture" by an arucl
mob under pretensc of fraud aud IueSu!allty
10 the election OF 1872. have heretofore cali
ed the attention OF Congress to this subject,
stating that on account OF the frauds and Tor
peries committed at said election, and because
H., ~, II psTn no
legally canyasscd, it was lmposs bic to tel! there
by who were chosen; but from the best sources
of information at my command | have always
believed the present State officers received u
majority of the legal votes actually cast at that
election. | repeat what | said 10 my special
message of February %, 1881 that in the
event Of 20 action by Congress must CONTINUE
to recognize the government heretofore recog-
pized by me.
Il regret 10 say that with preparations Tor
the late election decided indications appeared
in some localities in the Southern States OF
determination, by acts OF violence and ntlnl-
datioD, to deprive citizens OF the freedom OF
the ballot because OF their political Opinions
Bands of men, masked and armed, made their
appearance; White Leagues and other socle-
were formed large quantities ot arms aud am
munition were imported aud distributed TO
these organizations military drills with ,ueua
cing demonstrations were held, aud, with all
these, murders enough were comml tied to
spread terror amoug those whose political &C.
ton was to be suppressed, ii possible, by these
jotolerant and criminal proceedings. La some
places colorcd labores were compelled to vote
according to the wishes of their employers un-
der threats Of discharge If they acted otherwise,
aud there are, too many Instances IN which,
when these threats were dlsregarded, they
were remorselessly executed by those who
made them.
II understand that the fifteenth amendment
to the Constitution Was made to prevent tins
and like state OF things, aud the act OF May 81,
1870, with amendments, was passed to enforce
it. provisions the object OF both being to
guarantee to all citizens the right to vote aud
to protect them 10 the free enjoyment OF that
right. Eojoined by the Constitution TO take
care that the laws be faithfully executed, and
convinced by undoubted evidence that vio-
lations of said act had been committed, aud
that widespread and fragrant disregard OF it
was contemplated, the proper officers were To-
structed to prosecute the oteudcrs, and troops
were stationed at convenient points 10 AID these
officers, if necessary, lu the performance OF
their official duties. Complaints are made of
this interference BY Federal authority, but II
said amendment aud act do not provide Tor
such interference, uuder the circumstances as
above stated, then they are Without meaning,
force, or effect, and the whole scheme OF col
orcd entranchisemeut Is worse than in0ck"ry
and little better than Il crime. Possibly, Con
vress may Iud 1t due To tIutl! and Justice to
ascertain, by means OF q comlulttce, whether
the alleged wrongs 10 colorcd cll'Z:1s Tor pJ!IE-
ica purposes are real or the reports thereof
were manufactured for the OCCASION. The
whole uuubcr vi troops Ia the States o. Louisl
ana, Alabama, Georgia, florida, South Caro-
Ina, North Caroiiua. Kentucky, tennessee,
Arkansas, Mississippi, Maryland aud Elrsiaia
at the times of the election were / Ge2. This
embraces the gar:sonS 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 ;hr ap
proval vi which By Congress the State was re-
stored to representation as one Oh tie States vi
the Uuiou) provides IN effect thai before any
amendments proposed 10 this constitution shall
become part thereof they .hal DC passed by
TWO successive Assemblies, aud then submitted
to, and ratified by 4 majority 0! The c!ector, oi
the State voting thereon. ga the ! l,h oil May,
1874, the Governor convened an extra scsSlou
Oh me tICUcId ASScluuiS vi lllt dte, WHICH.
on the 18th day Of the >ame mouth, passed an
act providing Tor Convention TO frame new
constitution Pursuant TO this act, a;ld at au
election held on the 3uih of June, lS14, The
convention was approved, aud delegate We're
chosen thereto, who assembled on the l4th Of
last July and to.med a new constitution, ;he
schedule of which provided Tor the election Of
an entire new set OF State ttnCe!s 10 a mauner
contrary to the then cxisting 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 rejae
ton, and according to the election returns was
approved by u large majority of those qualified
to vote thereon, aud 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, whereupou the Lieutenant
Governor, also elected iu 1872 for term Of four
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