The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-24

OF metropolitan police, with several com
panies of the army of the United State
within few yards distance The whole
force of the army is within call of kel
logg's whistle.
SLEEPING on THEIR ARMS,
and with cartridges distributed In thi,
manner are we threatened until another
mongrel herd of rapacious plunderers, ig-
norant and debauched, claiming to be Re
publicans, elected by Radical returning off,
icers and installed in the legislature by
force of the army of the United States, as
was done in 1872. To such base uses are
your soldiers put,
That our people are disposed to violence
that "the rights of the black men would
not be safe if Conservative majority II
Louisiana was permitted to rule, as stated
by our enemies, and by the President in
his message, we know to be disproved by
the fact that during the four days the elec.
ted government was in undisputed power
with a large force at its command, mot a ne
gro was hurt, not an act of violence commit
ted, and, notwithstanding great provoca-
ton, not one right of any citizen was viola
ted
Having failed in all our appeals to the
justice and patriotism of the President aud
congress, we now as last resort
APPEAL TO THE SOURCE OF ALL POWER, -
the people of the whole country,-whose
moral influence we invoke in the hope of
awakening. with a recital of our wrongs, the
sympathy always accorded to brave and
free people struggling for liberty, in the cot.
fidenee that a virtuous public sentiment
may compel the unprincipled men who are
preying on the vitals of the state to let go
their hold. We hope this pub bile sympa-
thy may react upon the executive and con,
gress and compel them to grant us that re
lief which neither their sense OF Justice nor
regard for the fundamental institutions OF
the country has been able to effect
We make this appeal in advance of the
final consumation of the great wrong about
being perpetrated upon the people, as we
are positively assured otthe intention OF
the returning officers to
DEFRAUD THE PEOPLE.
of the fruits of their political victory as if
the act had been already consummated.
We are not camoring for party purposes,
that one set OF men should be substituted
for another as public officers. Our rep
ugnance to Republicans in Louisiana is not
based altogether on the fact OF its being
a usurpation. Valued as great principles
are. and grossly as they have been viola
ted, yet it is not for that reason alone that
the people of Louisiana are clamoring for
relief. The people demand that those
elected by them shall govern. so that they
may be released from an oppression grown
so intolerable; that taxation, which has
become confiscation, may be lightened;
that hideous and widespread poverty and
distrust may be removed, and that they
may be permitted to live by honest indus
try that an honest Government for their
protection may be substituted for
sYsTENIATIZED ROBBERY,
For these reasons, we, the down trodden
citizens of once free Louisiana, now call on
the people of the free states of America,
if you would yourselves remain free and
retain the rights of self, government, to
demand in tones that cannot be misunder-
stood or disregarded that the shackles be
from Louisiana and the power OF
the u. 5. army be no longer used to keep
a horde Of adventurers in power
(Signed) b. Il. FORMAN Chairman,
W. e. RAYMOND,
ARCH MITCHELL,
L. g. SENCHEICK Committee,
Rooms OF THE COMMITTEE OF SEW NTY,
NEW ORLEANS Dec, -, 1874
At a meeting held this evening, Dee, -,
1874 the foregoing address was read and
affirmed.
II. IA. Mann, Chairman.
JAMES w. COLLINS. Secretary.