The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-12-18
- statss. On the ian Of septembers,,vt-

NAoience. - Ihat call was made in view of a /
proclamation issued bvED b. Penn saving
he was elected Lieut.. Governor in is75'
and Gaming upon the militia Of the state 70 /
arm assemble and drive from power the usI1r1,-
airs, as he designated the officers Of the state /
government. On the next dav / issued INV
pfoelamatlon, commanding the insurgents TO |
disperse within five days from the date there |
OF, and subsequently learned that on that day |
they had taken forcible possession of the |
state house-l Steps were taken by me to sI1r-
port the existing and recognized state govern !
Inent, but before the expiration OF the FIVE
GAYS the ins1frectionary movement was Brac-
tcally abandoned, and the officers Of the state
government. with some minor exceDtions re-
suLfed their powers and duties.
considering that the present state admins
Hatioh OF louisiana has been the only gov
ernmens "a the state for nearly two years:
tnat 1t has been tactily- acknowledged and ae-
guessed In as such by congress- and more
IMAM once expressly recognized By me ] re-
garded II as my clear duty, when legally called
upon Tor that purpose, to prevent its over
throw by an armed mob under pretense of
fraud and irregularity in the election of 1872.
have heretofore called the attention OF con
gress to this subject, stating that on account
OF the frauds and forgeTies committed at said
eleetlon, and because it appears that the re-
turns thereof were never legally canvased, it
was impossible to tall thereby who were
chosen. But from the best sources OF infor-
nation at my command, I have always believ
ed the present state officers received a jori
ty OF the leg al ties actually cast at that cleo
ton. j repeat what I said in my special mes
sage OF Feb. 10, 1874 that in the event of no
action by congress, I must continue to recogt
ME the government heretofore recognized by
me.
KU-MUx.
I regret to say that with the preparations
Tor the late election decided indications ap-
peared IN some localities in the southern states
OF determination by acts Of violence and in
timidation to deprive citizens of the ballot be-
cause Of their political opinion. Bands of
men masked and armed made their appear
ance. White leagues and other societies were
foi med. Large quantities of arms and am.
lnunltion were imported and distributed to
these organizations. Military drills with mem
acing demonstrations were held, and. with all
these. murders enough were committed. which
spread terror among those whose political ac-
ton wac to be suppressed.if possible BY these
1htolerant and criminal proceedings. IN some
places colored laborers were compelled to vote
according to the wishes OF their employers
under threats of discharge if they acted other
wise and there are too many instances in
which, when these threats were disregarded,
they were remorselesaly executed by those by
whom made.
understand that the fifteeuth amendment
to the constitution WAS made 20 prevent this
like state Of things, and the act of May 81,
9olo With its amendments was passed 70 en-
force its provisions, the object Of this being
to guarantee to all citizens the right to vote
and to protect them IN the free enjoyment of
that right. Enjoined by the constitution to
thh6 care LflAb the laws De executed,
and convinced by undoubted evidence that vio-
lations Of Faid act had been committed, aud
that a widespread and hsgrant disregard of it
was contemplated, the proner officers were in
zstructed to prosecute the offenders, and troops
81 were stationed st convenient points to aid
these officers, if necessary, in the perform
ance of their official duties.s Complaints
made OF this interference by the federal
authority, but if said Amendment and
act do not provide for such interference un-
der the circumstances as above stated, then
they are without meaning, force or effect, and
the whole scheme OF colored enfranehlse-
ment is worse than mockery and little better
than a crime.
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION ASKED.
Possible congress may find It due to truth
and Justice to ascertain BY mems Of a commit
tee whether the alleged wrongs to cOlored
citizens for political purposes are real, or the
reports tn reof were manufactured for the
occasion. The whole mum er of troops in the
state OF Louisiana Alabama. Georgia, Flor
ida, South Carolina North Caro- lima, Kentucky,
TennesS ee. Arkansas, Mississippi, Maryland
and Virginia, ct the time of the election. Was
1852. This embraces the garrisons of all the
forts from the Delaware to the Gulf of
Mexico.
THE ARKANSAS IAIBROGIIo.
Another trouble has arisen in Arkansas.
Article Is of the constitution of that state,
which was adopted in 1868. and upon the ap
proval Of which by congress the state was. re-
stored to representation as one Of the states
Of the Union, provides, in effect, that before
any amendments proposed to this constitution
shall become a ! art thereof, they shall be
passeo by two successive assemblies and then
submitted to, and ratified by, majority of
the electors Of the state voting 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, assed an act providing for a con. en-
ton to frame new constitution. Pursuant
to this act, and at an election held on the Both
of June, 1874, the convention was approved
and delegates were chosen thereto who assem-
bled on the 18th of last July and formed a
new constitution, the schedule Of which pro-
vided for the election of an entire new set of
state officers in a manner contrary to the then
exietinR election laws OF the state. On the
18th of October, 1874, this constitution,
therein provided, was submitted to the people
for their approval or rejection, and according
to the election returns was approved by
large majority of those qualified to vote there
on, al i at the same election persons wers
chosen to fill al the state, county and town
ship Offices. The governor elected in 1872. for
the term of four years, turned over his office
to the governor chosen under the new constl-
tutor, whereupon the lieutenant governor.
also elected in 1872, for the term of four
years, clamedt to act as governor. and allegi g
that said proceedings by which the new con-
stitution was made and new set OF aihcel 8
elected were unconstitutional. illegal and void,
and called upon me provided in section 4,
article 4. of the constitution, to protect the
state against domestic violence.
As congress is now investigating the politi-
cal affairs Of Arkansas have declined to in
terfere' with the subject. Executive interfer-
ence with the affairs of a state Tepugnant to
public opinion, and to the feelings of those
who, from their official capacity, must be used
in such interpositiOn, and to him or those who
must direct. Unless most clearly on the side
OF law, such Interference becomes a crime.
With the law TO support it, this Is condemned
without a hearing. desire, therefor o, that
ell necessity for executive direction in To-
cal affairs may become. unnecessary and OBJ
solete.
AN APPEAL. TO TIE NORTH.
invite the attention. not of congress, but Of
the people Of the United States to the causes
and effects of these unhappy questions. Is
there not a disposition one side to magnify
wrongs and outrages, and on the other side
to belttle or Justify them. If public op;n-
ion could be directed to a correct survey OF
what is, and to rebuking wrong and aiding
the proper authorities in Furnishing 1t, be-
leve better state of feeling would be incul-
Gated, and the sooner we would have that
peace which would leave the states free indeed
to regulate their own domestic affairs.
ARRAIGNMENT OF THE SOUTH.
I believe, on the part If our citizens of the
southern states, the better part OF them, there
il a disposition to be law-abiding, and TO do no
violence, either to individuals or the laws ex-
i3tingss But, do they do right in ignoring the
existence Of violence and blOodshed in resist
Rpce 10 constituted authority? 1 sympathize
with their PROSTATE condition and would do
ali in my power to relieve them acknowledge
ing that, in some instances, they have had
most trying governments to live under, and
very oppressive ones in the way OF taxation
for nominal improvements not giving benefits
equal to the hardshfps imposed But can they
claim themselves entirely unsnswersble for
this condition? They cannot. Violence has
been rampant in some localities, and has
further, been justified or denied by those who
could have prevented it.
GRANTS POLICY.
The theory is raised that there is to be no
further interference on the part of the gem