New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-02


SuNRER or .O~~---- ---
HENERY TICKET.
Se the EDITOR OF The Tribune.
SIR: The Senate Committee on Privileges
aud Elections after aborious and protracted nvesti
patton Of the Louisiana case" arrived the following
conclusion. stated In the elaborate repor. apmted
70 the Senate the 10th of FebTn...s. 1873:
I the Senate should e inclined nor 10 90 behind the
onca return OF the election then the McEnery Coy
o the sae and az
ry elected by that legislature should be seated IN tne
tenste IN place Of Kellogg. But your Committee believe
that this would he reeoenzine Government based
upon fraud IN defiance Of the wishes and intentions OF
propose TO discuss this Louisiana Question" which
far above any consideration OF party politics, and
IN Judgment involves the most serious consequences
10 The American people The people OF Louisiana have
been compelled to submit, for twelve long and dreary
months, 10 state Government not elected by Them
usurpstop having other title than that which
u derives from the unwarranted interference OF judge
OF the United States District Court, and installed and
maintained in power solely by the armed intervention
the Federal Government II this state OF things
Times he tolerated by the Federal Government
precedent will have been established in virtue OF which
that which has befaen Louisiana may be the fate of
State in the Union whenever a contest arises
Touching State election; and the right Of local self
in the states will be virtually destroyed
The people OF the Northern States generally and per
haps majority of the Senators and Representatives in
Congress have fallen into two grave errors, by which
they been led false conclusions touching the
.ioouoD in louisiana in November, 1872 Ii has been
taken for granted assumed as not TO be questioned:
That the colored population in Louisiana is largely
IN excess % the white population.
~ That the coored people and the white Republicans
IN mass voted the Kellogg ticket
Upon tine assumption the conclusion in aud out OF
Congress that official showing the cleo
ton Of MoEDery and the Fusion or aDtKellogg candi
oates generally, by majority OF from COCO to 1900 votes
necessarily false, and the result OF an organized
sLG stupendous fraud.
According TO the census there 245 colored
people Ia the OF the white population
Ito White males however, were ls303l, while the col
sroG males I7ssi Of white males Of 42i7
white males OF n years aud upward were s7o66
the coored males OF the same were SOFA, an
,So,ss Of white males OF 81 and upward OF 1853
10 Will be remembered that tue law required the cen
cue to take the months period at which
large numbers OF the white people OF Louisiana are ali
state seeking health pleasure IN the
ruIsUt OF business the other States OF the Union
Canada or in Europe while the colored people, with
few exceptions, have neither The means nor the nchna
any necessary occasion be absent from home
u WILL be- observed that estimate Of males OF q
years aud upward stated in the published report OF
the census made upon the assumption that all the
known ages of q years and upward. Table q, p
tisl The greater portion of the coOred population
tists OF who were born slaves OF them
came 70 Louisiana from distant States and many OF
them separated from their parents and kindred.
TLoy could not. therefore, be accurately informed
VIII respect TO their the white people, and while
few white males above the OF puberty would be
nuabo their ages, many of the cooTed people
have precise information nor means Of information,
~ 10 the period, day month year, oyen of their
birth
On this hypothesis which corresponds with the expe-
Of those Qnanted with the colored popu-
Of the South, IL is quite understand what
9TH rXg bp iupX how IL hmm hat
with excess of white males of 4.s<7 the
chow only l53 white males of q years and upward
o. the cOored males o. spODdng The
white males OF their parents able ate, and did
thor ages correctly, aud they properly elias
bueoi while many OF the colOrei males could give
Trustworthy information on that subject and were, by
arbitrary assumption. classCd OF the OF u and
Upward. A large addition should he made 70 the
turns, 70 represent tho white population absent when
tie taken. But little business comparatively
doue NcwO-lcans iu the Summer aud II is believed
than OF the inhabitants OF that city
absent babtually that 50 that is
affirm that In given there not less than $3.50
white mao., qualified voters, who aoseut from the
ttate during the months ia which census
takcr
- reference TO the Official returns 10 VIII he that
The vote 10 November 1872 though ~ not excessive
compared with the census ana actual registration
exceeded nat cast at any previous election by SOME
aOs TINS is readily accounted for. Article XCIX. Of
tLc Constitution OF 1868 excluded from the polls large
Dumter Of white people, and virtually disfTanchised
HEN did affect the night Of suffrage of the
toored people except in case OF conviction OF crime
punishable by confinement IN the Tentenuarv. 1t is
rnyBeoessary 10 read TINS article to the 10
which II affected the white people:
The following persons shall be prohibited from vo
ug and holding any Office. : Those VINO held ONCE,
tv military for year more under the organ
tatlou STYLED the Confederate States OF America;
llose who registered themselves a. enemie. oI the
United states those who acted az leaders Of guerrilla
l.aUQ d. J
racy OF wrote publ shed newspaper articles
o. preached sermons during the late rebellion; and
who voted Tor and signed al ordinance OF seees-
II - true that this article provided that any person
included IN this prohibition ME ht relieve himself o. the
disqualification by
Voluntarily writing and signing certificate setting
ioIn that he Acknowledges the late Iehehop 10 nave
morally and politically wrong ana that he regrets
ne aid comfort ne may have given IL which cetti-
L,ato be shall NE IN the once OF the secletaN Oh STATE
and shall Doe published IN the ofheis journal
Ana If also that those who prior to January J.
sC favored execution Of the Laws Of the United
siates popularity known as the Reconstruction acts'
weT, held not TO included IN the prohibition; bat il s
equally true notoriOusy that very many OF the ex-
Guided persons could not have accepted the terms and
taken the requisite oath without fcrteitDe their self
fosTect. ana without committing absolute perjury
Tt,s aruole was abrogateG IL 1870. OF course the
effect was 70 add largely to the white vote, and this
eject Wac manifested and was felt at the fret general
Election occurring subsequently,, which wac that OF
November, ls-2
IL appears from the census OF 1870 that the white
population Of Louisiana was S621C5 and tue cOlOred
80 no Estimating tie voters as 10 6, The voting
tTaoty Of the whites would be 72433 and Of the col
1rCa peOpe y s42 difference OF 400 favor Of the
foored But the census shows that the white
population A. composed OF ls3Osl males and l7oo3l
i,tDa.es. excess o; s9s7 white males. The colored
population consists Of l7ssi males lssa2c females,
A. 6e42 cOlOred females. Obyiously ~ the