The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-12-30

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: COMMITTEE OF SEVENT
TO THE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATE
New ORLEANS,
Dec. %, 1874.
The Committee Of Seventy, who
representative character is we
known to the country, call the ate
ton Of the people Of the Unite
States to the additional wrongs an
indignities under which the on,
free people of Louisiana are now su
.fering.
For two years we have been in val
appealing to the President and
the Congress for relief from the ii
justice, the expressions and the roll
berry Of a usurping State government
placed over us by the private orde
of a drunken United States Judge
written in his chamber, and sustain
ed by the United States army
brought here beforehand for til
purpose.
This Governor, ineligible unde
our Constitution and defeated at tn,
polls by 5000 majority, and by sucl
means installed and maintained II
power, had been unable, after nearl,
two years Of misrule, to gain the
slightest foothold in the confidence
or respect Of the people, and as soon
as the Federal army was withdrawn.
within ore hour his show of authori.
ty and force melted into thin air be-
fore the calm determination Of an
outraged people, and he sought re-
fuge in the sanctuary of the United
States Custom House. Immediately
upon the command of the President.
all the fruits of the brilliant victory,
achieved by our citizens, with the
State House, public buildings and
archives, were surrendered to an of.
icer Of the United States army, who
'kewered Kellogg to his gubernato-
'ial seat.
For several weeks before the cleo.
ion on Sd Of November, 1874, the
Whole State, and especially the Dem
cratic Parishes, were harried by the
United States army, and our best and
eading citizens arrested on trumped-
p charges, made by irresponsible
dolls OF the Radical party for the
urpose Of intimidating the white
eople and carrying the election
gainst the will of the majority
this, our people
moving that their continued exis-
'nce in this State depended upon
'eir driving the government of the !.
'underers from power; knowing that
misgovernment and exorbitant l
imposed by ignorant and s
'rrnpt Legislators, who had no inter-
t in the State, the value of property s
ID been destroyed, and instead of l
ing blessing it had became bur- b
n; knowing that the fountains of t
v and justice had been corrupted, g
d the Government, whose end "
ould be protection, had been con- n
rted into an engine of oppression v
d extortion, only limited by its i'm ST
,ility. tt
Knowing these facts, they put forth wi
'lr utmost efforts, and with all the
chinery of Ubiquitous election laws til
Used to perpetuate Radical rule in p
hands of the usurpation, and with as
United States army at the COM of
nd of the Chairman of the Repub. co
IL State Central Committee, and in
d as an electioneering engine tn
inst them, the Conservatives sue su
led in, carrying the State by at an
t $500 majority, with a majority ty.
wenty-eight in the House of Re. pu
'entatives, and majority on joint pri
OF in both Houses. The city of thu
: Orleans was carried by the Con- hol
atives by over $4,000 majority. Elk
fact of the Conservatives having the
led the election has been well nei
Tn ever since the 5th of Novem- reg
because the ballots were counted tiol
'e polls Immediately and the re- effe
s made out in duplicate, '
It even now, seven weeks after the of
ion, we are imminently threat gre
with being defraut1ed of our vic. upo
and of our franchise. The cleo. tive
returns are submitted to a Board retr
Officers consisting of pie
members, four of whom are iden. tory
with and committed to the con.
ling government. inc
csc men, aside from their parti. men