New-York tribune., 1874-10-26
THE LOUISIANA CONTEST
THE PRESENT SITUATION.


pRN MERRIII's ACTION IN ARREsTING CITIZENS OF
kHREvHroRT DENOUNCED ON ALL sIDEs-IWE DE-
CIsI0N IN THE NATURALIZATION CAsE-CURlosITY
AS TO WHAT THE REGISTRARS ACTION WILL Be
LITTLE CHANCE OF A FAIR ELECTION.
New ORLEANS, Oct 25-The action of Gen. Mer-
til commanding at Shreveport, in going into court
himself and making affdavts against the signers OF
the labor pledge has created vast amount of dis
gust and indignation. Only a fortnight or so ago
Gen. Emory declared in published note TO Packard
that the military should. under circumstances, DO
allowed to meddle in political affairs; yet ten.
Merrill within five days after his arrival
In Shreveport steps aside from his ofhclai
position to make affdavits in a petty Commission
ers' Court against citizens who have brought them
selves at least so it is declared under penalties OF
purely political law. The ofense, whatever 1T was,
had been committed before his arrival. 1t In no
wise affected the interests he had In charge But the
worst feature of the is that the first one OF the
Shreveport citizens selected for arrest and ar
taienment was Horan, the Conservative candidate
for the Legislature, while the Commissioner before
whom he is TO be tried, A b. Levisee, Is his oppo-
nent on the Radical side for the same Office lhey
could not induce the Deputy Marshals at Shreveport
to serve the warrants and so sent to the adjoining
parish and got the Deputy Sheriff Of the parish, u
man named Neill to serve them. There is great ex'
,itement at Shreveport in consequence. The army
officers here would not believe yesterday that
Merrill had taken this action. Every one seemed TO
consider il unbecoming and improper ;
The Federal authorities are pushing arrests now
tn Caddo, De Soto, NatchitOches, Red River, Grant,
and in fact in nearly all the northwestern parishes
and in ST. Martins also. If the object is not TO
affect the election by intimidating or driving out
the Conservative voters it looks much likeit
1t is difficult to say what will come of Fields ac-
ton IN the case of the naturazed citizens. He de-
cares their papers illegal aud if the Registrar should
thereupon strike off their names, the result will be
the disfranchisement of nearly half of the Con-
servative majority In this city, and that would give
the State to the Radicals. The opinion to-day is
divided as to the Registrar sIprobable course Mine
is that the scheme Will be carried out by the Rad
icals if they find themselves courageous enough
1t now seems clear that there is little
If any chance of a fair election In
Louisiana The Conservatives are keeping
quiet enduring everything in silence and patience
determined TO have no collision and to vote If they
are not put in Jail meanwhile. But with these cav
airy raids and indscriminate arrests In dozen
parishes; the acknowledgements of conservatives
and the fraudulent registration papers issued to
negroes two thousand are known 10 have been
issued), can not see by what stretch of charity
the forthcoming election can be termed fair
The troops were reviewed dthismorning on Canal-st.
This occurrence isSaid to have reference to the
intimidation Of the whites and am pretty sure Is
not SO construed by the better classes.