New-York tribune., 1874-10-27
THE LOUISIANA CONTEST.
THE SITUATION IN THE STATE.

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IHE NEGROES DO NOT CLAIM THAT THEY ARE
rNrMrpATEp BY THE CONSERVATIVES - THE
WHOLESALE ARRESTS UNBEARABLE-AN OUT
BREAK AMONG THE WHITES ONLY PREVENTED
BY THE GOOD ADVICE OF LEADING CoNsERVA-
TrvEs-THE FEEIING OF ARMY OFFICERS AGAINST
GEN. MERRIII--oNE REASON OF THE MIDNIGHT
RIDES OF THE UNITED STATES MARsHALs
w-ORIEANs Oct. 90 have spent several days
in some of the interior parishes with view TO ascer
tanning the facts to the reported intimidation OF
voters and the plans of the two parties with refer
enee to the conduct of the campaign did not
meet with single negro who claimed that there
was any intimidation of his race by the Con
servatives. or who feared anything OF the kind'
although every effort seems to have been made Dy
the CARPET -baggers to exert such fear. My con-
yersations with these negroes were under circum-
stances which would relieve them OF any hesitancy
in making complaints. They knew that the person
by whom they interrogated was from the
North and desired only to know the truth, and that
what they said would not be reported to their en-
ployers OF be read by them until after the election
Some of those questioned were candidates for ONCE;
others were plantation hands, who participation I'm
politics is confined to attending meetings and vot-
ing. They agreed that they were treated WELL ana
complained only of low wages. Some seemed TO
fear that Conservative triumph would be followed
by their reinstatement, and said that they had
been told by their preacher, and by carpet-bagger
who is a candidate for the Legislature, that Nc
Emery had prepared several hundred hogsheads OF
handouts to be placed the negroes when he gets
10 be Governor. A prominent negro leader Win
whom talked said his people manifested very little
interest in the campaign, and that there was some
difficulty in getting them to register.
NV observations confirmed me in the belief that
the arrests now going on all over the State are a
of Aali MA NJ Radicals
thowhites to resistance and to supply the detection
caused by the failure of the negroes to register by
fIightenlng whites from their homes on the eve of
the election. This plan has already been successful
TO o considerable extent. Parishes In which there
has been no trouble or threatened trouble for
months have been thrown into terror by the appear
ance of United States Marshals and warrants for
the arrest of every prominent opponent OF the
Kellogg party In some the finest cotton crops
made since the war will be lost because the owners
have been frightened away, or because the arrival
Of the Federal officials has demoralized and ex-
cited the negroes that they cannot be induced to
work. The citizens would submit to arrests, but
dread ill-treatment and prolonged imprisonment.
Nothing bat the earnest and repeated advice OF lead
ing men in New-Oreans that peace be kept at all
hazards has prevented q general uprising OF
the people But if this programme is carried
out much further, / fear advice whatever
will restrain their wrath. Not against the negroes.
but against the incendary Carpetbagge and
Rascals who are now riding roughshod over the
State as United States Marshals The army officers
here are emphatic in this denunciaton of the course
of Gen. Merrill at Shreveport in not only lending
himself to Marshal Packard, but putting himself
forward as prosecutor of people by making afida-
Wits himself and instituting proceeding against
them. Such a thing has been heretofore unknown
,yoffica in
tion of the violent proceedings of the Radicals in
Northern and Western Louisiana may be found In
the lamentable internal condition of the party In
these sections. There II Senatorial Districts IN
the State. Half the Senate only is to be elected
next Monday. Out of these six districts are split
with two Radical tickets in the field, and a GER
tainty of the Conservatives being elected unless
something unusual is done to counteract the
situation In almost every case these splits
have arisen, so the negroes say, from
the fact that the carpet-bag candidates
aided by Packard and Kellogg has beaten them in
convention The consequence is a negro and car
pet-bag candidate in the field against the Conserva-
tive and ergo the necessity of driving the white
people into the swamps This as you will perceive,
the Deputy Marshals and the cavalry are doing
pretty effectually.
PROTEST FROM THE CONSERVATIVES.
MAJOR MERRILL'S ARRESTS AT SHREVEPORT ENl-
IDENTITY FOR POLITICAL PURPosEs-HIs COURSE
INTIMIDAIING AND UNMnITARY.
NEw-ORLEANs, Oct. 26.-The Democratic and
Conservative State Central Committee have addressed
communication to Gen Emory protesting against the
action Of Major Merrill ct Shreveport in which they
say:
I'VE have received credible information Of the fact
that Lewis Merrill, Major Of the 9TH regular United
States Cavalry, officer under your command did on
the 92d City OF Shreveport make an adavit
Tor the number OF citizens OF this State
charged said officer is one strictly cognlz
able by civil courts and appertalns In no manper 10
the military As are aware, polltical cam
pagn being conducted In this state under the Constr
tuition and country and the effect INTENDED
lr this exhibition zeal OF this military officer cannot
be otherwise than TO throw the influence or the
power OF his official position against the po-
recently arrived section Of the country and
NOT appearing his affidavit that his rights have been
interiered WITH cannot characterize his gratuitous
services in that behalf otherwise than unmilitary ana
in conflict with the spirit of our insti
tutions We feel that the more promptly called
upOp TO protest against the conduct OF this military
ocer a. the past sad experience In our state proves
tbst the Republican political leaders have found 1t an
easy matter to subordinate civil 10 military power,
which our felowcitiZens the North are quietly by
their votes denouncng as an outrage against the Con-
sututon liberty, and rights OF civil government"
THE NATURALIZATION QUESTION.