Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-12-10
SOUTHERN TROUBLES.

1 SOO AoO bAs4-S'
| Your attention will be drawn to the unset
| tied condition OF affairs ia some of the South :
| ern States. On the l4ta of September last
| the Governor OF Louisiana called upon me,
| as provided by the constitution and laws of
the United States, to aid in suppressIng the
| domestic violence in that State. THIS call
was made in view of a proclamation issued
| that day by d. b. Pein, stating that he was
| elected Lieutenant Governor in 1872, and
| calling uron the militia of the State 10 arm,
| assemble, aud drive from power the uSurpers,
| as he designated the officers OF the State gov
| eminent On the next day issued my proc
| Iamation and commanded the insurgents 10
| dispense within five days from the date there
| of, and subsequently learned that on that day
they had taken forcibte possession of the
State House. Troops were sent by me TO
| support the existing and recognized State
| government, but before the expiration OF the
five days the discretionary movement was
practically abandoned, aud the officers of the
State government. with some minor excep-
tons, resumed their powers and duties. Con-
Sldering that the present State administration
of Louisiana had been the only government
in that State for nearly two wears, and that
ii has been tacltly acknowledged aud acuui-
esced IN as such by Congress, and more than
once expressly recognized by me, | regarded
It as my clear duty, when called upon for that
purpose, 10 prevent its overthrow by an armed
mob under the pTeIence oil fraud and iieg ality
IN the election of 1872. | have heretofore
called the attention of Congress to this sub
ect, stating that on account OF frauds and
forgeries committed at SAID election, and be-
cause it appears that the returns thereof were
| not legally canvassed, it was impossible to
tell thereby who were chosen, but from the
| best sources of information at my hand,
have always believed that the present State
| officers received a majority Of the legal votes
/ actually cast at that election. | repeat what
| said in my message of February IL, 1872,
| that in the event of no action by Congress /
| must continue to recognize the government
| heretofore recognized by me.
| regret TO say that, on The approach of the
| late election, a decided determination was
manifested, in some localities in the Southern
| States, by acts of violence and intimidation,
| to deprive persons holding certain political
| opinions not popular in those localities of the
| freedom of the ballot, and refuse them the
| expression of their political opinions. Bands
| of men ma sked and armed, made their appear
ance, white leagues and other societies were
formed, large quantities of arms and ammun-
ton were imported, and distributed to these
organizations of military, while menacing
demonstrations were made, while with all
these murders enough were committed to
| spread terror among those whose political
| action was to be suppressed if possible by
| these intimida.ing and criminal proceedings.
In some places the colored laborers were
| compelled TO vote according to the wishes oil
tneir employers, under threats of being dis
charged if they acted otherwise, and there are
too many instances in which when these
threats were disregarded they were remorsely
executed by those by whom made. | under
stand the 18th amendment TO the constitution
| was made to prevent this like state of things
and the act of May Both, 1870, with amend
ments was passed to enforce its provisions,
the object of this being to guarantee to al
citizens the right to vote, to protect them il
the free enjoyment of that right given by th'
constitution, to take care that the laws b.
faithfully executed and being convinced BY
| undoubted evidence that the violation of SAFE
act had been committed, and that a wide
spread disregard of il was contemplated, thu
proper officers were instructed 10 prosecute
the offenders, and troops were stationed a
convenient points 10 aid these officers il neces
sary in the performance of their official du
ties. Complaints are made of this interior
ence by Federal authority, but if said amend
ment and act don't provide for such interfer
ence under the circumstances as above stated
then they are without meaning, force or effect
and the whole scheme OF colored emf anehIse
meni is worse than mockery. Possibly Con-
gress may see fit to ascertain by means Of
committee whether all the reports of III
violation of the rights of our colored citizens
Tor political purposes we're true or were man.
ufactured Tor the occasion.
The whole number of troops in the States
of Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida
| South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky
Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Maryland
| and Virginia at the the time of the election
was 4,0S2. This embraces the garrisons o
all the forts from the Delaware to the Gulf Of
| Mexico.
| ARKANSAS.
OF tbs constitGon the State, which aips1
1865, and upon the approval of which by Congress tn
State was restored to representation as one of thu
States of the Union provides in effect that before am
| amendment proposed TO this constitution shall be
come part hereof it must be passed by two
sIve assemblies and then submitted to and be adopt
ed by majority OF the electors OF the State voting
thereon. On the 18th of May 1874, the Governor
vened extra session of the General Assembly of the
State, which the 18th of September passed ACT
providing for commission to frame new constitu
ton. Pursuant to that act and at election held
the 4rh of June, "A the convention approved and
delegates chosen thereto, who assembled on the l4tt
of last July and formed constitution the SEIZED
ule of which provided for the election of ontre
set of State officers. in manner contrary to the Their
existing election laws of the State On the 4h of DC
tober, 1874 this constitution, therein provided was
submitted to the people for approval rejection,
according the election returns Apr owed by
large majority of those qualified vote thereon. Al
the same ell ction, persons were chosen to fill all
| st to- county and township offices The Governor
elected in 1872 for term of four years. turned over
his affairs to the Governor chosen under the new CON
stitution; whereupon the Lieutenant Governor also
elected in 1872 for of four claiming to nc
Governor, and alledging that said proceedings by
/ which the new constitution made and new set
OF officers elected were unconstitutional and void
ed upon me provided in Section 1 article of the
constitution, to protect tile State against domestic vi
| oence As Congress is now investigating the politi-
cal affairs of Arkansas have declined to interiors;
1 Wit f,a
affairs OF State are repugnant te public opinion to
the feeling of those who from their official capacity
must be used in such interpositon, and to him or
those who must direct. Unless m0st clearly on the
side OF the law, such interference is crime With
out the law to support it it should be severely con-
demned desire, therefore, that all necessity for ex
ecutive direction in local affairs may become unnec
essary aud obsolete. invite the attention not only
of Congress- but Of the people of the United States to
the and effects of these unhappy questions Is
there not disposition side to ma xnfy wrongs
andoutrages, and the other sds to belttle them
or justify them? Ifpublic opdiof could be directed
to correct survey OF what is wrong and of the
of rebuklng it and is aiding the proper authorities in
Furnishing it, better state of feeling would be incul
Gated ana we would sooner have that peace which
Id leave the States free indeed to regulate their
own domestic affairs believe Oh a part of our elti-
Zens of the Southern States or the better part of
them there is disposition to be lsw-abding, and to
do no violence either TO individuals thu laws exist
ing but do they do right in ignoring the existence
the voe nce and boodshed and resistance to consti
tuted auth0rity 1 sympathize with their PROSTATE
condition and would do all in my power to relieve
them, ACKNOWLEDGING that IN some instances they
have most trying governments to live under AID a
very Oppre sive in way of taxation for nomin
al improvements not giving benefits equal to he hard
ships imposed. But they proclaim themselves
entirely irresponsible for this condition! They can
not. Violence has been rampant in localities
and has either been justified deaied by those who
could have prevented it. The theory is raised that
there is to be further interference the part of
the government to protect citizens within State
where the State authorize. fail to give p election -
This is a great mistake, While remain Executive,
all the laws of Congress and the provisions Of the con
stitutan including the amendments thereto will be
enfo ced with vg0r with but regret that they should
have added one jot or little executive duties
powers. Let there be fairness In the discussion Of
southern questions the adVoca ties CT both all pot-
ica parties giving homes truthful reports Of occur
rences, condemning the Wrong and unfolding the
right and seon all will be well. Under the exist.
ing conditions the negro votes the Republican ticket
because he knows his friends of that party Many
good citizen votes the opposite ticket not because
he agrees with the great principles of State which
separate parties but because generally he is opposed
to negro rule. This is most detuSive cry. Treat