Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-10-03
GoyERy0R KELL0GGs ADDRESS


This document is one that will attract at
tention, and incline the public sentiment
to the opinion that Kellogg has been a
better governor to Louisiana than he has
had credit for. ......-=...-... .....
The address is devoted principally TO
answering the two prominent charges
made by the McEnery party, viz that the
State is not republican and Kellogg was
not legally elected; and that the present
State administration has been corrupt and
oppressive. In order to answer The charge
of corruption and oppression Governor
Kellogg goes into an exposition of the fl
nancial affairs of the State under himself
and his predecessors, showing the results
under their administrations as compared
with his. and placing the responsibility
for the State debt, which has been laid
upon him, where it properly belongs. We
have not space to copy the whole exhibit,
but the following recaptulation in the add
dress contains the substance oft Governor
Kellogg says:
We have in two years paid off over $780,
600 of old floating Indebtedness with the old
assets Of the State.
We have reduced the debt, by the Funding
bill, from twenty five millions to fifteen mil
lions, not to be increased until after the year
1924.
We have reduced the State taxes from
twenty one and half mills to fourteen and
half mills, not to be increased until after the
same year.
We have provided that parish taxation
shall not exceed State taxation, SO that the
greatest amount of taxation any one parish
can be called upon to pay in any one year is
Twenty-Five mills.
We have enabled the City Of New Orleans
to reduce taxation five mills.
We have largely reduced State expend-
lures and confined them strictly within the
limits of our revenues.
We have reduced over eight million dol
lars of contingent liabilities.
All this has been effected by us without all
from those who arroganty claim to repre-.
sent all the virtue and intelligence of the
State, and while contending against violence
within the State borders and organized Wifi
cation abroad, and while the very existence
of the Government was being threatened
This is the financial record of the Admins.
tration which our opponents assert has been
so corrupt and so oppressive as to drive the
State into bankruptcy, and the people into
riot.
In answer to the charge that he was
not legally elected, Governor Kellogg
presents many strong and convincing
facts, showing that the State is republican,
and that nothing but fraud or intimidation
of voters could make it otherwise. In
answer to the statement of Mr.. Mars
committee that there is an excess of
whites in the state, it is shown that IL, 900
ofthese are alien males over twenty-one
and not qualified to vote, 5000 to 1O, 900
are known white republicans. and these
With the colored voters make large ex
cess of republican over democratic voters
in the State. In the last election the re-
publicans were not divided. Governor
Yarmouth and some other actious lead
ers went over to the democracy, but they
carried only few with them. Kellogg
and McEnery both stumped the State, the
former as straight republican sustaining
the guarantees of the constitution to the
colored people, the latter as the we'll
known opponent of the negroes OF course
under these conditions the colored vote
was given to Kellogg and consequently
he had majority of the votes cast in the
State. The address says:
The question as to whether Mr.. McEnery
or myself was elected Governor of this State
is one that have several times proposed TO
submit to arbitration. When the suit brought
in the United States Circuit Court was still
pending offered, through my counsel, Mr.
VIM. II. Hunt, Southern man. and one of
the foremost lawyers at the bar of this State.
that the returns should be submitted to five
prominent and dsinterested citizens, two to
be chosen by each side, and the fifth by the
four, and proposed to abide by the result
of their decision, but this proposition was de.
ciined. am prepared to show, before any
competent tribunal that portion of the re-.
turns upon which Mr.. McEnery bases his
claims are forgeries manufa tured in this
city. l am able now to produce the judicial
officer before whom portion of the blank
tally lists and returns were sworn, to be sub
sequently filled up, here in this city, and
paimed on upon the public as the genuine re-
turns OF an election held in strong Republi-
can parishes far distant from this city. Even
Senator Carpenter, in his speech in the Sen
ate on the 4th Of March, said: 81 do not
think McEnery was in fact elected, though
the returns show that he was" | hold my
self now ready to impeach the returns relied
upon BY the fusion boards as altered, de-
faced, and, in some instances, forged OUT
right. charge, moreover, that the returns
from Ibervile, ST. James, Terrs bonnie. ST.
Martin, and other Republican parishes, were
thrown out by the fusion Returning Boards
for no other reason than because they gave
myself and the Republican ticket heavy ma
jority. And assert that by the genuine re-
turns, counting the votes actually cast, Twas
elected by several thousand majority, and up.
on this issue am ready to stand or fall
~ After thus answering the two charges
made against him, the Governor eoe, on
to speak ofthe election now pea ting as
follows
The State Constitution provides that in
November next there shall be an election for
Congressmen, State Legislature, and va.
rious State and parish officers The present
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