New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-18

| Inc w asnmgtOn correspondent OF the st
Louis Democrat writes, under date of Feb
ruary IA:
Messrs. Hoar, Wheeler, Frye and Mar
| shall, the subcommittee sent to Louisiana
to make q report on the political condition
of that State. returned here yesterday, hav-
ing lett New Orleans on Tuesday morning
| and they have therefore had no time to
| compare their views and agree upon q re-
port. No conference whatever has yet been
had, nor have the members generally dis
closed their ideas to each other. Mr.. Frye
has drawn out the heads of what he consid-
| ers ought to be the report of the majority,
and General Wheeler generally concurs IN
his views as thus expressed.
IA meeting of subcommittee is called for
tomorrow night, when it is expected an
understanding will be reached. Mr.. Frye
was on the floor Of the House for short
time yesterday, and talked freely with the
| members He gave them to understand
| that the condition of affairs in New Orleans
and throughout the State is desperate, and
that he could see no way out that was likely
| to be adopted. He said everything was in
an unsettled condition, business languish-
| ing, and general decentralization surround
| ing everything. Most of the best people
| have lost all hope of q settled and peaceful
condition of society, and have despaired
| of any improvement in public affairs.
| He thinks that New Orleans is cursed
| by some of the worst classes that are to be-
| found in the United States, and that these
classes exercise terrorism over the better
| class of people who are disposed to be con-
eervative. These people are of the most
desperate and reckless order, who have no
! standing in society, no property, and moth
| ing whatever at stake. They are not
ex- Confederates but mostly those who were
too young during the war to enter the
army, and are now without occupation.
Mr.. Frye thinks the Conservatives are by
far the better people in New Orleans, for
they represent the culture, the wealth and
| the business of New Orleans. They general
ly seek to avoid politics, and the parties
there are, as q consequence, made up ON
each side of the worst elements of society.
Mr.. Frye spoke with great freedom with
his colleagues. He said the subject ought
to be above party, and the unhappy con-
dition of the people touched him most
keenly. He believes in the existence of the
White League, and says that nobody denies
that it is an armed organization. General
Sheridan has seen companies drilling with
arms. He also believes that intimidation
was practiced to an alarming degree in
various parts of the State. One of the
statement with the report of Messrs. Phelps.
Foster and Potter, who had also looked
into the subject.
Mr.. Frye replied that those gentlemen
confined their inquiries to intimidation
on the day of the elections. He said: OF
course there was none on such days; that
his committee would report as much, but
said that intimidation in q dozen different
ways was practiced. and practiced most
effectively, before the day, his committee
would show. 1t was very evident to mem
beers with whom Mr.. Frye conversed that
he comes back with as much of the radical
fire in his eye as the most radical
could desire. He denounces, with
unsparing phrase, the masses of the
to the general government and to the
peace of society is more venomous than
during the war, and there is nothing he
would not do, legally and properly, to put
them down. All offers Of compromise with
reference to existing troubles have been
upon the individual responsibility of Mr..
Wheeler, of New York, a member of the
committee, and not by authority of any
joint action of the full committee. The
first and only offer made was to the effect
that the Legislative Assembly, without ap
proving the same, were not to disturb the
present State government, claimed to have
been elected in 1872, known as the Kellogg
government, OF seek to impeach the Governor
for any past official acts, and that hence
IOECQ IL WAS u dCCOTu VI 6uIu UONcTuOE all
necessary and legitimate support in main
tanning the laws, and advancing the peace
and prosperity of the people OF the State;
and the House of Representatives, as con.
stitute1 under the award OF the investiga-
ting committee. was to remain without
chaEge, except by resignation or death of
the members, until the next general cleo
ton, and the Senate to remain unchanged,
except SO far as itself might make changes
or contests.
When the proposition was submitted, q
caucus was held Of the Conservative Legis-
lature and it was accepted; but on the
very succeeding day after the night of its
acceptance q public meeting was held, at
which members of the Legislature partici-
pated. and members themselves denounced
the terms of the compromise.
Then an additional caucus was held, at
which the previous action was recOnsidered
and the terms of q new compromise were
suggested. The new terms were handed
Mr.. Wheeler in writing on the morning the
committee left New Orleans, and he had no
time to read and consider them until reach
ing Mobile. when telegram was sent to
Speaker Wilt rejecting the basis of the
proposed new compromise. Upon arrival,
Mr.. Wheeler, who in all negotiations has
acted as spokesman, received q telegram
asking him if the terms of the original COM
promise, submitted by him, could again be
considered an open question. To this he re-
piled tonight that he had had no time to con-
suit his colleagues, and he declined individ-
ually to renew any proposition of COM
abrogates any existing attempt to com.
promise affairs since the reconsideration of
the vote accepting the original proposition.
Mr.. Wheeler says that while in New Or
leans he was waited upon by the best bust
ness men in the city, who advised him, if
possible, to arrange some settlement OF
existing differences. He said: "Gentlemen,
meetings, end lend the moral influence of
your presence to adjust matters2" To
which they replied that such course would
not only involve the ruin of their business,
but might endanger their lives. The
great trouble, he says, is that some twelve
or fifteen assume to be elected to the Legis-
lature who have not been SO declared
elected by the Returning Board. Conser
vative members already recognized want |
the committee to pass upon these cases.
This they decline to do. Mr.. Wheeler says
the great weakness of Kellogg at this time |
is that he has no supporting power back OF |
him; that he would be stronger land this |
Kellogg admits) even with a Conservative
Legislature. |
SO far as the conclusion of the committee
is concerned, any attempt to anticipate the |
same would be conjectural. No meeting
for discussion has yet been held The COM |
mittee's whole time in New Orleans was
occupied taking testimony rather than in |
deducing results. Over one hundred wit |
nesses were examined, and the question OF |
the validity of the election of 1872 was not |
inquired into. The testimony is SO volum- |
nous that it can hardly be printed before |
adjournment. Much Of the evidence which |
was regarded as most valuable was given |
in private, and can not be printed without |