The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-02-24
SENATOR FERRY'S SPEECH ON
THE LOUISIANA CASE.
A MASTERLY ARGUM MEN I.
Tie Question Of Admitting Pinchback.
TFrom the New York Tribune

said
Mr. President, do not expect or intend to
make any speech of an elaborate character to
the Senate, neither have | prepared any
speech, nor have [ the physical strength
necessary to such an undertaking. But upon
the resolution now pending before the Senate
have exceedingly strong CONVICTIONS and
| have felt that one entertaining such con-
victions ought not to be content with casting
merely a silent vote, but, however briefly
and however feeby | may express myself, it
IS my duty to the Senate, and my duty to the
country, to give some of the reasons why |
can not support the resolution reported from
the Committee on Privileges and Elections.
Let re say in the outset, Mr. President
that / listened with almost painful interest
on Monday, when the Senator from In
diana opened his remarks, i'll the hope OF
hearing something which would eluci-
date the real inquiry before this body
and | must say that in that hope | was
Indiana seemed to me it may be my fault
not even to touch the question which is really
before us. What is the controversy: On the
4th of March, 1873. vacancy occurred in
this body which should have been filed by
the election Of a Senator from the State OF
Louisiana. There was no want of claimants.
Two gentlemen presented certificates of cleo
ton-Mr. Mcmillan and Mr.. Pinchback-
both in due form and signed, in each case, by
person designating himself as Governor Of
Louisiana; each countersigned by a person
designating himself Secretary of the State
OF Louisian and both authenticated ky the
great 81 al OF the State. These both complied
in particulars with the act Of Congress pro-
viding for tie certificates Of election, in case
Of the election Of Senator. But the person
designated as Governor, and the person des-
ienated as Secretary Of State, Oh one OF
these certificates, We're different from the
persons so designated en- .he other.
Both certificates Of election were referred
to the Committee on Privileges and Elections.
Both are now before the Senate, al i erv
word that the Senator from Indiana uttered
the other day, and every preced Mt that he
cited, and ali the debates OF past years that
he caused to be read, apply with exactly the
same force to the certificate of election OF Mr..
Nc MILAN as to the certificate Of Mr.. Pinch
buck. How is it, then, that this committee
presents itself before the Senate with a de-
cltration that Mr. Pinchback is primu tdcie
entitled to the seat, without pretense OF
having gone outside OF the certificates of
election and even denying the right to go
behind them? Why not choose Mr. Nc
Mlliaus certificate instead OF Mr.. Pinch
back: Tn, truth is, sir, the case is peculiar
and anomalous. Admitting all the preced4nts
of the Senator from Indiana. We are never
theless in this case absolutely compelled to
90 behind the ruficates Of eler ion. We
cannot help ourselves, tor tnc qpes-
ton il Of The authorities signing the
certificates. Who was the Governor aud who
WIS tine Secretary Of STATE OF Louisiana in
1913, when these certificates bear date
These certificates do not tell rs, and We can
not decide between these certificates until we
i..yc asc rtaileG which Of the persons eyecu-
ting them possessed the authority to * cue
them uuder the Constitution and rvs O. the
Unite! States. 50, sir, in reference to Il!
resolutions pending before US, we are rom
the very papers upon our table in reference
to this election, compelled to make inquiry
whether upon the certificates which the COM
mittee have reported back, VIM. Pitt Kellogg
was, on the 18th day OF January, 1872. Cover
nor Of the State of LOUISIANA and IN order to
ascertain whether he was or not, we are at
once plunged INTO the mire and degradation
of the proceedings i'll that unhappy State i'll
the autumn of 1872 and the commencement
of 1873. We cannot evade it. We cannot
get away from IL, and inquiring into
these proceedings, we have no further
to 90 than to the great volume Of 400
or 800 pages OF testimony before orr own
committee, now lying upon our tables, and
unfolding unto Us the whole sickenDg history
from its beginning to its end. Upon that
teS timony we have The elaborate report of that
committee, chosen from the ablesL and most
trusted members of this body. and the evil
dence sustaining every word OF that report n
all the strength Of its language and the pas
sage Of time and development Of evects Dur
ing the last two years have only tended still
more to verify the correctness of the conclu-
sion of that report. | therefore am not called
upon to - mo the history OF these tranSic-
tons further than to find the facts regarding
them as they lie upon our tables il the evil
deuce, aud In the report Of thai committee.
What, then, are the facts? | shall not 20 over
these at any length. Ii has been wei. called
twice-told tale. Was William Pts Kellogg
elected Governor Of Louisiana IS the people N
the autumn Of 1872? No, sir the evidence
III that volume demonstrates that, Of the votes
cast. he did not receive majority, and the
committee expressly find the fact. The Sen
ltor from Wisconsin (Nr. Carpenter), the
Senator from Illinois fALr. Logan, the Sen
}tor from Mississippi (Mr. Alcornl, and the
senator from Rhode Island lIr. Anthony.
append Their names to the finding OF the fact
hat in tlat election Mr.. Kellogg was defeated.
We're any returns canv3ssei by which he was
ret 1rned as elected? None whatever. The
pretended canvass by his Returning Board IS
in the report Of that committee in
stronger language than | should care to Use
lere Was there any lawful Returning Board
II Board Of CanvaSsers that made such re
urn? None. 50 that there i, not upon the
lctual facts existing even the color OF n title |
If an cleo ion of the person whose name is |
gued to the certificate of election reported |
~ the committee as Governor of Louisiana |
How, then, came he to assume to place his |
lame to this certlii cate: Again the record /
lnfolds the facts: There was an election in
hat State. The majority of the votes were
gainst him. They may have been procured |
" timidation, or force, or fraud. We now,
n this inquiry as to the capacity of Mr.. kel-
ogg to sign and send hither such certih-
ate as he has done, only, or to ascertain the
act whether he did receive a majority of the
otes or not. and the report Of your commit
ee and the evidence demonstrates that he
lid not. No returns OF any elections were
,etore the board which sent up ma ority Of
he votes as having been counted by them
0 the Legislature OF Lo Iisiana; but the