The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-01-23
MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT GRANT ON
LOUISIANA AFFAIRS.
Congress Declared to be Largely
Responsible.
The Adoption of Definite Policy Earn
eStly Urged.

estly Urged.
WASHINGTON, jan 13.-The following il Tn,
fuii text Of the Presidents message on Louis
lana affairs
To The Senate Of the United States:
have the honor to make the following An
swer to senate resolution of the S.h inst
esklng Tor informstion to any interference.
BY any military officer on the part of the arm,
OF the United States wi b the organization @
proceedings of the general assembly of tn,
state of Louisiana or either branch thereof
and also 1nquiring in regard to the existence
OF armed organizations in that section hostile
TO the government thereof, and intent OF over
turning such government by force To say
that iawiessness, turbulence and bloolshed
have characterized the political affairs of that
state since its organization under the recon
struction acts, is only to repeat what has be-
come well known as part of its unhappy his
tory But it may be proper here to refer to
the election OF 1868, by which the republican
vote OF the stste, through fraud and violence
was reduced to few thousand, and the bloody
riots of 1866 and 1868, to show that the dis
orders there are not due to any recent cause
or to any late action OF the federal authorities
Preparatory to the election of 1871 a shame
fui and undisguised conspiracy was formed to
carry that election against the republicans
without regard to law or right and to that end
the most glaring frauds and forgery were COM
united In return. after many colored citizens
had been denied registration, and others de-
TERED by rear from casting their ballots when
the time came for final comparison of the
votes In view of the foregoing facts. Vim P.
Kellogg, the republican candidate for gov
ernor brought suit upon the equity side of the
United states circuit court for Louisiana
against warmoth and others. who had OBJ
tanned possession Of the returns of the cleo
ttoD- representing that several thousand voters
OF the state had been deprived of the elective
franchise on account OF their color and pray
ing that steps might be taken to have their
votes counted, and for general relief To en-
able the court to inquire into the truth of
these allegations, a temporary restraining
order was issued against the defendant which
was at once wholly disregarded and treated
with contempt by those to whom it was di-
rscted, These proceedings have been wide
" denounced as an unwarrantable inter-
ference by the federal judiciary with the
election OF state officers. But it is to be
remembered that by the fifteenth amendment.
TO the constitution OF the United States the
political equality of colored citizens ia se-
cured and under the second eection Of that
amendment providing hat congress shall have
power 20 enforce its provisions by appropriate
legislation, an act WAS passed on the 18th of
May. 1870, and amended in 1871, the object of
wnich was to prevent the denial or abridge-
ment OF suffrage to citizens en- account OF
race, color. or previous condition of servitude;
and 1t has been held by all the federal Judges
before whom the matter has arisen, including
1uege Strong. OF the supreme court, that the
these acts. extend to state as well as other
elections; that it is the duty of the federal
courts to enforce the provisions Of the consti.
tuition OF the United States aud the laws passed
In pursuance thereof This is too clear for
controversy. Section Is OF said act after nu-
merous provisions therein to punish an ipya-
sion of the fifteenth amendment, provides
tnAt the jurisdiction OF the circuit courts OF
the United States shall extend to all cases in
law or equity arising under the provisions of
said act and Of the act amendatory thereof
Congress seems to have contemplated equit-
able as well rs legal proceedings to prevent
the denial OF suffrage to colored Citizens. and
II may De safely asserted that il Kellogg's bill
IN the above named case does not present a
case for the equitable interposition of the
court, that no such case can arise under the
act That the courts Of the United States
have the right to interfere in various WAYS
with state @ ections, so as to maintain political
equality and rights therein, irrespective of
race or color. Is comparatively new, and to
some seems to be a startling idea but it re-
suits as clearly from the fifteenth amendment
or the constitution, and the acts that have
been passed to enforce that Amendment as
the ,brogation Of state laws upholdmg slavery
results to the thirteenth amendment to the
constitution While the Jurisdiction of the
court In the case Of Kellogg Va, Warmoth and
others is clear to my mind, it eeems that some
OF the orders made by the judge in that. and
but while they are so held and considered, It is
not to be forgotten that the mandate Of his
court had been contemptuously defied, and
they were made while wild scenes of anarchy
were sweeping away all resti amt of law and
order. Doubtless, the Judge of this court
made gave mistakes, but the Law allows the
chancellor great Latitude not only in punish
ing these who condemn his orders and iniunc-
tons. but In preventing the consummation of
the wrong which he has judicially forbidden
Whatever may be said or thought of these
matters, 1t was only made known to me that
the process of the United States court was re-
nd al
the use Of the army and navy when necessary
70 force 1udic al process arising Hereunder,
considered 1t my duty to see that such process
was executed according to the Judgment of
the court resulting from these proceedings,
through various controversies aud complies
items. state administration was organized
with VIM. p. Kellogg governor. which, in
tne discharge OF my duty under section f.
as the government Of the state. 1t has been
bitterly aud persis. emily alleged that kellogg
WAS not elec.ed. Whether he was or not Is
not altogether Gel tain. nor is it any more GER
chosen The election was q gigantic fraud
and there are no reliable returns of its result
Kellogg obtained possession Of the Office and
In my opinion. has more right to it than his
competitor. On the 10th of February, 1878,
the committee on privileges and elections of
the senate made . report, in which they saw
that they are Satisfied by the testimoy that
the manipulation of the machinery by
W armoth and others was equivalent 10 twenty
Thousand voters, and they add that to recog-
nize the McEnery government would be TO |
recognize government based upon fraud in |
defiance of the wishes and intention Of the |
voters OF the state. Assuming the correct |
ness or the statements in this report-and |
they seem 10 have been generally accepted by |
the country-the great crime in Louisiana, |
about which SO much has been done and raid. |
Is that one is holding the Office of governor |
who was cheated out OF q, 600 votes against |
another whose title to the office is undoubted- |
ly based on fraud and in defiance of the wishes |
and intentions of the voters of the state |
Misinformed and misjudging as to the nature |
aud extent Of this report the supporters of |
McEnery proceeded to displace by force in
some parts Of the state the appontees of Gov
ernor Kellogg ard on the 18th Of April, in
An enort OF that kind, butchery of citizens
was committed at Colfax, which, in blood
thirstiness and barbarity, is hardly surpassed
BY any acts Of savage warfare. To put the
matter beyond controversy, quote from the
charge of Judge Woods, Of the United States
circuit court, to the jury in the case OF the
United States vs.. Cruikehank and others. in
New Orleans, in March, 1874. He said: I'm
he case on trial there are many facts not in
ne controversy proceed to state some of
hem In the presence and hearing Of counsel |
On both sides, and, if state as a conceded
TACT any matter that is disputed they an cor
,ect me-" After stating the origin of the diff
1culty, which grew out Of an attempt Of white
oerzons to drive the parish Judge and sheriff |
Ippointees of Kellogg, from Office, and thar |
attempted protection by colored persons, which
ed to some fighting. in which quite . number
II negroes were killed, the judge states that
most Of those who were killed were taken
orieoners- Fifteen or sixteen Of the blacks |
lad lifted tbs boards and taken refuge under |
he floor of the court house. They were all
aptured. About thirty-seven men were taken
MS ,ners the number is not definitely fixed.
They were kept under guard until da, K, when
hey were led out two by two and shot. Most
Il the men were shot to death few were
rounded. not mortally, and by pretending to
q dead. were afterwards, during the night.
BILE to make their escape. Among them was
he Levi Nelson named in the Indictment
he dead bodies Of the negroes killed in this
flair were left unburied ill Tuesday April
5, when they were buried by q deputy mar
bal and an officer of the militia from New
)rleans- These persons found fifty-pine dead
od.es- They showed pistol shot wounds the |
reat majority in the heart, and some of them
4 the back of the head. In addition to the |
cad found, some chaTred remains OF dead
odies were discovered near the court house.
tx dead bodies were found under a warehouse |
NJ shot the heart I'm tyro ho | Z