The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-01-21
whiss'fsagrs;r shuwing 81. psscssble
character, mentioned in the MESSAGE of

GenS SSESFidanIR IRs ''banditti.p ii
In tty ylast osnpsiga6in Louisiaua.
the opsEbsi.ion Vas o3@possd 5fgSari-
Gus eIshents-NemoGfats, Reforners.
dissatisfisd RePhblioans,l Liberal Re.
pablicans. old Whigs-and, in order
to induce the cooperation of all, some
OF whom refused to unite with an or
ganization called Democratic, they
took tho name or the Peoples Party
called in some localities the "Con-
servative Party" ia others the "White
Name Party. in others the "Wbite
League"-aud had ordinary political
clubs under these names throughout
the rural districts, which we're ordi.
nary political clubs. and nothing more
neither secret nor armed, nor other
wise different from usual political or
carnations. These must not, however.
be confounded, from similarity OF
nance, with the White League OF the
city of New Orleans. That League is
an organization composed Of different
olabs. numbering In all between $500
and $500, the members OF which have
provided arms for themselves, and with
or without arms engage in military
drill. They have no uniform. aud the
arms arc the property of the indivi-
viduals, not OF the organization.
They comprise o large number oi
reputable citizens and property hold
ers in Louisiana. Their purpose they
declare to be simply protective-a ne
cessity occasioned by the existence Of
leagues among the blacks; of the hos
tiIity with which the Kellogg Govern
ment srrnyed the black against the
white race; OF the want OF security to
psaoeabie citizens and their families,
which existed for those reasons, and
because, also. OF the peculiar forma.
sioD Of the police brigade.
On the other hand, the Republicans
assert that this is an armed body OF
volunteers existing for the purpose of
lntlmIdating the blacks and overthrow
lug the Kellogg Governmen That it
bad any considerable relations outside
OF the city of New Orleans, or that it
was intended in any way to interfere
with the rights of the oolored oitizsns,
did not appear. Nor, on the other
hand, did it appear that there was any
extensive secret league amongst the
blacks of any kind. That the White
League would readily 60 operate in any
feasible eoheme for overthrowing the
Kellogg Government. your committee
do not doubt. SO will substantially all
the white citizens of Louisiana. Such
organizations may be dangerous. but
are very rarely to be justified.
The affair of the l4th September is
an ILLUSTRATION OF this. The members
of the White League had purchased
arms; the police had seized these arms
without process OF law. taking them
forcibly from the merchants who had
sold aud from the members who had
bought them. A consignment of arms
was to arrive by the steamer Missis-
sippi. The League were called out Oh
the morning Of the 14th to go and
take them In body; the police under
took to seize the arms; the two bodies
came into collision on the wharf, with
loss OF several killed aud wounded.
There we're thon hardly any Federal
troops in New Orleans, and the disin-
tegration OF the Kellogg party was
such that before night Penn aud his
associates had only to take possession
OF the executive Offices without a
struggle.
The movement was every here
quietly accepted by the whites
throughc ut the State until the Federal
Government intervened, wuen Penn
and his associates at once surrendered.
If Louisiana were a country hv itaelf
McEnery and his associates would at
once be installed in power; but the
Conservatives of Louisiana do not
propose to fight The Federal Govern
mens They submit not because they
want TO. but because they must; not
because they proclaim any enmity
against the flag; not because free labor
has not been found practicable; not be-
cause Of any hostility to thu colored
people because colored; but because
they regard themselves as defrauded
ont of the election of 1872, and yet
more. out Of the last election, and be-
cause they think their State Govern
ment has been to the last degree de-.
structive and corrupt
Considering the fairness and ability
Of this report, it is not to he wondered
at that the President, having foregene
ccnclcsions, ignored i: altogether. It
is a complete refutation Of his me sage.
1t is charged further in the New York
Herald and other Journals, tnat an at.
tempt was made, lasting through five
daya. nv Mr.. Georue r Hoor of Mao-