The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-16
become almost absolutely impossible; but
the reduction gauges the unfulfllment Of

become almost absolutely impossible; bu
the reduction gauges the unfulfllment o
personal or political pledge.
The malfeasance of some local officials
disputes among the leading colored person,
in these localities, the loss or embezzlemen
In some cases of the school funds and tn.
failure OF the Freedmen's Bank, all combined
to divide the views Of the colored voters
Dur1ng the campaign an effort was accord
ngly made by the Conservatives to acquire q
part OF the negro vote; with that view it was
sought IN many quarters to propitiate them.
frequent arrests by the United States Mar.
shals for intimidation or threats of non-em-
ployment. and the apprehension that was fell
tilat the Beturning Board would count out
their men if excuse for such a course were
offered. All combined, especially after the
I4th OF September, to put the Conservatives
on their good behavior, and the result was that
in Nov 1874, the people of the State of Louisi-
did fairly have free, peaceable and full re-
gistration and election, in which a clear Con-
sentative majority was elected to the lower
House Of the Legislature, Of which majority
the Conservatives were deprived by the un-
just, illegal and arbitrary action Of the Re-
turning Board.
That there were turbulent spirits cannot be
denied. Those returned to Office by the Re-
turning Board in violation of the wishes of
the people ere especially odious. In one
instance the editor of the Shreveport Times,
in anticipation of the Illustration by the Re-
turning Board of the Will of the people,
openly declared that the only remedy was
ito kill the usurpers," and declared this to
be the sentiments Of the Conservatives of his
section of the State; but beyond newspaper
editor or two, no declaration, even of that
sort, was brought to our own notice, although
it was admitted on all hands the white peo-
pie OF the whole State felt greatly outraged
by the action OF the Returning Board.
Indeed, it is conceded by all parties that the
Kellogg Government is only upheld by the
Federal military Withdraw the military and
that government will go down. This was true
before the 4th of January as we'll as now. Gov.
Kellogg says this is owing to the doubt that
Congress has permitted about the legality of
his government
The Conservatives say that this is not only
because his government is illegal, but because
it has been abusive and corrupt In this con-
nection we refer to the White League men,
toned in the message of the President In
the last campaign in Louisiana the opposition
was composed Of various elements-Demo-
Gratis, Reformers, dissatisfied Republicans,
Liberal Republicans, and old Whigs-and, in
order to induce the cooperation Of all, some
of whom refused to unite with an organization
called Democratic, they took the name of the
Peoples party-called in some localities "the
Conservative party" in others the White
and had ordinary political clubs under these
names throughout the rural districts, which
were ordinary political clubs and nothing
more, neither secret nor armed, nor otherwise
different from usual political organizations.
These must not, however, be confounded
from similarity of names with the White
League Of the city of New Orleans.
That League is an organization composed of
different clubs, 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 uniform, and the arms are the properly
IF individuals, not of the organization. They
comprise large number of reputable citizens
md property holders in New Orleans.
Their purpose they declare to be simply
protection, a necessity occaSioned by the ex-
stence Of leagues among the blacks, of the
hostility with which the Kellogg Government
arrayed the black against the white races, of
he want Of security to peaceable citizens and
heir families which existed for these reasons,
md because also of the peculiar formation of
he police brigade. On the other hand the
Republicans assert that this is an armed body
If volunteers, existing for the purpose of in
imidating the blacks and overthrowing the
Kellogg Government.
That it had any considerable relations out
tide of the city of New Orleans, or that it
vas intended in any way to interfere with the
lights of the colored citizens, does not APP
al, I, \
hat there was any extensive secret league
mongst the blacks of any kind. That the
White League would readily cooperate in any
easible scheme for overthrowing the Kellogg
your committee do not doubt, SO
will substantially all the white citizens of
louisiana.
Such organizations may be dangerous and
re very rarely to be justified. The affair of
he 18th of September is an illustration of
his. The members of the White League had
purchased arms the police had seized these
rms without process of law, taking them for
IDLY from the merchants who had sold and
rom the members who had bought them. A
of arms was to arrive by the
teamer Mississippi.
The League was called out on the morning
# the 14th, to 60 and take them in q body.
The police undertook to seize the arms. The
WI UOuAcS CAuc AutO COllISlOu Oh C00 wharf,
nth the loss of several killed and wounded.
There were then hardly any Federal troops
n New Orleans, and the disintegration of the
Kellogg party was such that before night Penn
nd his associates had only to take possession
# the executive Offices without struggle
The movement was everywhere quietly &C
epted by the whites throughout the State,
ntil the Federal Government interviewed,
rhen Penn and his associates at once sur
endered.
If Louisiana were country by itself, Nc
merry and his associates would at once be in
tailed in power, but the Conservatives do not
propose to fight the Federal Government.
hey submit, not because they want to, but
because they must /; not because they pro-
lain any enmity against the flag, not be-
ause free labor has not been found prac-
icable, not because of any hostility to
he colored people because colored, but
because they regard themselves as de-
rauded out of the election of 1872,
nd yet more, out of the last election, and
BECAUSE they think their State government
las been to the last degree destructive and
-. 4 Al l.