New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-24
THE REPORT.
Report of the Congressional Commitree 4
LOuisiana Affairs.

THE REPORT.
Report Of the Congressional Commitree nj
| Louisiana Affairs.
WASHINGTON, February 23.-The follow
ing are the conclusions of Messss. HrAr
Wheeler and Frye:
In the whole case we are of the cplnlur
First-That there has been and is, Or ths
part OF the party calling themselves thG
white mans party, in Louisiana psxposa
to take possession by force and fraud Of the
State government, without regard TO the
question of who may have the numerical
majority at fair election.
SecOnd-That in the execution of this yuH
pese the white mans party have mot re
Trained, and will not refrain, from the nss o.
the instruments which they think deesensG
| to accomplish it, whether those instruEoepxs
| be murder or fraud, civil war, or eoereion o
laborers by employers.
Thild-While there, are many men n
their party of more moderate views
who do not themselves use or approve I'd
| these unlawful means, such men desire the
accomplishment of the same end, and are
pOwerless to restrain their more violent
| associates.
| Fourth-These causes have made it easisr
to unite so large a number Of men, whitss
| of Louisiana, in these purposes and hxsx
rendered more difficult to unite the bess
men among them in opposition; the fact tkas
the administration party of Louisiana lA
| made up by massing together almost 1he
whole negro vote with q few whites largely
from ether States; the fact tt o. there has basx
great maladministrati0n by the Republican
officials. The belief honestly entertained
BY large numbers of the white people nf
Louisiana that they have been twice Gls-
frauded out of the results of the electioN iE
which they have been successful.
Fifth-While all these things are great
evils much to be deplored, and likely to ex-
asperate any people, the course of tho
whites themselves has tended to bring
them about, and inflame them. The simzAe
and peaceful remedies Of obedience to law
argument and decent treatment of thesr
opponents would, if they, had pursued
them, have proved effectual long ago.
Sixth-Whlle we believe Governor liHa-
logg to have received q majority Of the
votes in 1872, and while We believe there
was violence and fraud which frustrntsN
the will Of the people in many parishes in
1874, the illegal order of Judge Durell anG
the illegal conduct of the Returning Boarf
naturally infamed the popular iiscontexss
and lent plausibility to the oomplaints.
Seventh-There has been much dishor-
esty, much corruption in tho State and locA
administrations in Louisiana. For this the
Republicans, especially under Warmoth's
rule, are largely. responsible, although In
numerous instances their opponents have
Eighth-The effect of all this has been to
put an end to the authority of the law over
large portion of Louisiana; to deprive the
negro OF his freedom Of suffrage, and wholly
to destroy the value of the methods pro
vided by law for securing fairness in cleo
tions, or ascertaining their result. This
state OF things OverthrOws republican gov
0Tnm0nt Ix0nIGIaNQ o1yv
it in the whole country.
Ninth-A new election held at this tiuass
is not desirable. 1t is not asked for br
either side, and would infame and aggral-
vate the evils now existing.
Tenth-It is the duty Of Congress to use
such powers as are vested in it by the con-
stitution. 1t should recognize the lawfal
government of Louisiana Dy express rees,-
luton. We think William p. kellogg the
choice of a majority of the voters of Louizr
lana, and that he should be recognized &C.
cordingly. 1t should provide further SAFE
guards for holding elections and ascertaan-
ing the result. if any can be devised.
temporary and superficial, curing thR
symptoms, not the disease. Efficient a.iis
to the State to establish public education
would have gone far to prevent the evise,
and may yet do much to effect q c,1.xs.
The public sentiment of the respect
able portion of the community. with.
out distinction of party, may do 1nncis
to remove, as it has already nnfor-
tnnately done much to aggravate sas
evil in Louisiana. That the peu1lse
should be made to understand THAI
all the authority lodged in the national
government to preserve republican COY
eminent, and protect the rights of Etss
citizens, will be kindly but fearlesaiy ana
strictly executed, and that no party in rlas
nfrvy will thx lI;ov>, -.
are seeking power by such methods as We
have been compelled to describe. Unlsae
this can be done, the free institutions OF tbs,
whole United States will not long suyyiys.
the destruction Of those in the South
G. +. HOAR.
NJ. A. WHEELER
The majority-Messrs. Foste,, Phe3ys.
Potter and Marshall-say they oaa rrss
agree TO the report made to the oomnatsev
by Messrs Hoar, Wheeler and FRYE. Tbp
laws preJudical to the colored peopls. xf
louisiana, referred to in their report. were
repealed years ago, and the Repri3icar
party mas long had control of the State Tr .
me absence OF any direct evidence tnst fsye
ate election was not full and fair. thr
that it was not is so violent ~.
lot 70 De received, If other causes can fse
oond, especially as the returns show IN
Celfax and Coushatta parishes, wbe ~ tf.Y
,utrages occurred, full Kellogg tIcRes.
was elected by increased Republican uxr
orltles. Other causes are found
first-Ihe registration, showing an.yH
'oiored and 1888 white voters, was incor~
.ect and exceeded the true colore yozs
he registration machinery was all IN 1bs,
lands OF the Republicans, and only in ssusr
parishes did they make complaint of l.nsas--
n insufficient registration. On the pths..
land very great cOmDlaint was rnaJYr jyy-
ne Conservatives, who specified WITH ysros,a
'2Vo cases OF conceded false registration in
New Orleans alone, and the Conser yatiras
VINO had been cooperating IN .uuK
,arty committee to secure a free reg Es.r-ar
ION, gave up the effort in despair Yhe
ensus of 1870 showed 1913 wbitee aosl
6.9l3 colored males over twenty-o one yesy<.
II age, and there was nothing before tbe
committee to show any change in Tn. pzs,
'ortion 10 favor OF the blacks, yet the -ecis-
ration of colored voters exceeded the csr,-
us by 10000, while the white reg;strat;n,,
vas 10000 less.
Second-The total registration vas If
VA; OF these, l4G, ,523 voted. This ia a ja-,,.-
of registered voters than ,,.rssI,
ote IN the Northern States,
IN an agricultural State sparsely spsxSs.s
mere i0ng Journeys had to be rlayls Ar,
eacn as tae polls, it is unreasonable TO sux,
s"s ose 'na1 greater proportion of the rerE-
y, ~ o.acAs would voluntarily have sszrneC
no no u,osu ~ Sustain government under vhiah
ae prosperity of the State and their yynuxn.
no tne value of their shares Of productTr,
40 eteadliy declined, than usually yete se
Third-The year 1874 was one of p,,,;,;.. .
..-oeee N Which the vote throuehout sc
icoHrMUED On SoUsG1 PAos.I