Litchfield enquirer., 1875-03-04

the United States conferred them.
 The fHst need of Louisiana is to know who should be treated as the lawful Gov. ernor until the end of the term which will expire in 1876. It has been suggested that there should be new election under the authority of Congress. This is not dmieed % far as We learn by any consid- erAble number of persons in Louisiana. It's legality is doubtful. The authority of the person chosen would be denied quite as strenuously as that of Gov. Kel- logg. Without the presence of United States troops we do not believe a fair election could be had. In the presence of troops we believe the Democrats would refuse to take part It would be great calamity tO. Louisiana tor excite at this time the violence and bitterness which an election contest would kindle. A govern ment so selected would be i'll substance only Provisional Government. The oI- ly alternative seems to be to recognize one or the other of the claimants to the office of Governor.
 Kellogg is now in fact in office. The President has recognized him, and states to Congress that from the best lnforma- ton he can obtain, he believes him to have been elected. The Kellogg govern ment is fact; its legality is sustained by the judicial tribunals of the State; 1t is in active operation in all its departments, under it the late State election has been held. and on it's certificates must, depend Psi1S6 Jdcie and the right to their seats of the Representatives chosen from Lou isia for the next Congress.
 The McEnery Government exists only on paper.
 Its recognition would create the most perplexing questions as to the legality of all public proceedings held in Louisia- ma for two years past.
 The recognition of Kellogg by the House would give peace and quiet to Louisiana until the next election. Some of us are inclined further to recom- mend additional legislation to protect the peaceable citizens of Louisiana in the freedom of elections and in the rights de- cIared by the constitutional amendment. The law passed at the short session of 1871 designed to suppress the acts known as the Kuklux outrages, was adopted with great hesitation, and was denounced In some quarters as dangerous to the lib- critics of the people. Yet it proved an ef- fective remedy, powerful for good, but harmless for ill, and commanded the gen. eral approval of the country. We feel as deeply as anybody the objection to sus- pending the writ of habeas corpus, either for limited time or special emergencies, or for limited extent of territory. But when every other safeguard is overthrown, when to peacable, honest, law-abiding, men is neither freedom of election, speech, of the press, of action or of opinion, where there IS no legal address for injuries, or legal punishment for murder, it is but a mockery to leave this writ to be used only as an instrument to enable wrongdoers to escape punishment for their crimes So much of the statute of 1871 as authorized the suspension of the writ of habeas cor pus Tn certain cases has expired by it's own limitation. Some of us believe that 1t will be necessary to re-enact those sec- tions with some notifications, and with careful restriction of time and occasion We do not include any recommendation on that subject in this report.
 On the whole we are of opinion.
 Ffrst-That there has been and is on the part of the party calling themselves ''The White Mems Party in Louisiana" 8 purpose to take possession by force and fraud of the State Government without regard to the question of who may have the numerical majority at a fair election.
 SecOnd-That in the execution of this purpose they have refralned and will re- frain from the use of no instruments which are designed to accomplish It, whether those instruments be murder, fraud, civil war, or coercion of laborers by employers.
 Thtrd-While there are many men in their party of more moderate views who do not themselves use nor approve these unlawful means, such men desire the &C., anunrISu 1vpnov,k oR kha coroo ard o,I o,.o powerleSs to restrain their more violent associates.
 Fourth - Three eauses have made 1t easier to unite so large a number of whites Tn Louisiana for this purpose, and have rendered it more difficult to unite the best men among them in opposition The fact that the Administration Party of Louisiana is made up by rnassing togeth- er almost the whole negro vote, with Q few whites, largely from other States; the fact that there has been great maladmin- istratiOn by Republican officials; the be- lief honestly entertained by large numbers of the white people of4 Louisiana that they have been twice defrauded of the re- suit of elections in which they had been successful. ts~tF. IA #@
 FVh-While all these things are great evils, much to be deplored, and likely to exasperate any people, and course of the whites themselves has tended to bring them about and infame them. The sim pie and peaceful remedies of obedience to law, argument, and decent treatment for their opponents, would, if they had pur- sued them, have proved effectual long ago.
 Sirth-While we believe Gov. Kellogg to have received a majority of votes in nd lol; q, fence and fraud which frustrated the will of the people in many parishes in 1873, the illegal order of Judge Durell and the illegal conduct of the Returning Board in attempting to cure one wrong by another naturally infamed the popular discontent and lent plausibility to the complaints.
 S5veRh There has been indisputably much corruption in State and local ad- ministration in Louisiana. For this the Republicans, especially under Yarmouth s rule, are largely responsible, although in numerous instances their opponents have been equally to blame. .. -
 Eighth-The effect of all this has been to put an end to the authority of law in a large portion of Louisiana, to deprive the negro of his freedom of suffrage, and wholly to deprive the value of the meth ods provided by law for securing fairness at elections, and ascertaining their re- suits. This state of things overthrows republican government in Louisiana, and seriously menaces the whole country.
 NfRth-A new election held at this time under national authority is not de- sirable; it is not wished for by either side, and would infame and augment the evils now existing. -Trrl. fe-
 Terth-It is the duty of Congress to use such powers as are vested in it by the Constitution; 1t should recognize the law. full Governor of Louisiana by express res olution. We think William Pitt Kellogg the choice of the majority of voters oi Louisiana, and that he should be recog nized accordingly Congress should pro vide further safeguards for holding cleo tions and ascertaining the result if any car be devised: x yF-3| &E& AE Ek-ts
 Egeventh-But these remedies are al the best temporary and superficial, curing A 4