Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-22
Both Sides of the Louisiana Question.

Gen. Ogden, the commander of the White
League at New Orleans, stated, Saturday,
that he vas at the head, not Of a state, but
simply a local organization. In regard to
the organization of the White League he
stated that 1t grew Spontaneously out Of a
feeling of despair engendered among the peo-
pie by the brIgandage of the police and the
organizing of bodies of negro militia under
Gen. Barber, who, for two years, paraded
the streets of New Orleans in all the piano.
ply Of war, and occasionally made expe.
ditions into the country. Their arrogance
and threatening attitude lad filled the peo-
pie with fear and compelled them to some
defensive measure for self protection. As
to its object, Gen. Ogden said 1t has al.
ways been a solely defensive organization.
1t never, to my knowledge, contemplated
any aggressive movement directed toward
interfering with the rights, political or 9TH
erwise, Of any citizen, or in any manner dis.
turbing the public peace. When asked if 1t
had auy political object, he replied 1t has
never had any other object than the securing
of a fair election, and preventing conserva-
tive citizens being robbed of their rights.
He claimed that the action of the league on
election day and on Monday of last week
was only for the preservation of peace and
the protection Of the lives of all classes of
citizens. He thought that the mission of
the league had now been accomplished an
stated that they were ready Row to remit the
matter to the hands of the nation and abide
by their decision. lie says that during the
recent troubles the league followed the ad.
vice of the New York Tribune and Herald
aud other northern papers.
To n newspaper correspondent who called
upon General Sheridan at New Orleans, on
Saturday evening, the general iaughingly re-
marked in regard to his attitude toward the
people, that he was not half so ferocious as
the people supposed that all he wanted to
accomplish was the breaking up of all secret
armed organizations, whether white or black
He thought order and good government
could not exist in Louisiana until this was
achieved. lu illustration, he cited the case
of Judge Myers, of Rapides parish, who ar.
rived at New Orleans on Saturday, via
Memphis. This man, although born in the
parish, had to steal eff in the night, on &C,
N'N"' VI WV iN"SuSo III thNo oOStluui ulu u
short time ago was unable to visit his sick
father at another end Of the town, from the
dread inspired by the same cause. When
asked as to the nature Of the proceedings he
intended adopting toward the White League,
the general replied IL don't mean any
harm to them in case they will disbaud
The object of all my dispatches has been
solely directed toward breaking them up.
1t appeared to me that nobody in the coun.
try dared to tell the plain truth about them.
The newspapers dared not do so in fear Of
losing patronage, nor the people on account
Of losing business. No one could do this un.
der the circumstances as well as myself, and
this l have done. When the people come
to realize this fully and properly they will
find that | have been working in their own
interest, and believe they will yet acknowl-
edge this. The great trouble in this couu,
Try has been the feeling OF insecurity inspir-
ed by these secret organizations. This OBJ.
waited, a solution Of the difficulty is com
paratively easy.