New-York tribune., 1875-02-24
THE MAJORITY REPORT.

THE MAJORITY REPORT.
THE ELECTION IN 1874 PERFECTLY FAIR, AND TIE
RESULT A CONSERVATIVE TRIUMPH - ILLEGAL
ACTION OF THE RETURNING BoARD-CoNGREss
OUGHT NOT TO RECOGNIZE THE KELLOGG UsuR-
PATTON, ALTHOUGH A COMPROMISE is DESIRABLE
WITHDRAW THE TROOPS AND RESTORE SELF
GOVERNMENT.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S-The following is the re-
port Of the majority of the Louisiana Committee
which was made to the House of Representatives
to-day:
The undersigned, q majority OF the Committee the
State OF the South respectfully report that they cannot
.rree to the report made to the Committee by Messrs
Ored people Louisiana report have
been repealed for years Except during the scbism OF
had control of the machinery of the State The late
registration shows an excess OF the coored over the
white voters giving 90s1 coored TO 76 1913 whites In
the absence of direct evidence that the late election
that
prevented from voting at the late election by the reco
and circumstances of which dsputed and by other
riots which occurred before TO have changed the
ton violent when IL is recollected that both those
parishes elected full Kellogg ticket by increased Re
cause for the vote Of the State can be found. Such
causes exist and are obvious Among them are:
FIRST: The registration was incorrect and exceeded
the colored vote. The registration wholly in
can committee, with United States Marshal Packard at
their head eooperated In only three parishes dd the
Paint OF unfair or insufficient registration On the
other hand very great complaint was made by the Con-
servatives who specified with proof, $500 OF
ceded false registration 10 New Orleans alone and these
Conservatives who had been cooperating IN Joint party
Committee TO secure fair registration up the
effort despair. The OF 1870 he OF
wnch is not showed sO76 whites and SC si3
coored mates 81 of age. All the statistics
aud evidence before indicated no change in this pro-
portion in favor OF the coored voters Yet the regstra
on Of colored voters exceed by 1000 the total number
OF colored adult male. returned by the census, while
Second The whole number Of votes registered vas
1877 OF these 1859 voted. This is larger proper
ton Of registered yoters than usually yot in any Of
the Northern States In agricultural state sparsely
G wnee YpS oaa Tlea 70 De made 70
greater proportion OF the registered blacks would
which the prosperity Of the State and their
wages aud the value Of their shares Of production
had steadily declined than usually vote at elections
Third 1874 was year Of political change In which
affected against the Republican psrty-a change re-
sung largely from the financial distress OF the people,
aud which snoud therefore naturally have been even
greater IN Louisiana than elsewhere:
Fourth Ii became the interest OF the Conservatives
ct least last eecton-not TO intimdate, but to
acquire. by every fair means the colored vote Parties
refusal Of empoyment were subject to
the Conservatives OF the result they prevailed IN
election. 1t was, therefore, their interest 10 avoid
eyerywhere TO cooperate with aud oonclate tue blacks
They voted Gown tne propositions or suggest which
made the early OF the campaign for refusal
10 employ those ooored voters who would not cooperate
h ana "a erTra & seSs py %Ih
against the Kellogg candidates were made In many
parishes union ticket Of colcred and Conservative
vo,es voted for and elected An Intelligent cOored
wiiness testified that he desired government"
and TO that end willing swallow the white man
II the wnite man would swallow the colOred." These
and feelings naturally united TO swell the Con-
seryatve vote In such localities as Indicated by the
returns.
F6h The entire want of any direct evidence to
any general Intimidation OF the coored voters. OF
course In SO large state It would be impossible there
daon. Such occur In every State. But the evt
deuce certainly indicates general intimidation OF col
ored vOters and that such intimidation as did exist
the State was rather In tue interest OF the Republicans
than OF the Conservatives. The United States Masbal
whose chief Chairman OF the Republican State Com
mttee, armed in some cases with blank warrants OF
before election, but not oversight
Of the election aud the reiurbs were in the hands Of
yhow 10 majority OF members OF the Lower House
elected uy ~. Conservatives without protest what
ever eSg " ~ 81 parishes. although II their pro-
ylee ana duty to protest IN any cas-; where violence
oyidence to the election of 1874 well the circum
stan< eleary indicates peaceabl and fair election
In fae{ after the visit of the first Committee and the
reylelt OF the Special Committee the Kellogg party,
18th al tseir machinery for collecting evidence,
unable TO produce in the entire State more tnan half
dozen persons to testify to anything Dpeaching the
freedom and fairness OF The late elections who were not
ofhce holders connected with office holders.
Against such facts seems to Us idle to assume that
tns sn 50 stse by cS
OF intimidation as would justify the assumption that
can All experience shows that the result Of the cleo
ton OF 1874 Louisiana, returned TO the Returning
hae We S a dSa
November 1874 the people OF the State Of Louisiana did
sieef,op' in which clear Conseryaye najorty was
elected 10 the Lower House OF the legislature of which
Board; ~ ~ ''A
a:
10 avoid the mischief and confusion OF change ma.
lorty Of the czens Louisiana seem willing TO accept
as conpromisc Kel!ogss recognition, and tne restora-
tion tne Conservatives OF the eontrol OF me lower
House For these Messrs Foster aud Phelps do
moi wish TO oppose the recommendation that the admin
istrstion OF Gov. Kellogg be recognized neither IN
the case as judged competent evidence do they wish
20 be urging It, They only wish TO RECORD
their agreement with those of their associates who be-
iieye that such a compromise might, by making ter
mnaton OF the uncertainty In Louisiana, be on the
whole less Dioeraple tash Tue present s'u"on VI na'
But 10 any resolution reeognisine Kellogg Messrs
SSp aIS 10 insfy the belief tGAt Kellogg elected
That the government py tue aio VI @
vented the counting return OF the votes should DO
n ssfaDding presumption against him. When tue people
outraged by the abuses OF o.; he sr",n
Teseated BY Federal power Through tae Iorns OF law
by which he had intrenehed hnss ne once ns Ste
election and to that end called In the feder@ troops
break up the meeting OF a LEGISLATURE ,o.. and
For Congress 10 recognize usurpdtion 30 gross anu
90 oppressive Is they think to establish precedent by
under S sa, ea READILY The be w Of ns
people Bulfcd, fraud and violence made permanent,
To their Judgment all that s needed in Louisiana 10 to
withdraw tne Federal troops aud leave the people oi
thas State to govern themsslyes .. ro.r,,
WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS,
CLARKsOH N. POTTER,
SAMUEL d. MARSHALL
THE REPORT OF THE MINORITY.
4 RKHEARsAL OF EVENTS IN LOUISIANA PRIOR TO
lS74-sUYFICIENr MEANS OF EDUCATION NOT
PROVIDED FOR THE EHGRo-LEGIsLATIoN DE-