The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-14

officer in that state upon that subject prior
to the occurrence. ! am well aware that
any military interference by the officers or
troops of the United States with the organ
ization of state legislature, or any Of its
proceedings, or with any civil department
of the government Is repugnant TO our
ideas OF government. | can conceive Of no
case not involving rebellion or instruction
where such interference by authority of the
general government ought to be permitted
or can be justified but there are circum-
stances connected with the late legislative
imbrogllo In Louisiana which seem to eX-
empt the military from intentional wrong
In that matter. Knowing that they had
been placed IN Louisiana TO prevent dOmes-
tic violence, and to aid in REFRESHING it, the
revolution was apparently, though II is be-
leved not really, abandoned, and the cry Of
federal usurpalion and tyranny in Lou
slona was renewed with rcdoubled energy.
Troops had been sent TO the state
under this requisition Of the governor, and
as other disturbances seemed imminent
they were allowed 10 remain there, to rem
der the executive such aid as might become
| necessary TO enforce the las of the state
and reprcss the continued violence, which
seemed inevitable the moment federal sup
! port should he needed. Prior 10 and
WIN vIEw TO rnr LATE ELECTION
III Louisiana. parties associated themselves
together in armed bodies called white
leagues, and at the same time threats were
made in the democratic journals Of the
state that the election should he carried
against the republicans nj all hazards,
which very naturally greatly alarmed the
coorcd voters. BY section 9 of the act of
July 2Sth. 1871, it H. made the duty of
| nit oi- .,,l nj In
polls where votes are cast FOR reprc' enta-
tivcs in congress, to keep the peace and
prevent any violations of The so-callcd en-
forccmcni acts and other offences against
the laws of the United States. and upon a
rcqGisliun Of the mn,shal uf Louisiana,
and IN view at said rimcd ORGANIZATIONS
aud other portcnllous circumstances,
caused attachments Of troops to he sta
toned in various localities in the state to
aid him in the performance Of his Official
duties.
me STATE LAWS DEFINED.
The officers AID troop, Of HE United
States may well have supposed that it was
their duty IA act when called upon hy the
governor for that purpose Ench branch
Of n legislative assembly is the judge of the
election and qualifications OF It's own mem.
bers. bat if mob OF n body Of unaulhof-
lied persons seize add hold the legislative
hail in tumultuous and riotous manner
and 80 prevent mn organization 10y those
legally returned as elected, it might be
come the duty Of the state executive to in
terpOsc, if requested ny majority Of tht
members elect. to suppress the disturbance
= and enable The persons elected to organic
the house. Any exercise of this power
would only he jusiifabe under most extra
ordinary circumstances, and ii would bt
the duty Of the governor 10 call upon The
con,tahuary, or If necessary. the military
,, frees OF the state But with reference e
Louisiana, it is to I've borne in mind tina
any attempt by the governor t. use Ii,
police force Of that state al this time
! would have undoubtedly prcciWtated
bloody conflict with the white learucrs ~
it did on the fourth of September. Their
is no doubt that the presence of tht
United States troops upon that occ0
sion prevented bl0odshcd and th'
loss Of life. Both parties appear t
have relied ON them as conscryNt0rs of th'
public peace. The first call was made b,
l.. democrats to remove persons obnoxious t
a them from the legislative hall, and the sec
= ond was from the republicans to remove
s persons who had usurped seats in the lcgis
4 laturc without legal certificates authOrizin!
n them to seats and in sufficient number f
, change the ma ority. Nobody was dis
5 turbed 10y the military who had right &
t that time to occupy a scat in the legisla
J. turc. That the democratic minority of tn
a house ndertook 10 seize It's organization
= by fraud aud violence that on the al
t tempt they trampled under-foot law tina
J. they undertook 10 make persons. not 1T
n turned as elected, members so as to Great
o a majority that they acted upon n PIE
concerted plan. and under false pretcnce
introduced into the hall a body of men t
support their pretenccs by force if nccc;
: sary and that conflict, disorder and riotou
u proceedings followed, are facts that seer
Y to be well established, and | am creditabl
, Informed that these violent proceeding
y were part of the premedtated plan t
Il have the house organized in this way t
u recognize what has been called the NJ,
- Emery senate, then to
=, DEPosE GOV. KELLOGG.
IS and to revolutonize the state government
t. Whether ii was wrong for the governor, {
l. the request of the ma GRITTY OF the member
+ returned rs elected 10 the house, TO II,
|. such means as'were in his power to defe;
8 these awlcss and revolutionary procee
l. ings is probably debatablc question. 81
it is certain that there would have been /
trouble if those who now complain OF Ill
gal interference had allowed the house
!, be organized in lawful and regular ma
v ncr When those who inaugurate disord
10 and anarchy disaVow such proceedings,
~ will be time enough to condemn those VIII
IL by such means as they have, prevent Il
~ success Of their lawless and dcspera
!" schemes.
n LIEUT.. GEN. SHERIDAN
o. was requested by me TO 60 to Louisiana
to observe and report the situation there, Al
te if in his opinion necessary TO assume Il
rs command there, which he did on the 4
ID inst, after the legislative disturbance hi
IL occurred, at . o'clock p. M. a number
to hours after the disturbance Noparty IN
tlyes or prejudlccs can reasonably be il
puted to him but honestly convinced
-, what he has seen and heard there, he h
~ characterized the leaders Of the viii
y. leagues in severe terms, and suggested SUI
" mary modes of procedure agai Ist the
y, which, though they cannot be adopte
~ would, if legal, soon put an end to Il
W trouble and disorder in that state. Gle
- Sheridan was looking ut facts, and possb
~ not thinking of the proceedings viii,
We would be the only proper ones to pursue
u times of peace, but thought moie of Il
= utterly lawless condition of society 81
9 rounding him at the time Of his dispatc
" and of what would prove sure remed
" lie never proposed to do an illegal act. II
~ expressed . determination to proceed b
'c You'd what the law in the future might a
) thorize for the punishment of the atroC
y, ties which haye been committed and Il
20 commission Of which cannot he succes
" fully denied.
NJ IT Is A DEpLORALE FACT
cr that political crimes and murders have bet
c: committed in Louisiana which have gol
ne unpublished, nm which have been iustifit
IL or apologized for, which must rest as I
" proach upon the state and country lol
re after the present generation has pass
or away | have no desire to have Unite