The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-01-21

Leagues, armed ana ready ior tDs cOhHtSt,
promptly responded. On the same day the |
Governor made formal requisiti0n upon me, IN
pursuance of the act OF 1885, and Section OF Ar
ticle of the Constitution, TO aid IN suppresslng
domestic violence. On the next day issuedlny |
proclamation commanding the Insurgents 20 1s-
perse within FIVE DAYS from the date tnereof put /
before the proclamation was fabhlssea ~ - SSn
ganZing usurping government, nitn taAen
forcible possession OF tie state house, anu lem
porariy subverted the Governments HINehty or
more people were killed, including number OF !
tie police Of the CITY, The streets of the city |
were stained with blood. All that was desired
in The way Of excitement had been accomplished,
and in view Of the steps taken, that there
was intimidation OF Republican voters AT the cleo
tion notwithstanding these precautions, admits
The following are specimens Of the means used
on the 14th of october: Eighty persons signed
and published the following: I'VE, the under
signed, merchants of the city of Shreveport, in
obedience TO a request of the Shreveport Cam
paign Club, agree to use every endeavor to get
our employees to vote the Peoples ticket at the
ensuing election and in the event OF then refusal
so TO do or in ease they vote the Radical ticket,
10 refuse 70 employ them at the expiration Of their
term of service" On the same day another large
body of persons published in the same place
paper, in which they used the following language
1--WE, the undersigned, merchants OF the city OF
Shreveport alive 70 the great Importance OF Sc
curing good and honest government 10 the state,
do agree and pledge ourselves not TO advance any
supplies money TO any planter, nor 10 any
planters, the coming year, who Will give employ.
ment rentlands 10 laborers who vote the haoncsd
ticket in the coming election - - ~
have no information of the proceedings Of the
Returning Board for said election which may not
be found in its report which has been published,
but il is matter Of public information that great
part of the time taken 10 canvass the returns OF
the State was consumed by the arguments of the
lawyers, several Of whom represented each party
before the Board. l have no evidence that the
proceedings of this Board were not in accordance
with the law under which they acted Whether,
in excluding from their count certain returns,
s.ru tim hot do
ponds upon the evidence they had before them;
but it is very clear that the law gives them the
power. if they choose 10 exercise 1t, OF deciding
that way, and prima facie the persons whom they
return as elected are entitled to the Offices for
which they were candidates.
Respecting the alleged interference by the mill
tary with the organization Of the Legislature OF
Louisiana on the 4tb instant, have no knowl.
edge or information which has not been received
by me since that time and published. My first
information was from the papers OF the morning
of the 9th of January. / did not know that
any such thing was anticipated, and no orders
and no suggestions were ever given DO any
military 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 organization
Of a State Legislature, or any of its proceedings,
or with any civil department OF the Government,
is repugnant 10 our ideas of government. l can
conceive of case not involving rebellion or in
surrection where such interference By the au-
thority of the General Government ought TO be
permitted or can be justified; but there are cir
cumstances connected with the legislative I'M
brogio in Louisiana which seem 10 exempt the
military from any intentional wrong in that mat
ter Knowing that they had been placed in Loulsl-
ana 10 prevent domestic violence, and TO aid to
| repress it, the revolution was apparently,
| though it is believed not really, abandoned, and
| the cry of Federal usurpatlon and tyranny In
| Louisiana was renewed with redoubied energy
| Troops had been sent to the State under the re-
/ QUESTION OF the Governor. As other disturbances
seemed imminent they were allowed TO remain
! there to render the Executive such aid as might
become necessary to enforce the laws of the state
l. under press of contemplated violence which
! seemed inevitable the moment Federal support
| should be Withdrawn.
Prior to and with a view to the late election in
! Louisiana, white men associated themselves TO-
| gether in armed bodies called White Leagues,
4 and AT the same time threats were made in the
Journals of the State, that the election should be
! carried against the Republicans at al hazards
which very naturally greatly alarmed the colored
voters. By section Of the act of July q. ISL
/ il is made the duty OF the United States Marshas
| and their deputies at polls where votes are cast
| for Representatives in Congress, 10 Keep order
| and prevent any violation Of the so called En-
forcement acts and other ofenses against the laws
/ of the United States, and upon requlsltlOn OF
| the Marshal of Louisiana and in view OF armed
| organization and portentous circumstances,
/ caused detachments OF troops to be stationed
in various localities in the State to ald
him in the performance Of his Official nal
United States may well have supposed
that it was their duty TO act when call
/ ed upon by the Government 1Or Ihat pur-
| pose Each branch of Legislative
! Assembly is the judge of the election
| and qualifications Of its OWE members, but II
| mob or body Of unauthorized persons seize and
! hold the Legislative Hall in tumultuous and
! rlOtous manner and so prevent any organization
by those legally returned as elected, 1t might be-
| come the duty of the State Executive to inter-
| pose, if requested by majority OF the members
| elect TO suppress the disturbance, and enable the
persons elected to organize the House. Any eX-
| ercise of this power would be Iustfable only
linn, ,afv. 1fgNann nd
| would then be the duty of the Governor to cal
on the coustabulaly, or. if necessary, the militia
~ force of the State. But with reference 30 Lou
| isiana, it is TO be borne in mind that any at
| tempt by the Governor TO use the police force o
| that state at this time would have undOubtedl!
! precipitated a bloody conflict with the Nhlt
| League as it did on the l4th of September.
There is no doubt but the presence of the Uni
! ted States troops that occasion prevented
bloOdshed and the loss Of life. Both parties APP
Year to have relied upon them as conservators o
the public peace. The first call was made b!
j the Democrats to remove persons obnoxious 4
them from the Legislative Hall, and the secon'
was from the Republicans to remove persons WIZ
had usurped seats in the Legislature withou
| legal certificates authorizing them to Occup,
| seats and in sufficient number to change the ma
| jority Nobody was disturbed by the militar.
| who had a legal right at that time TO occupy
seat in the Legislature. That the Democratic
minority of the House undertook to seize its or
ganizatiOn by fraud and violence; that in this at
tempt they trampled under foot the law; that they
ed, members, so as TO create a majority; ina
they acted under pecOncerted plan, and unde
false pretenses introduced into the hau men t
support their pretentiOns by force If necessary
and that conflict disorder and riot were abou
to happen are facts which seem to be well es
established; and / am credibly informed tina
these violent proceedings were q part of pre-
meditated plan to have the House organized il
this way, recognizing what has BEEF
called the McEnery Senate, then L
depose Governor Kellogg and so revolution
ize the State Government. Whether 1t wa
wrong for the Governor, at the request of the ma
jority of the members returned as elected TO tn
House, to use such meaus as were in his power
defeat these lawless and revolutionary proceed
ings, is perhaps a debatable question, but il !
quite certain that there would have been M
trouble if those who now complain If illegal IN
reference had allowed the House to be organize
in a lawful and regular manner. When thOs
who inaugurated disorder and anarchy disavo'
such proceedings it will be time enough to con
denim those who, by such means as they had
prevented the success of their lawless and DIES
perate schemes. Lieut.. General Sheridan was re
quested by me TO go to Louisiana, TO observe an
necessary, to assume the cOmmand-which he di
on the 4th inst. after the legislative disturbance
) bad occurred, at o'clock p. m, number {
hours after this disturbance. No party motive
| nor preiudices can reasonably be imputed to him
but, honestly convicted by what he has seen an
heard there, he has characterized the leaders {
! the White Leagues in severe terms, and suggeste
summary modes of procedure against theI
which, though they cannot be adopted would
legal soon put an end to the troubles and dlsordc
1 in that State. General Sheridan was looking
. facts, and possibly not thinking of the proceed
ngs which would be the only proper ones 10 pun
e sue in time of peace. He thought more of I'll
r utterly lawless condition of society surroundin
0 him at the time of his dispatchan of what woul
prove a sure remedy. Heneverproposedt to do a
illegal act, nor expressed determination to pre-
I coed beyond what the law in the future migl
Q authorize for the punishment of the attrocitit
e which have been committed and the commlssio
e of which cannot be successfully denied.
I tits a deplorable fact that political crimes an
murders have been committed in Louisiana whiC
= have gone unpublished, and which have bee
: justified apolOgized for and whichmustrest as
reproach upon the State and country long after Il
. | present generation has passed away.
= l have desire to have United STATE
= | troops interfere in the domestic col
Z Germs OF Louisiana or any other Stat,
c On the 29th of December last, Governor kellogg
!, ! telegraphed TO me his apprehensions that ii
y White League intended to make another attacl
4 On the same day l made the following answer
u since which no communication was sent to him
:, " Your dispatch of this date just received. 1t
\ exceedingly unpalatable TO use troops in antic
! | patton of danger. Let the State authorities
~ right and then proceed with their duties withoI
u apprehension OF danger. II they are then mt
| Tested the question will be determined wheths
!. the United States is able TO maintain law and o.
j. der within its limits not"
n / have deplored the necessity which seemed
S make il my duty under the Constitution and law
e to cause such interference. l have alway
rlapa