The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-01

J. voted the Conservative ticket had called upo
him for protection, colored Republicans ha7
ing threatened them with violence, and in Sc,
eral instances did assault and ill-use them. q
gave the name Of a colored man, by the nam
of Henderson, who had thus been abused. an
stated that, if necessary, he could furnish IL
MINES of many more.
= AT one point in the cross-examination til
witness was taxed to the very extent Of hi
torbearance by remark Of the Chairma
OF the Committee, Mr.. Foster, and it wa
thought that the General would ask to be e,
cused from further examination and retir
from the stand.
IN reply to an interrogation made by MI
Foster, the witness replied in the affirmative
wherenpon the remark was made by MIR. Eos
ter ~ asked you that question just now an
you denied such was the case" It was evi
dent to all present that the General was no
only much surprised, but was justly incensed
1t was only after consultation with H. N
Ogden, Esq, that he resumed his character a
witness. The General shortly retired, ant
the next witness summoned to the front wa!
B. R. FoRAIAN, ESQ.
Is member of the White League. Joined
the League sometime during the summer
Does not know how many were present al
the organization. The call was made for the
first meeting through the papers. The
meetings were held several times q week.
The organization never drilled as whole,
but by companies Was out with the League
on the 14th of September. About the APP
pearance Of the League on the streets on the
14th Of September, it was for the purpose OF
receiving certain arms on board the Missis-
sippi. 1t became necessary to go in body in
order to obtain these arms, for the reason that
the police had on several occasions taken pos
session OF arms which belonged to the citi-
zens and it was known or thought there
| would be an interruption.
The action Of the police in disarming citi-
Zens resulted in much excitement, and caused
extended remonstrance on the part OF the peo-
pie. The citizens were anxious, quite natur-
ally, to see the Kellogg government over
thrown, and the collision on the levee where
in the metropolitan brigade was SO utterly de-
feated-an accident if 1t might be SO called
was taken advantage of to ge. rid of the usurp-
alton.
It was the policy Of the Conservatives to
secure the cooperation of the colored voters,
in which they were more successful than in
1872, when even greater efforts were made to
secure their support. The reason why the
negroes affiliated more extensively with the
whites, was owing to very general dissatis-
faction with the Radical rule-this dissatis-
faction growing out of the general depression
in business, reduction of wages, etc.
Regarding taxation-the State II mills, and
with that OF the city makes total of between
4 and per cent on the dollar. This is
greatly augmented by the excessive assess-
ment, which in some instances is double
what the property is worth. All this mate
rally conduces to depression in business,
and quite readily there has followed a reduc-
ton of wages common throughout the State,
which has given cause for widespread com
plant on toe part OF the laboring classes, who
have learned to attribute the reason to the
true cause; hence is to be assigned the cause
for many of the negroes having given sup
port to the Conservative cause.
Mr.. Forman explained that these assessors
were paid commission. and it very naturally
followed that they would make as high an as
sessment as they could.
The depression in business here. and it is
greater now than ever before is mainly at
trlbutable to the high rate OF taxation exist
ing
Mr.. Potter-If the Durell order had never
been issued, what Government would have
been in power now?
Mr.. Forman-The McEnery Government.
If the Federal troops had rot intertered
after the 18th OF September, Kellogg would
never have re-assumed the reins of govern
ment II the troops were now removed, KEEL
logg would not remain in the Gubernatorial
chair two hours. Mr.. Forman did not think
there would be any necessity of demonstra-
ton to remove him; thinks he would not re- |
main long enough to be removed; imagined
he would skip off of his own accord.
The White League organization was mainly !
for the purposes of defense and protection. |
The negro organization and the arrogance of |
the police. many of whom were negroes, ne
the formation of the League. If |
the Kellogg police had never taken the pri-
vate arms Of the citizens, the White League
would never have made any demonstration
against the Kellogg government. The League,
when it moved to take possession of the guns
On board TIE stermer, in doing which the &C.
ton OF the 18th was precipitated, was acting
within the law. The police had seized arms
private arms-withopt warrant, and it was
fact, it was known-that they
meant to take possession of the arms on board
he Mississippi, and the movement of the
League was to forestall this and get their
,wn.
In regard to the chare of intimidation urged
~ the Republicans Mr.. Forman knew of no
Instance where 1t had been done. A motion
vas made once during q meeting of the
league by some one, that only snch negroes
IS gave support to the Conservatives, be en-
,!oyed, but this was voted down.
Gen. Ogden, in his testimony, mentioned
his.
JAMES LEWIS (COLoRED).
James Lewis, formerly Administrator of ,
was the next witness.
Is well acquainted with tire cOlored peoDle ,
f New Orleans. As between the two parties,
he colored are Republicans. Don't think t
here are ten in every thousand who are /
colored men voted the I
Democratic ticket in the late election than at i
ny previous one. Cause, paid for doing so. t
Anows of no Black League; if there was one,
ught to know, because he was once colonel c
colored regiment at one time. s
Does not know ofany reason why the white I
eople should have suspected harm or moles-
alton at the hands Of the negroes. s
On occasions when the militia turned out q
was customary with all establishments to
lose. the <bo |