Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-02-05
Louisiana Sub. Committee,

boon AFTER the meeting OF Con-
gress, in December, the House of
Representatives created committee
to investigate the Southern situation.
They were authorized and directed
to inquire into alleged outragcs. This
committee was divided into sub-com-
mittees, one Of which, consisting of
Messrs. Foster, Phelps and Potter,
proceeded to New Orleans, and WAS
there at the opening Of the Louisiana
Legislature. Its report has just been
submitted to the public. 1t was writ
ten by Porter, q Democrat, and has
the signatures Of the other members,
both Of whom profess to be Republi-
cans.
The account given of the organi-
cation Of the Louisiana House of
Representatives, and the so-callcd
military interference, is almost identi-
cal with that given by Gen. Sheridan.
A careful comparative examination
fails to disclose a single material diff
ference in the two accounts. This is
al, the more significant from the con-
tract in the prevailing tones of the
two reports.
The most noticeable thing about
the Congressional report is its silence
upon the main feature Of the situa
ton. No one would suspect from
anything contained in this document
that Louisiana had been the scene OF
assasSinatlons, collective or isolated.
1t would not be inferred that life is
specially insecure in that State, or
that there is any more immunity
from arrest and punishment there
than there is in the North generally.
The correctness Of representations
herein, made by President Grant and
Gen. Sheridan, is not brought in
question. The committee simply ig-
more the subject. We submit that
this omission is disgracetul. \ good
deal is sad about taxation, the rarity
Of white Republicans, the mode of
procedure before and by the Return
ING Board, and kindred matters all of
weighty importance in themselves,
but all combined of less consequence
than the insecurity Of life. Several
wholesale butcherics have occurred,
and the aggregate of isolated eases
amounts to over 1900, and the as
sassins 90 scot free. Such, we say,
is the representation made by the
President and the Lieutenant-Gcner
of the United States, and the COM
mittee is entirely .oblivious of the
whole matter.
Such a report is a disgrace to those
who made it, and ought to be rejected
by the House. The latter should de-
mand a report on the main issue of
the case. 1t looks very much as if
Foster and Phelps had made a play
spell of the investigation, allowed
Potter to run the business to suit
himself. We are disappointed in
Foster. He had done some good
work in Congress. Phelps is a con
ceitcd fop, with immense inherited
wealth and Il silly aflectation Of wit.
He is just the fellow to be made the
tool of 4 crafty and polished pollti-
elan like Mr.. Potter The latter did
just what was to be expected of him.
He shut his eyes to all evidence
against the Democracy, and distorted
and magnifed all the evidence against
the Republicans. Even then he has
not made out his case.
1t is not claimed by the Republican
party that Kellogg is a paragon Of
political virtue, or that everything
done by the party i'll that State is
UNSUITABLE. On the contrary, there is
a desire to have the entire facts in
the case brought to light, and every
man, from Kellogg down, receive his
deserts, be the same rewards of pun
ishmcnt, small or great. Fortunately
the disreputable omission of the Con
gressional report will not be very i'm
portant, practically, for Gen. Sheri-
dan is at work preparing 4 full
statement touching assassinations in
Louisiana. The committee, by con
tirming his report of the attempted
but abortive Wilt usurpation, has
prepared the public to accept with
implicit faith in its accuracy that
forthcoming report. In this way the
committee has rendered valuable SER
vice, albeit Foster and Phelps were
simply clay in the hands of the pot
ter Chicago JouTuoL