The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-03-05


clear Conservative maiority was elected
10 the lower House OF the Legislature
Of which majority the ConsarNnlives were
deprived by the unjust, illegal and AZ
Ibitrary action Of the Returning Board.
To the resolution reported 70 the House
from the committee, as 10 the action OF
Returning Board, we are all agreed.
Misunderstood the ecommittee to beunan-
imous in finding the fact that the &C
ion of the Returning Board has defeated
the viii of the people, as expressed by
them at the polls on the 3dof November,
1874. The people then elected to the
Lower House of their Legislature ma
iiority Of Conservative members. A
portion of the Conservative members
thus elected were refused their certifi-
Gates. This is an act of great injustice
to individuals, of the gravest danger to
the State and free government, and
ought to be Immediately corrected by
any power competent to correct it.
The resolution recommending the res
ignation of Governor Kellogg is based
upon the general impression, not upon
evidence. On this pointno testimony was
taken, either by the committee or any
part of it. Kellogg may or may not have
been elected in 1872, but there is no evi-
dence to show the fact, or il there bo it
has been neither sought nor found by
this committee.
Foster and Phelps think that the pop
ular belief, taking both Conservative
and Radical circles, inclines on the whole
to justify Kellogg's and Penn,s claims.
land that as Kellogg is and has been
acting Governor of Louisiana for thepast
two years, TO deny his right and install
another in his place after this lapse of
time might involve inoalculable mischief
to the legal and political interests of the
State.
To avoid the mischief and confusion
of change, the majority of citizens of
Louisian9 seem willing to accept as a
'compromise Kellogg's recognition and
the restoration to the Conservatives of
the control of the lower house. For
these reasons Foster and Phelps do not
wish to oppose the recommendation that
the administration of Governor Kellogg
be recognized, neither in view of the
fact that they know nothing of the mer-
its Of the case as judged by competent
evidence, do they wish to be understood
as urging it. They only wish to record
their agreement with those of their asso-
ciates, who believe that such compro-
mise might, by marking the termination
of uncertainty in Louisiana, be ON the
whole less intolerable than the present
situation of that distressed people. But
to any resolution recognizing Kellogg
Messrs. Potter and Marshall are utterly
opposed, they finding nothing to Justify |
the belief that Kellogg was elected. |
That he seized the government by the /
aid of federal troops, through avoid and /
fraudulent order, which prevented the
counting and return of the votes. and |
should bea standing presumption against
him. When the people, outraged by
the abuses of his government, had sue
regained the office he had
he was again reseated by fede- !
ral power through forms of law byt
which he had intrenched himself. He
once more sought to nullify the choice
Of the people at the late election. and to
that end called in federal troopsto break
up the meeting of the Legislature For
Congress to recognize usurpation so /
gross, so oppressive, is, they think, to
a precedent by which, under
pretexts that can be readily found, any
State Government may be overthrown,
he will of the people nullifed, fraud ,
md violence made permanent, and re- s
forms perverted to destroy
liberty. In their Judgment all that is
needed in Louisiana is to withdraw the
ederal troops and leave the people of
hat State to govern themselves.
CHARLES FOSTER,
WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS,
CLARKsoN N. POTTER,
SAMUEL S. MARSHALL.