The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-01-09

tf0tl0n, Dut sui Lnete was no less OppO'
sition and bitterness and hatred manifest
ed against every one connected with pub
lie office. All this demonstrates that in
the experiment Of establishing and main
aiming agoyernmentovert this people, there
is but one alternative to form. Either
you must establish an absolute govern
ment and enforce obedience and outward
respect, or you must have the consent OK
pressed or implied, Of the whole people, A
partisan press and disorganizing poll
ticians have tortured and misrepresented
the facts attending the election Of 1872,
that doubt not, the great majority Of
opposition since, have believed:that Gov,
Kellogg was not elected, and that he was
in law and fact usurper, and so they
cried as with one voice that no good
could come out OF Nazareth, and refused
to give credit where the future will &c.
cord II. This sullen discomfort found
vent in the numerous acts OF violence and
and bloodshed, notably, the massacre in
Grant Parish, the assassination Of Judge
Crawford and the District Attorney ot his
court; disturbances In the attack, and the
murder at Conschatta, and the innumer.
able personal assaults and assaults and
acts oloppreSSion and intimidation against
the blacks in different parts Of the State,
finally this spirit Of discomfort was or
ganized and manifested itself in pollti.
cal military body which took the name OF
White Leage. The body fell under lead
ers Of more discreet and better
thinking men, whose influence was
sufficient to check, in u great degree, fur.
ther instances OF OutFages on the blacks
and the entire energies Of Emory's
army were systematically directed to
prevent the overthrow Of the State gov.
ernment, The election was TO be carried,
right or wrong. The emueate Of the l4th
Of September was unptedicated, but an
accident, or rather the incident 9f the
seizure Of certain arms, presented tile Op.
portunity, and the real purpose Of the
League was shown. The events Of that
day are historical, md ! need only refer
to them, The election approached, We
were to select House Of Representatives
entire, eighteen Senators, and State
Treasurer, Should the opposition sweep
everything, they would only then have
one branch Of the General Assembly and
one OF the financial officers. But II soon
became manifest that It was their inten.
tion to seize the entire government by
some revolutionary means. The election
was held. will not discuss the results,
Suffice It tC say that the opposition be.
lievc that they elected large ajOrity Of
the House and the State Treasurer. On
the other hand, the Republicans, believing
TINT when the registration closed they
were fully 10000 ahead, knowing Of the
systematic intimidation throughout the
greater part Of the State, and considering
The ilagrant Irregularities in several par.
isIlGs, thought the Returning Board should
prevent the contamination OF gigantic
wrong and return these members elected
who were intruth the choice Of the voters.
| held the argumentas they put 1t, but on
looking ut the whole affair dispassionate-
ly and calmly, II presents itself In this
aspect to me: A revolution had to be sci
on foot by the opposition, aided by the
White League, to seize the government.
A counter revolution was the result. The
disturbance attending the attempt TO or.
ganize the General Assembly January
4th,. naturally and inevitably resulted
from the events have detailed. The eYi.
dence which was offered to your commit.
tee establishes, think, what would not
be denied here, that the opposition sup.
ported by the White League Us military
organization, had a perfected plan for the
seizure Of the State government by u bold
coup Teidi. But again occurred counter
revolution. The coup Feidi was rudely
prevented by the timely Intervention Of
Federal bayonets. With this hisIori.
cal resume before you, now ask
you, air, to consider with me the
Inquiry, has Louisiana Repub-
lican form Of government? answer
without hesitation and unequivOcnlly, no.
The exiSting government Ia not the pro-
ductiOu Of an election duly aSccr.
tainetl by the regular process Of law,
but Of n revolution, or rather Of COlin-
ter revolution, set In motion to check
another. II Is not my purpose to dis.
ctss that clause Of the Constitution which
guarantees 10 each State a Republican
form of government. With the purpose
to define such a. form Of government !
will rest content with tic suggestion that
I Ihave called the attention Of Congress to
an existing government in one Of the
States which Il not Republican III fOrm
What then Is the duty Of CongreSsH Our
position Ia not diSemilar to that we Oc.
cupied In 1868. The State was reconstrct.
ed. Let tho process be repeated. With
the experience we have had we Can do
better. We can scarcely do worse. |
care not what plan be adopted, 80 we
may have peace and order, perfect fair
meas and equal Justice for all.
have the honor sir to be 44
- Your Obedieht servant,
HENRY D. DIBBLE,.