The daily gazette., 1875-01-11
THE LOUISIANA OUTRAGE.
ThG Speech Of Hon. Thomas F. Baytrd
In the Caifed States senate ON Jan.
unry sth, 1870.

TnG SpCCCl OF hon, TlOnlas I. Baytrd
la tn" Cnifed States senate ON Jan.
unry sth. 1875.
MIR. BAYARD Dem. } said that two
years ago he introduced u resolution
calling upon the President for informa-
tion IN regard To the conduct of Major
Lewis Merrill, of the United States Ar.
my IN South Carolina. Then, IA now
the Senator from New lork (Mr. Conk.
ling offered AN amendment leaving il
discretionary with the President to nm.
swer it. That revolution, with the
amendment. passed the Senate on the
ID OF March, 1873, and to this day the
President had trented it with contempt
uons silence. With the full knowledge
OF tho conduct of this Major Merrill in
South Carolina, he had been sent to
green iields and pastures new" in Lou
isiana. Never since the time when the
American Colonies had separated them
selves from Great Britain had the peo-
pie OF this country been brought face to
face with greater questions than those
OF to-day; questions needing the most
careful consideration. The issue was,
whether we should have free govern.
ment or military dictatorship. The re-
marks OF the Senators from Indiana (Mr.
Morton), Vermont tMr. Edmunds), and
Illinois Mr.. Logan were calculated to
obscure the question by partisan appeals
to divert the minds II the people from
the true merits OF the case. Mr.. Bayard
Then spoke OF the circumstances attend
ing the organization of the Legislature
OF Louisiana, the action of the Return
ing Board, &c.. and said that in States
three and four times the population of
Louisiana, the election returns were ( lb-
ulated and promulgated within week
after the election. In great cities, with
a population equal to that of Louisiana,
they had been promulgated within forty
eight hours after tho polls closed; but
In Louisiana the Returning Board was
occupied in canvassing the returns near
ly two months, and in every case Of dis.
pute or doubt they decided in favor of
the Kellogg party. He read from the
constitution OF Louisiana, and argued
tnat there was an organization in the
House OF Representatives in that State
on Monday last by the Conservatives.
that there was a quorum of the House
present, and that the organization was
under the Constitution. He ked the
Senate and the American people if Pres
ident, Grant had the legal warrant to
interfere in the organization of that
Legislature, and declared that this de-
bate would close and no lawyer would
be able to produce any statute showing
the warrant for any such action.
Mf. BAYARD then quoted from
speech delivered by him in the Senate
on the e7th of February. 1878, in
which he argued that the dangers
which were mcnacing the liberties CT
the people of Louisiana then were
also menacing the liberties of the
American people. Had the policy of
the President been modified since
then No, Sir; it had been logged
ly intensified, There was not one
case where the displcasure of the
President has been signified by the re-
moval of an improper of1icial-not
single instance of lebuke. Sheridan
had been sent to New Orleans secretly,
to dragoon the people of Louisiana.
He arrived there only three days be-
fore the meeting of the Legislature.
He conferred with none of those who
had the welfare of the State at heart,
but only with Kellogg and his adher-
ents and then produced from his own
pocket the authority to assume com
mand. Other officers of the army,
higher and lower than Gen. Sheridan,
had been passed over, and he was per
sOnally selected to interfere thus with
the organization of the State Legisla-
ture. He lMr. Bayard) did not wish
to detract from the glories of this off
Ger. They were now in career OF u
rough war, but he was an officer of
the army of the United States, fed
and clothed by the people, and ser
want of the people, and in no way
their master. He then read from the
Constitution of the United States and
said, if this cavalry officer, with what
ever glory he may have attained by
his sword, is stronger than our guar
antees of liberty, then let us know it
now. The issue cannot he raised too |
soon. Mr.. Bayard then quoted from
of Sheridan to the Secre- |
tary of War and asked who would saw
that this officer (Sheridan) was ever fit |
to breathe the air of republican gov
ernment. He next quoted from the
dispatch of Sheridan urging that GER
tain persons be declared banditti, and |
said if there was now the tone in the
department of this country
that there once was. that officer (Sheri- I
dam would never sign his name again
as Lieutenant-General of the United
States Army. If that officer had been
in u hostile country he could not have
made II more brutal or bloody threat.
Such language as that used in his dis
patch was like that used by II captain
of a band of Janizaries asking for in
from me..Oricnlul despot
Gen. Sheridan had no one quality to
fit him for the duties to command
His first quality should be
goodwill towards the people of the
State.
Mr.. BAYARD mex, read the dispatch
Of Secretary Belknap approving the
course of Gen'l Sheridan, aud said the
disgust which he (Mr. BayarD felt
1t the language of Gen'I Sheridan was
rather increased towards him who
would pen such an answer He be
lieved the American people would re
pudlate Mr., Belknap, and all those
who undertook to approve this action
Of Gen. Sheridan, The proposition was
here presented, for the first time, that
tho praosAapf rs ha. T.,t