The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-03-11
The Louisiana Reports.
WAsurNcToN Feb

"AsHlNGTON, reD ID,
In the House this morning the major
ity report of the Louisiana Investigating
Committee, signed by Messrs. Foster,
Phelps, Potter and Marshall, was pre-
sented. The following conclusions have
been arrived at:
The undersigned, majority of the Committee
on the State of the South respectfully report that
they cannot agree to the report made to the COM
mittee by Messrs. Wheeler and Frye. The laws
inimical to the colored people Of louisiana re-
ferred to in their report, have been repealed for
moth, in is7&, the Republican party has long
had control of the machinery of the
State. The late registration shows an ex-
giving 9O,7s1. colored to 76sa white. In
the absence of any direct evidence that the late
election was not free and fair, the assumption of
the minority, that enough colored voters must
therefore have been prevented from voting at the
late election by the recollection of the Colax and
Coushatta killings (the causes and circumstances
occurred years before, to have changed the result
of the election throughout the State, is an as
sumption SO violent, when it is recollected that
ticket by increased Republican majorities, as not
to be received if any other cause for the vote Of
the State can be found Such causes exist and
are obvious. Among them are:
First-The registration was incorrect, and ex-
ceeded the true cOlOred vote. The registration
was wholly in the hands Of the Kellogg officials,
with whom Republican committee, with United
States Marshal Packard at their head, coop.
Grated. In only three parishes did the Republi-
can Supervisors of Registration make any COM
plant of unfair or insufficient registration. On
the Conservatives, who specified, with proof. l,aJ
cases of conceded false registration in New Or.
leans alone, and those Conservatives who had
to secure fair regstration gave up the effort in
despair. The census Of 1870, the correct.
n ness of which is not impeached, showed
twenty one years of age. All the statistics and
evidence before us indicated no change in this
proportion in favor Of the colored voters. Yet
the registration Of colored voters exceeded by
1900 the total number of adult males returned by
the census, while the registration OF white votes
was 10000 less.
was 1s7,eo7 OF these 1858 voted This is q
larger proportion OF registered voters than usual
ly vote in any of the Northern States. In an ag-
rcultural State scantily settled. where long jour
neys had often to be made to reach the polls it s
unreasonable to suppose that greater proportion
Of the registered blacks would have turned out TO
sustain the Government under which the prosper
ity of the State and their wages and the value OF
their shares of production had steadily declined
than usually vote at elections North or South,
Ihird-ls74 was year Of political change. in
riousy affected against the Republican party a
change resulting largely from financial distress OF
the people, and which should therefore naturally
have been even greater in Louisiana than else
where.
F0urth-It became the interest of the Conserv-
atves, at least at the last election not to intimi-
date but to acquire by every fair means the col
ored vote. Parties who were alleged to have
threatened the blacks even with refusal Of en-
ployment were subject to prompt arrest. 1t was
known that pretexts would be sought to deprive
he Gonse1vatives Of the result if they prevailed
exits. Accordingly, they determined every
where TO- cooperate with and conciliate the
suggestions which were made in the carly part of
the campaign for a refusal to employ those COL
ored voters who would not cooperate with them,
to the eeeen
against the Kellogg candidates were made in
many parishes by men of all parties and colors.
In several parishes union ticket of colored and
Conservative voters was voted for and elected.
An intelligent colored witness testified that he
" desired better government" and to that end
was willing to swallow the white man if the
white men would swallow the colored.'' These
causes and feelings naturally united to swell the
Conservative vote in such localities as indicated
:1F1fth-The entire want Of any direct evidence
TO show any general intimidation of colored
voters. OF course, in 90 large State it would be
impossible there should be no instance of refusal
every State; but the evidence certainly indicated
that such Intimidation as did exist in the State
Of the conservatives United States %arsha1s
whose chief was the Chairman of the Republican
State Committee, armed, IN some cases. with
blank warrants of arrest, and aided by Federal
ton, but not aftcrward. The oversight of the
election and returns was in the hands of
Gov. Kelloggs officials. Their account and
members Of the lower house elected by the Con-
eeryattyes without any protest whatever, except
In three parishes, although it was their province
and intimidation or fraud existed. Indeed, the
direct evidence as to the election Of 1874 as well
as.the circumstances, clearly indicate peaceable
first committee and revisit Of the special COM
mittee the Kellogg party, with all their machin-
cry for collecting evidence, were unable to pro-
persons to testify to anything impeaching the
freedom and fairness of the late elections who
were not ofieeholders or connected with
idle to assume that the disturbances so vividiy
pictured by the majority could have kept up
throughout their State such feeling of intimi-
cation ION. as would Justify tho assumption that but
Tor tnat feeling the State would have gone Re-
publican. All experience shows that the result
Of the election Of 1874 in Louisiana as returned to
tne returning Board was natural and to be easily
accounted ior by the reasons we have given. We
hold, therefore, that in November, 1874, the peo-
PIE OF the state OF Louisiana did fairly have
ree Peaceable, and full registration and election,
ed to the lower house of the Legislature, Of which
majority the Conservatives were deprived by the
ing Board.
To the resolution reported to the House from
the committee az TO the action of the Returning
Board we are all agreed. We understand the
committee to be unanimous in finding the fact
that the action Of the Returning Board has de-
feated the will Of the people as expressed by
them at the polls in November, 1874 The pes
PIE then elected to the lower house Of their Leg
islature majority of Conservative members. A
portion Of the Conservative members thus elected
were refused their certificates. This IL an act Of
great injustice to individuals, of the preatest
danger to the State and free government. and
ought to be Immediately corrected BY any Dowar
competent to correct It.
The resolution commencing the recognition of
Gov. Kellogg il based upon the general impres.
stonrnot upon evidence. On this point NO iesti.
mony was taken either by the COMMITTEES or anv
part Of It: Kellogg may or may not have been
elected In 1917, but there is no evidence to show
the fact, or II there be it has been neither sought
nor found BY this committee.
Messrs. Foster and Phelps think that
the popular belief, taking both Conserve
tive and Radical circles, inclines on the
whole to justify Kelloggs claims, and
that, as Kellogg 10 and has been acting
Governor Of Louisiana for the past two
- / .