The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-01-22


and no orders and no suggestions were ever
| given to any military officers IN that state on
| that subject prior to the occurrences. am
| well aware that any military interference by
the officers of the United States with the Or
ganization of 3 state legislature or any Of its
/ proceedings. or with any civil department of
/ the government, is repugnant to our ideas of
government. ] can conceive Of no case not
| involving rebellion or insurTection, where such
! interference by authority of the general gov
! eminent ought to be permitted or can be justi-
/ fed. But there are circumstances connected
| with tie legislative imbroglio in Louisiana
| which seem to exempt the military from any
| intentional wrong in that matter.
| The enforcement Of the state laws, the
! officers and troops of the United States may
| well have supposed that it was their duty to
| act when called upon by the governor for that
| purpose. Each branch Of the Legislative as
sembly is the judge of the election and quail
| hcat1Ons of its own members, but If mob or
/ s. body of unauthorized persons seize and
| Tiotous manner. and so prevent any orgsn;zs-
/ ton ty those legally returned as elected. it
| might become the duty of the state executive
\ to Interfere, if requested by a majority OF the
members elect. to suppress the disturbance
| and enable the persons elected to organize the
| house Anv exercise of this power would be
| justihable under most extraordinary circum-
] stances, and It would then be the duty of the
! governor to call upon the constabulary, or if
necessary, the military force of the state.
| But with reference to OLouisiana. it is to be
| borne In mind that any attempt of the govern
or TO use the police force of that state at this
| time. would have undoubtedly precipitated
| bloody conflict with the white league as it did
on the 14th Of September. There is no doubt
| but that the presence of the United States
! troops on that occasion prevented blooGshed
and the loss of life. Both parties appear to
have relied upon them as conservators of the
public peace The first call was made by the
democrats to remove persons obnoxious to
| them from the legislative hall. and the second
was from the republicans. to remove persons
who had usuTped seats in the legislature,
without legal certificates authorizing them to
seats, and in sufficient number to change the
majority Nobody was disturbed by the mill
tary who had legal right at that time to oc-
cupy seat in the legislature. That the demo-
cratic minority of the house undertook to
seize its organization by fraud and malice {;
that IN this attempt they trampled under foot
the law; that they undertook to make persons
not returned as elected members, so as to
create a majority; that they acted under
a preconcerted plan, and under false pre-
lenses introduced into the hall men to sup
port their pretensiOns by force, il necessary,
and that conflict disorder and riotOus proceed
lngs following, are facts that seem to be well
established, and l am credibly informed that
these violent proceedings were a part of pre-
meditate1 plan to have the house organized in
this way, recognize what has been called the
hcEnery senate, then to depOse Gov. Kellogg,
and so revOlutOniZe the state government.
Whether 1t was wrong for the governor at the
request OF the ajority of members returned
were in his power to defeat these Iawless and
revolutionary roceedings, is PEI haps debat-
able question, but 1t Is quite certain that there
would have been no trouble if those who now
complain of Illegal interference had allowed
the house to be organized in a lawful and reg
ular manner. When those who inauguTated
disorder and anarchy disavow such proceed
lngs, 1t viii be time enough to condemn those
who, by such means as they have, prevent
the success of their lawless and desperate
schemes.
Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan was requested by me
to go to Louisiana to observe and report the
situation there, and, if in his opinion neces-
sary, to assume the command, which he did
on the 4th inst, after the legislative disturb
ance had occurred. at nine O'Clock p m, a
number of hours aft the disturbances. No
party motive nor pTeiudices can necessarily be
imputed to him, but honestly convinced by
what he has seen and heard there, he has
characterized the leaders of the white leagues
III severe terms, and suggested summary
modes Of procedure against them, which.
though they cannot be adopted. would, If
legal, soon put an end to the trout les and dis
orders in that state Gen. Sheridan was look
ing at facts, anc possibly not thinking Of pro-
ceedlngs which would be the only proper ones
to pursue in time Of peace. and thought more
of the utterly 1awless condition of society sur
rounding him at the time of his dispatch and
of what would prove sure remedy. He never
proposed to do an illegal act nor expressed a
determination to proceed beyond what the law
IN the future might authorize for the punish
ment of the atrocities which have been COM
mitted, and the commission of which cannot |
be successfully denied. It is deplorable fact
that political crimes and murder have been
committed in Louisiana, which have gone IN
punished, and which have been justified or
apOlogized for, which must rest as reprOach
upon the state and country, long after the
present generation has passed away.
have no desire to have United States troops
interfere in the do estic concerns of Louisiana
or any other state. On the 9th Of December
last. Gov. Kellogg telegTaphed to me his ap-
to make another attack. Upon the same day
made the following answer, since which no
communication has been sent to him:
Your dispatch Of this date has just been
received. It is exceedingly unpalatable to use
troops in anticipation Of dangers. Let the
state authorities be right, and then proceed
with their duties, without apprehension OF
danger. If they are then mOlested. the ques-
ton Will be determined whether the United
States is able to maintain law and order within
its limits or not"
have deplored the presence of troops
among them. regret, however, to say that
this state of things does not exist, nor does
its existence seem to be desired in localities,
and as to those it viii be proper for me to say.
that to the extent that congress has conferred
power on me to prevent 1t, neither ku-klux
klans- white leagues nor any other assOcla-
ton using arms and violence te execute their
unlawful purposes, can be permitted in that
way to govern any part Of this country, nor
can see with indifference union men or re-
pubicans ostTacized, persecuted and murdered
on account Of their opinions, as they now are
IN some localities.
I have heretofore urged the case OF Louisi-
ana upon the attention Of congress, and I can
not but think that its inaction has produced
great evil. To summOnize In September
last, an armed organized body Of men. in the
support of candidates who had been put in
nomination for the Offices Of governor and
lieutenant governor, at the November election
In 1872. and who had been declared not elected
by the board Of canvassers, recognized by all
the courts to which the question had been sub
mitted, undertook to su5vert and overthrow
the state government that had been recognized
by me, in accordance with previous precedents.
The recognized governor was driven from the
state-hOuse, a. d, but for his finding shelter in
the United States custom-house, in the capital
OF the state of which he was governor. 1t is
seriously to be doubted that he would have
been killed From the state-hOuse, before he
had been driven to the custOm-hoUse, a call
was made in accordance with the 4th section,
4tn article of the constitution Of the United
States for the aid Of the general government
to suppress domestic violence Under these
circumstance, and in accordance with my
sworn duty, my proclamation Of the 18th Of
September. 1874. was issued This served to
reinstate Gov. Kellogg to his position nonni
/ gents have to this day surrendered to the
/ state authorities the arms belonging to the
state or that they have IN any sense Gisarmed.
/ On the contrary. It Is known that the armed
/ organization that existed on the 14th OF Sep