Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-01-21
Louisiana.

With an obstinate determination to win.
Ever since the rebellion was brought to
a close (by the man whom that pseu-
do-loyal party, denominated Reform,
hate with hatred which words cannot
express and magnanimity shown
the guilty spirits of a wicked rebellion,
such as never before was shown to the
master spirits Of treason under any
flag, have these men under a new
name, but with the same bloody hands.
sought the overthrow of the republic
they failed to despoil in more propitious
days. The history of Louisiana since
the close of the war has been a record
Of blood. Loyal men have been shot
down and hanged by organized bands
Of Ku-Klux and White Leaguers. They
have usurped legally constituted author
tiles, and have endeavored, by fraud
and violence, to accomplish what they
could not hope to achieve in legal and
constitutional manner. The old demo
cratic party is not a corpse, as has
been claimed, but it is as full Of vital
ity, though operating under another
name, as when first it leyeled It's guns
at Sumpter and it is the party which
to-day is seeking to gain by force the
possession Of the Legislature of Lou
lsiana, that the element of strength
may be increased preparatory to a
grand coup in 1876.
The history OF the troubles in Lou
isiana is known but too thoroughly and
requires no recital to bring the record
Of lawlessness fresh to the minds Of
the people. That there has been fraud
on both sides is not a question Of doubt;
out that the Kellogg government is
entitled to exercise its several func-
tons, inasmuch that the Courts have
so decided, and the Executive recor.
nized its authority, is fact that pre-
supposes the ready obedience of the re-
bellious faction to its mandates, The
very recent attempts to subvert this
recognized authority of the state called
for prompt action, and General Sher;-
dan was ordered to New Orleans. His
presence there, as commander of the
Department of the Gulf we verify be-
lieve has saved the nation a second civ
il war and it is this prompt action
that so maddens the ''reform' element
in our politics, and causes it to cry
* unconstitutional and 'usurpation, ="
and to hiss the name Of Grant as was
recently done at meeting Of citizens
in New York, among whom was Hora-
ito Seymour, who addressed an anti
draft mob as his friends in '64. and en-
Outraged by words Of cheer the hang
ing Of negroes upon the lamp-posts of
that then rebellious city. Another
was the present Governor of the En-
pire State, who could not be induced
to say word OF encouragement then,
but who now can pen lie tier of con
graduation, and full Of hope The
same old traitors are brimfull of trea-
son to-day. Like serpents they bite
the hand that warmed them--they
would destroy thegovernment that fer
gave them their sins and spared them
the halter. They point to the act of Sher-
idan in maintaining the dignity and the
supremacy Of sovereign state, and
the nation, as unconstitutional, and
without precedent, carefully forgettin Q
that the precedent was established by
Washington at the time Of the whisky
rebellion in Pennsylvania, by Frank
, Pierce on the occasion of the enforce
ment Of the Fugitive Slave Law, in
the recapture Of the slave Jerry
in Boston, and at least upon three 9th
er occasions subsequent to the rebel
lion. Ii were useless to attempt to
, hide the asses head beneath the lion s
, skin. 1t is the old spirit of treason
under the guise Of loyalty that i:
threatening the republic. The ami
mus of tie enemy is but too plainly
observable in the events Of the last
month, and to thwart the effort,
of its workers in the South and its
: eompeers and abettors in the North Is
; to stand by the admin istration regard
less Of party ties or partisan sympa
: thies till order shall have been restored.
and the integrity of the nation estah-
I. i L