Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-03-04

LOUISIANA SuD-COIDiuiilSt SuiIlIdIiLSc
its report under eleven heads. They
are briefly these: a.
First-f'hat there exists in the white
mems parry purpose to- take posses
sion by force or fraud of the State Gov
ernment. without regard to the ques-
ton who may have the numerical ma
jority atany fair election.
SecOnd-That in the execution Of this
purpose they will not hesitate to use
any instrumentalities which they think
designed to accomplish their end,
whether the same be murder, fraud,
civil war or coercion of labOrers by their
iemployers.
/ Third-While there are many white
men of moderate views who do not
themselves use or approve of these IN
lawful means, such men desire the ae-
eomplishment of the same ends. and
are powerless under the leadership Of
their more influential associates.
Fourth-Three causes have made it
easy for the white man to so unite. The
TACT that the Administration party in
Louisiana is made up almost altogether
of negro votes, with a few white votes
1 largely from other States; the fact that
there has been mal-administration by
Republican officials; the belief by a
large number of the white people that
they have been twice defrauded of the
results of successful elections.
Fifth-While these things are deplO-
rable, the course of the white people
themselves has tended to bring them
about. The simple and peaceful REM
edies of obedience to law and the de-
cent treatment of their opponents
would, if they had pursued them, have
proved effective long ago.
SiXth-While we believe that Gov
ernor Kellogg received a majority of
vot5s in 1872, and we believe that there
~ere violence ar fraud in many of the
parishes in 1874, the illegal order of
Judge DureIl, and the illegal conduct
of the Returning Board in attempting
to cure one wrong by another, have
! furnished substantial basis tor COM
piaints. -
Seventh-There have been more dis
honesty and corruption in Louisiana.
For that the Republican officials under
Yarmouth ruleare largely responsible,
although many of their opponents have
been equally guilty.
EigbIh-The effect of all this has
been TO put an end to the authority OF
the law throughout large portion of
! Louisiana, to deprive the negro of free
dom OF suffrage, and to destroy the
safeguards provided by law to secure
fair elections. This state of things de-
stroys Republican government in LOU
isiana, and seriously menaceS it in the
whole country.
Ninth-A new election under Nation
al authority is desired by neither side,
and would but aggravate existing evils.
Tenth-Cengress should exercise its
Constitutional powers. We think Will
liam Pitt Kellogg was the choice of
the majority of the voters in 1872, and
should be recognized. a-- -t.
Eleventh--r These remedies are but
superficial. Efficient educational aid
would have done much to prevent the
evil, and may do much to effect the
cure. The public sentiment oil the rest
of the country, without distinction of
party, may do much to remove, as it
has already unfortunately done much
to aggravate the evils in Louisiana.
The people should be made to under
stand that the authority lodged in the
National Government to preserve re-!
publican government, and to protect
the rights of all citizens, will be kindly,
but fearlessly and steadily exercised;
and that no party in this country will
accept the alliance of men who are
seeking power by such methods as we
have been compelled to describe. Un-
less this can he done, the overthrow of
the free institutionsof the whole Uni
ted States will not long survive in the
destruction of those in the South.
The report is accompanied by reso-
luton recommending the recognition
of Kellogg and the return of the five
Conservative members to the Legisla-
ture. 49,
The following are the conclusions of
that portion of the report which relates
to intimidation
We can not doubt that the effect fall
these things was to prevent full, fair
and free election, and to intimidate the
colOred voters and white Republicans.
The very formation of a white mans
party was a menace of terrible import
to those who remember ColfaX and Bos-
sier. The press was filled with threats
of violence. The agreement to dis
charge laborers, the suggestion that
wild bears are tanned by hunger, was
evidence of the general spirit. The
overthrow of the State government by
the White League on the 18th of Sep
rember, the turning out of large num-
bers of parish officials in the country
by compelling them to flee for their
lives, the fearful lesson of Coushatta,
the formation, arming and drilling of
the White League, the natural success
Of hn II mi. nf 70
Camelia; these things in a community
where there is no legal punishment for
political murder, must, in the nature
of things have filled with terror peo-
pie timid and gentle like the colored
people of Louisiana, even if we had not
taken abundant evidence, as to special
acts of violence and and crime and their
effects on particular neighporhoods. ) I
The MAJORITY REPORT.
Messrs. Foster, Phelps, Potter and
Marshall conclude the majority report
of the committee on the State of the
South as follows: "In their judgment
all that is needed in Louisiana is to
withdraw the Federal troops and leave
the people of. that State to govern
themselves" Before making this re-
commentator, the com mittee says:
To avoid mischief and the confusion
of change, a majority of the citizens of
Louisiana seem willing TO accept as a.
compromise Kellogg's recognition and
restoration to the Conservatives Of con-
troll of the Lower House.. For these
reasons MeSsrs. Foster and Phelps do
not wish to oppose the; recornmenda-
ton that the administration of Cover
nor Kellogg be recognized. Neither,
in view of the fact that they know
nothing of the merits of the case as
judged by competent evidence, do they
wish to be understood as urging it.
They only wish TO record their agree
ment with those of their associates who |
believe such compromise might, by
making a termination of the uncertain
ty in Louisiana, be on the whole less
iutolerable than the present tsttuationI