The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-01-22

police Of the city. The streets Of the
city were stained With blood. All that
Was desired in the way1iof excitemsnt
had besn accomplished. / ..asss g::g<ss.
The following are specimens Of the,
means used to intimidate Republican
voters. On the 18th of October, eighty
persons sie ned and published the fol.
lowing at Shreveport: We, the under.
signed merchants. Of the city. Of Shreve.s
port, in obedience to = request Of the
Shreveport Campaign Club, agree to
use every endeavor to get eur employ.
ces to vote the Peoples ticket at the
nsuing election, and in the event Of
their refusal 80 to do, Or: in, case they
vote the Radical ticket, to- refuse to
employ them at the expiration Of their
present contracts.
On the same day another large body
Of persons published in the same place,
in paper, in which they used the fol-
10 ring language: . :.....-
I'VE, the undersigned, merchants Of
tho city Of Shreveport, alive to the
great Importance ofsecuring good and
honest government to- the State, do
agree and pledge ourselves not to I'D.
vance any supplies or money to- any
planter, nor to any parties the coming
year who will give employment or rent
lands to laborers who vote the Radical
ticket in the coming election.
have no information Of the proceed
ings Of Il returning board for said
election which may not be found in its
report which has been published, but it
is matter Of public information that
a great part Of the time takeu to can
vass the votes was consumed by the ar
guments Of lawyers, several of whom
represented each party before the
board. l have no evidence that the
proceedings Of this board were not in
accordance with the law under which
they acted. Whether in excluding
from their court certain returns, they
were right or wrong is a
question, that depends on the evidence
they had before them, but it is worry
clear that tho law gives them the power.
if they choose to exercise it, to decide
it that way, and prima fucie, the per.
sons whom they return as elected are
entitled to the offices for which they
were candidates.
Respecting the alleged interfer-
ence by tho military with
the organization Of tho Legislature
Of Louisiana on the 18th inst, I have no
knowledge or information which has
not been received by me since that time
and published. My first Information
was from the newspapers Of the morn
ing ofthe 5th Of January. Ibid not know
that any such thing was anticipated
and no orders, no suggestions were ever
given to any military officer in that
State upon that subject prior to the oc-
currence.
am we'll aware that any military
interference by the officers or troops Of
the United States with the organiza.
ton of State legislature, or any Of its
proceedings, or with any department of
the government is repngnant to our
ideas Of government. I can conceive
no case not involving rebellion or i'll:
surrection, where such interference, by
authority Of the general government,
ought to be permitted or can be justift.
ed. But there are circumstances con.
nected with the late legislative imbrog-
lilo in Louisiana, which Sem to exempt
the military from any intentional wrong
in that matter. Knowing that they
had been placed in Louisiana to
prevent domestic violence, and aid to
repress the revolution that was appar-
ent, though it is believed, not really
abandoned. The theory Of Federal
usurpation and tyranny in law was re-
newed with doubled energy. Troops
had been sent to the State under requi.
sition Of the Governor, as other dis
turbances seemed imminent. They
were allowed to remain there to render
the executive such aid as might be-.
come necessary to enforce the laws Of
the State, and to repress the continued
violence which seemed inevitable the
moment Federal support should he
withdrawn.
Prior to and with view to tho late
election in Louisiana, white men asso-
cia.ed themselves together in armed
bodies, called White Leagues, and at
the same time threats were made in the
Democratic journals of the State that
the election should be carried against
the Republicans at all hazards, which
very naturally greatly alarmed tho col.
ored voters. By section Of the act OF
February 28th. 1871, it is made the
duty Of United States marshals and
their deputies, at polls where there arc
votes cast for representatives in Con.
gress, to keep tho peace and prevent
any violation Of the so.called
enforcement acts, and other offenses
against the laws Of the United States
Upon requisition Of the Marshal Of
Louisiana, and in view Of said armed
organization and other pretentious cir.
cumstances, caused attachments oil
troops to be stationed at various local.
tiles in the State to aid him in the per.
Torrance of his official duties in the
enforcement Of the State laws. The
officers and troops Of the United States
may wei! have supposed that it was
their duty to act, when called upon by
the government for that purpose.
Each branch Of a legislative Assem-.
bly, is the judge Of tho election and
qualifications of it's own members, but
if mob or body Of unauthorized per.
sons seize and hold the legislative hall
in tumultuous and riotous manner,
and SO prevent any organization by
those legally returned as elected, it,
might become the duty Of State exc.
cutive to interpose, if requested by q
majority Of the members elected, to
suppress the disturbance and ena.
bic the persons elected to
organize the House. ANY exercise Of
this power would be justifable under
most extraordinary circumstances, and
it would then be the duty Of the Gov.
ernor to call upon the constabulary or,
if necessary, the military force If the