The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-02-05
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT ON
LOUISIANA AFFAIRS.

LOUISIANA AFFAIRS.
What Gen. Emory Said.
| Col. MOrrOvS's Unbiased Review of
the situation.
Gen. Sherman's Endorsement of Col.
Morrow.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-The Presi-
dent sent to the Senate to-day, in fur
ther response to its resolution of inquiry
another large mass of manuscript copies
of correspondence relative to disorders
in louisiana. The correspondence
dates back to October 25, 1874, and
begins with various cypher kilograms
! sent by Gen. Emory to the War De-
partment, in which he expresses strong
disapprcbation Of Major Merrill's
action in making affidavits against
citizens of Shreveport, under which
they were arrested for alleged violations
of the enforcement act. Gen. Emory
informed Major Merrill that he consid-
cred his personal action, appearance fs
prosecutor, was a departure from the
established rules of the service and mis-
chievous in its tendency. Major Mer-
riii thcreupOn explained that his action
was due to the fact that no citizen could
have made the af1idavits except at the
risk of his life, and submit sundry
voluminuous reports detailing the law
River region. Major Merrill says,
under date of Shreveport, October 26
"No civil authority or machinery of
any kind, local, State or national, has
for long time existed here, and the
community was fast drifting into Il
state where any uncontrolled lunatic
could set match to the mine.
"My action was taken to set the civil
functions going and restore respect for
civil law and to remind the community
that this was not Il state of war;"
These reports being oil before the De-
partment, Adjt. Gen. Townsend tele-
graphs to Merrill, Dec. z, 1874, through
the headquarters of the army, that the
department considers his action justi-
fed by the circumstances.
The papers next comprised a long re-
port from Gen. Emory concerning Lieut..
Hodgson's arrest by civil authorities for
cutting telegraph wires, aud various
reports ofsubordinate officers giving de-
tails of disorders and massacres in
Colfax and Cosuhatta parishes, etc.
Emory subsequently reports his action,
detailing Lieut.. Col. Henry A. Morrow
to proceed to the Red River region and
make a thorough examination of the
condition OF affairs. On Nov. 16, 1874,
Adj. Gen. Townsend telegraphed Gen.
Emory as follows: If troops in New
Orleans still occupy the State House, it
is desired by the President that they be
transferred to the quarters they are to
occupy for the winter. Are there any
in the Stated House?
Emory replied the next day: The
troops moved as directed. 1t will
slightly increase estimated expense for
quarters. While in the Statc-IIouse
strict orders were observed not to inter-
fere with free ingrcss and egrcss of citi-
zens or with State officers.
On the 10Th Of December, Emory
tclegraphed to the department as fol-
lows: The Returning Board and the
people representing tho opposing party
differ on vital questions. Each AYERS
against the other crimes of such enor-
nifty that, at the present excited state
of the public mind, violence is imi-
nent. On the occasion of the 18th Sep
telnber, 1 was informed, in a dispatch
dated September Is, that the President
directed you to say previous orders are
not to be obeyed, in consequence of
which, my order to Col. Brooke to rec
OgniZe Gov. Kellogg was revoked and
an interregnum intervened. To avoid
further misunderstanding in the i'm
pending disturbance, which may happen
at any moment, or may not occur until
after the meeting of the Legislature, in
January, ask to be Informed if the
instructions of your dispatch of Septem
Der IS, are to be considered in force, or
if am to wait the result of another
application from Gov. kellogg to the
President.
To this Adjutant General Townsend
replies, Dec. 16, as follows: The Pres
ident directs that you make arrange
ments to be in READINGS to suppress
violence, and have it understood that
| you will do it.
On the 10th of December, Emory
tcIcgraphed Since my dispatch OF
yesterday information comes which I
think justifies the conclusions that per-
sonal violence and armed conflict will
not be used by contesting parties to
settle the pending political troubles in
this city. Under date of Shreveport,
December IL, 1874, Lieut.. Col. Morrow
makes a brief report of his investigation
in that vicinity, in anticipation of a