The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-06
rhe Louisiana Outrage.

In order 10 be consistent in his iniquity,
the President has resolved TO pursue the
vindictiye crusade against the people OF
Louisiana to the bitter end, without count
ing the cost or the consequences. he gives
no more heed to public opinion now than
he has hitherto done to justice IN this ma
ignaut persecution.
The returning board, which after two
months Of manipulation has counted out
the fairly elected candidates and substitu- |
ted others dictated by their employers,
was organized expressly to do this infa-
nous work. 1t was a part of the conspir
acy and an element in the fraud And
now when the work is done, the President
repeats the part which he has previously
played in recognizing Kellogg as governor,
who had been set up by his own interview
ton, and he claims the acts of this infa-
nous board to be legal and regular. To
sustain it, he produces an opinion from
Landaulet Williams, who is known to be
one Of the chief conspirators himself, and
the bribed agent of the ring who have been
piundering that stricken state.
These are the plain facts of the present
case, palpable TO every eye and notorious
to the whole world. They may be said to
surpass in audacity all the previous vii.
lainy, astounding as it has been. IF SINH
lhT COuuiSlOu Va tuluBo udu OCCuTTcu III dUy
northern state after the recent election, and
returning board had declared candidates
chosen whom everybody knew to be largely
defeated, would the people submit tamely
to be defrauded uf their rights by such
proceeding? O.. VI g. ..rf,.kt -,7; -ts-0
Let US bring the question home to our
selves, for that after all is the true test
The people of Louisiana knew as well on
the I'd of November that they had elected
their state treasurer and large majority
Of the legislature as the people of New
York knew on the 4th Of November that
Tilden was governor and the legislature
was Democratic on joint ballot, In neither
case had the result beer officially announc-
ed, and yet it was morally certain in both,
Now, suppose that two months after the
election, and this result had been accepted
by the country, board of partizan count
ers had figured Tilden out and Dix in, with
Republican legislature, what would have
been the feeling in this state and in this
community? 1t is hardly necessary to
answer such question, or to suggest that
prompt and stern remedy would have
been found to redress such monstrous
wrong . U 90 ..t #,a.
The people Of louisiana haye submitted
to this last and greatest outrage with a
torbearance hardly to be expected in pres
ence Of so gross provocation. With shot
ted guns from ships of war pointed at theiI
fresides, and a small army parading the
streets in time of profound peace to illus
trate the beauty of Republican institutions
they are held as prisoners under orders
from Washington, and subjects of thu
thieving despotism which the Presiden
has erected by force.
Conscious of the crime which has bee
committed with his privity, the Presiden
sees danger in every passing shadow, ant
IL ,,i,,n5sred people may rise up agai
an9 p;i.o 80 si.eir forefathers did for Ia
i auu ssason against the cruel tyranny whic
he and his creatures have imposed upo
them. He seeks pretext for slaughter
and has sent Gen. Sheridan to the spot
because he believes him to share in all hi
own prcjudices and passions.
If the people of the United States no,
turn deaf ear to the just appeal made t
their patriotism and manhood by Louis
ana, and fail to denounce this fraud an
tyranny, they will invite the harsh iudg
ment of the civilized world. The time ha
come when these arbitrary usurpatiou
must cease and the President be require
to obey the laws.
We are day living under vulgar de,
potism, of which brute force and venalit
are the chief characteristics Power
centralized at Washington in the hand
OF one man, and majOrities in congress ODE
the orders of the White House as if the
were the slaves Of master. If the arm
and navy may be used at the angry will G
caprice of a reckless President, to serve
partisan purpose or to satisfy personal yer
geance, there is no liberty left
Here is fraudulent government estat
Eshed and upheld by Federal bayonets i
Louisiana for two years, entirely by tn
acts and approval of the President, withou
which 1t could not have stood one day
Then comes an election, and in the face q
all these obstacles the people calmly yot
down the usurpation. A conspiracy is the
organized to cheat them out of the result
and the President appears again on tn
scene and threatens blOodshed if they ven
ture to assert the privilege Of every Amer
lean citizen. This is the situation.
Go forward to the Presidential election
OF 1876 and apply this experience to Soutl
Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi
and few other states that might in q Ger
tain contingency hold the result of tina
contest in their hands. 1t is easy to fore
see what dangers are in store for the coun
try unless safeguards are now provided il
the present emergency.
and the military machinery which is used
to-day to beat down Louisiana and to up
hold the most barefaced inquiry will be
applied on larger scale two years hence
to retain him in Office. He and his crea.
lures do not mean to go out until they are
driven out ; and it is we'll to prepare fol
that contingency now, when the conspira
cy may be stamped out by an indignant
public opinion
The first step is to call public meetings
all over the country, but especially in the
North, without respect to party There
are tens of thousands of honest Republi
cans who abhoI this oppression and detes
Grantism as much as the most pronoun
ced Democrat can do. Let these meet
ings speak boldly to the point and Civ,
the Administration to understand clearly
that it must halt in this mad career, and
that the mailed hand Of the robber mus
be taken from the throat of Louisiana
New York should take the lead in THU
movement to defend the Union.-N. Y