Wilmington journal., 1875-01-08
SOUTHERN TROUBLES IN 1874
AND THE GREAT POLITICAL
r.

sOUTHERN TROUBLES IN 1874
AND THE GREAT POLITICAL
REVOLUTION OF THAT YEAR.
For the following brief record Of the
troubles of the South during the pas
year, and of the great political revolut
ton that swept over the country
during the memorable year that has
just come to close, We are indebted
to the New York Warld. 1t is well
worth reading:
THE SOUTHERN TROUBLES.
The condition of several of the
Southern States during the year gave
occasion for an uneasiness on the part
of tue country, and the appointment
of investigating committees ID some
instances by Congress. At the be
ginning of the year serious difficulty
arose in Texas between the incoming
and outgoing Governors and their
partisans. Governor Davis, the old
Governor, a Republican, claimed the
office until April 18. while the new
Governor, Mr.. Coke, Democrat, ln-
sisted that his term began at once
There was an assembling OF armed
men in Austin, the capital, and at one
time the aspect of affairs was grave,
but after Davis appeal to the Presi-
dent for assistance and his receipt OF
a telegram from the Attorney General
announcing that the Executive would
not interfere, he surrendered January
10. and Governor Coke was duly in
stalled. The Baxter Brooks war in
Arkansas broke out April Is. Chief
Justice Mcclure, Senators Clayton and
Dorsey. and the carpet baggers' ring
in Arkansas, finding that they could
not make a tool of Gov. Baxter, whom
tehy had fraudulently counted in to
office, resolved to oust him. Accord
ingly decision Of the Supreme Court
declared that Brooks (who has since
sold himself to the ripg was the
rightful Governor, was sprung upon
the State Brooks and his fol-
lovers seized the State Honse III
Little Rock and fortified the
approach to it Governor Bax-
ter issued a proclamation calling
out the State troops and counter
proclamation wea issued by Brooks,
and III response to their calls armed
men focked into the capital col
isioN between the parties took place
April 30, III which the Brooks party
waa r4pulsed with ioss Of rine killed
and twenty wounded, TIE President
heirg called upon to interfere decided
Al: v Is that Baxter must bs recogniz-
ed AS Governor. The Brooks party
i'm mC diateiy evacuated thH state House
and alas.t',ne the armed rebellion,
and the ring transfcrrs d their cause t"
Congress. Governor Baxter called
together the Legislature and. atto, Il
had assembled in May, It proceeded
10 inlp+9acil aud remove Poker Jack
Mcclure aid his partisan assoc ates
from the Supreme Bench nIId tn call Il
Constitutional convention The people
ratified Size cali 10y an owe II D. .5ii1.e
iDajorIty 'une 81, and the convention
sembied two weeks later and adopt
ell a new constitution This was also
ratified by the people and a new sat of
State officers, headed by Mr.. A. II.
Garland for Governor, was CHOSEN
without oppositiou TIE new gov
erniuent waS installed in October.
About q month afterwards one Y. Y.
Smith, who had been Lieutenant
Governor under Baxter. aud Who had
sold out IT, the rang, issIIed . procls-
nation dIciarilg & himself to be Cover
cor, aid o51s ring the regular State
Government t. d.sperse, After this
;xploit he concealed himself. and
no n Except possibly the
members Of the ring) kuoweth
his hiding place TO this day. TIE trou-
blas in L9uis:apa c. nt!pued through
III, year Tie CALLING yoke OF tho
nsurper, supported by the Federal
Govornmeu drove the people OF New
Orleans 10 resistance IN SeptenI Der.
Al attempt on tie part of Kellogg to
prev ent The people from exercising
their coustit utionai rights t. bear
arms eliminated III au armed rising Oh
the 14tb instant BIrrlc.des were
erected in the streets and bloody
fight between the citizens under Lieu
Arant- Governor Penn and the police
he neighborhood of the Custom
House ensued. in which eight citizens
and thirty policemen were killed. In
the discontinue Of the police the KeI-
log Government vanished like mist.
The usurper took refuge in the United
States Custom House, and the citizens
proceeded at once and quietly to iD-
stall the legitimate government The
entire State of Louisiana passed over
into the hands of the proper authori-
ties i'll a day, and without further re-
sistence on the part of the usurper's
followers. But on the next day Presi-
dent Grant issued proclamation Or
derinq the State Government to dis
band, aid despatched troops to rein
state Kellogg. The State Government
to avoid collision with the FEEDER
al authorities, surrendered the
State into the hands of Gen
eral Emory, of the United States
army, and September Is Kellogg
emerged from the Custom House and,
protected by Federal bayonets, re-
sumed power From that time down
to the November election the efforts of
the citizens were directed toward OBJ
tanning a fair representation on the
Registry and Returning Boards. In
this they fai ed, and Notwithstanding
that they carried the State in Novem-
Der, electing their State ticket, five
and a majority of the |
Legislature, they were cheated of their |
victory by the manipulation of the |
by the Republican Returning |
Board. As the year closed affairs in |
the Crescent City are i'll critical con-
dition. There were disturbances in |
the State of Mississippi in July and |
December. In the former month Act |
ing Governor Davis asked the Presi- |
dent for troops for partisan purposes
in Vicksburg, but without success. |
December 7 fight took place in Vicks-
burg between the whites and negroes.
which grew out of the attempt of the |
latter to install as sheriff a negro man
who had given no bonds, as r. quired
by law. A large number of negroes
were killed in the controversy, and the
Sheriff resigned. Gov. Ames called
an extra session of the Legislature, and
The President issued his chronic pro-
amation desiring the rebels to ''dis-
perse," and all was quiet at the last
advices. The lynching of several negro
prisoners by masked band in Gibson
,o.nty, Tenn, in August, again led to
Federal interference, Notwithstanding
he willingness of the State authorities
20 punish the perpetrators of the
wrong. The circumstance was used by
he Republican party press as "out-
age material, but without effect.
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