Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-01-14
creant. goes unwhipped Of Justice, and no way

creants goes unwhipped Of justice, and no way
can be found In this boosted land OF CIVILIZATION
and christianity to punish the perpetrators OF this
bloody and monstrous crime. August last several
Northern Young men of capital and enterprise had
started the little and hourishing town of Coushat-
a. Some of them were republicans and office
holders under Kellogg. They were therefore
doomed to death. Six of them were seized and
carried away from their homes and murdered in
cold blood No one has been punished and the
conservative press of the State denounced all eff
forts to that end and boldly justified the crime.
Many murders of like character have been
committed in individual cases, which cannot here
be detailed; for example, l. 5. Crawford Judge OF
Parish and the district attorney of the 18th judi
cal district Of the State, on their way to court,
were shot from their horses by men in ambush, ON
the Sth of Oct 1871, and the widowiof the former,
| in communication to the department of justice,
tells piteous tale of the prosecutions of her hus-
band because he was union man, and of the cf-
| forts made to secure those who had committed a
| crime which 10 use her own language, eft two
| widows and nine orphans desolate." To say that
| the murderer of a negro white republican is not
considered a crime in Louisiana would probably
be unjust to great part of the people, but it is
| true that a great number of such murders have
been committed and one has been plnishcd
therefor, and they manfestly add to the spirit of
hatred, and violence is stronger than law.
| Representations were made to me that the
| presence of troops in Louisiana was unnecessary
and irritating to the people, and that there no
| danger of public disturbance if they were taken
| away. Consequently early last summer the
troops were all withdrawn from the State with the
exception of a small garrison at the New Orleans
| barracks. 1t was claimed that comparative state
of quiet had supervened, the political excitement
as 10 Louisiana affairs seemed to be dying out, hut
| the November election was approaching and it
| was necessary for party purposes that the flame
should be rekindled; accordingly on the 18th Of
| September, ID. Penn claiming that he was elected
Lieut.. Governor in 1872, issued an iniiammatory
proclamation calling upon the militia Of the State
to assemble and to drive from power the usurpers,
| as he designated the officers CT the State
The White Leaguers armed and ready for the
conflict, promptly responded. On the same day
| the Governor made formal requisiton upon me-
pursuant to the act OF 1895, and section article 1
OF the constitution 10 aid in suppressing domestic
| violence. On the next day | Issued pcoclama-
ton commanding the insurgents 10 disperse within
| five days from the date thereof. but before the
| proclamation published in New Orleans the
| organized and armed forces recognizing a lsurp
iug Governor, had taken forcible possession of the
State House and temporarily subverted the gov
ernment. twenty or more persons were killed,
including member of the police of the city.
The sheets of the city were stained with blood
all that was desired in the way OF excitement had
been accomplished and in view of the steps ia
ken to duties" that there intimidation of
republican voters at elections notwithstanding
these precautions, admits of no doubt.
The following are specimens used on the l4!h OF
Shreveport -
We, the undersigned, merchants of the city OF
Shreveport, in obedience to the request OF the
Shreveport campaign club, agree TO use every en-
deayor TO get employees to vote the peoples tick
ct at the ensuing election and in the event of their
refusal 50 to do, or in they vote the radical
ticket, TO refuse 10 employ at the expiration of
| their present contracts.
| On the same day another large body of persons
published int he same place paper in sh.c
| they used the following language
| We, the undersigned, merchants OF the city OF
Shreveport, alive 10 the great importance of Sc
curing good and honest COVER nment to the State
| do agree and pledge ourselves not to advance any
supplies or money to our planters the coming year
who will give employment or rent land to laborer.
who vote the radical ticket in the coming election
| Ihave no information of the proceedings of the
returning board for said elections which may not
be found in its report which has been published
| but it is matter of public information that q
great part of the time taken to canvass the votes
was consumed by the arguments of lawyers, sew
eral of whom represented each party before the
board. have no evidence that the proceeding
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 question that depends upon the evi.
dence they had before them but it is very clear
that the law gives them power, if they choose to
exercise it, of deciding that it was prima face, and
that the persons whom they return as elected
are entitled to the offices for which they were can
| didates.
Respecting the alleged interference by the mil
tary, with the organization of the legislature Of
| Louisiana on the 4th inst, | have no knowledge
or information which has not been received by me
since that time and published. My first informa.
| ton was from the papers, on the morning Of the
| fifth. | did not know that any such thing was
| anticipated, and no orders suggestions were
ever given to any military officer in the state up
on that subject prior to the occurrence. | am
we'll aware that any military interference by the
officers troops of the United States with the or
ganization of State Legislature, or any of the
proceedings, with any civil department of the
government, are repugnant to our ideas of govern.
ment. | can conceive of no case involving REBEL.
| ion or instruction, where such interference by
authority OF the General Government ought to be
permitted, or can be Justified but there are Cir
| cumstances connected with the late Legislature
| imbroglo i'll Louisiana, which seem to exempt the
military from any Intentional wrong in that mat,
ter, knowing that they had been placed IN Louisi-
ana to prevent domestic violence, and aid to
press it. The revolution apparently though
it is believed not really abandoned, and the cry OF
| federal usurpation and tyranny in Louisiana was
renewed with redoubled energy. Troops had
been sent to the State under this requisiton Of the
| Governor, and as other disturbances seemed i'm
minent, they were allowed to remain there TO
render the executive such aid as might become
necessary to enforce the laws of the state and
press the continued violence which seemed nev-
| table the moment federal support should be with
drawn. Prior to and with view to the late cleo
ton in Louisiana, white men associated them
selves 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 DC carried against the republicans
| at all hazards, which very naturally greatly
alarmed the colored voters. BY the act
of February rs, 1871 it is made the duty CT nted
States marshals and their deputies, at the polls,
when votes cast for representatives in congress-
to keep the peace and prevent any violation of the
so called enforcement acts or other offences against
the laws Of the United States and upon requisi-
ton of the marshal Of Louisiana, in view of said
armed organization and other portentious circum-
stances, caused detachment of troops to be
stationed in various localities in the state, 20 AID
| him in the performance of his official duties, the
| enforcement of the State Laws.
The officers and troops of the United States may
have supposed that it was their duty to act when
called upon by the Governor for that purpose.
Each branch of the legislative assembly is the
Judge of the election and the qualification OF its
own members, but if mob or body of unauthor-
mod ,a,aops eeiJo hold the hall in