The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-03

DEVELOPMENT NO. 3.

U6v6AU1M6N1 NJ D.
" The Congressional Committee examined
Gen. T. n. Ogden, the head Of the Whit
League organization, particularly as to 1t
object and whether it was political or not
4 The more the committee search for informa
= ton upon this topic the more favorable VII
BELTS report. Not loafer, thug, plug-ugly
or any disreputable character is connected
with it. If the term gentlemen is too higl
: sounding, we will say that each and ever.
$ member take rank among the reputable por
ton of the city, and each has deep interes
u in the general prosperity of our citizens. Thu
General promptly answered that it was no
/. political in its objects.
The same avowal has been repeatedly made
, by resolutions adopted by the several clubs
and printed and circulated for information
Then the Committee may ask, if not formed
for political purposes, what is the cause Of its
origin?
We will state fully and, we think, clearly,
and we trust that this statement will have all
the evidence of truth. As soon as the Radi-
cal party was established in power in 1868,
the Metropolitan Police bill was passed. To
be explicit, we give the number and date of
the act. 1t is No. "a, and was approved
Sept. IA, 1868. 1t is an act of the most extra
ordinary character, considering or supposing
that We have republican government
The police, as established by this act, is an
organized military force under the direct con-
troll and command of the Governor. The
Governor appoints the Police Board The
force was well armed and equipped. Upon any
emergency-and excuses were always at hand
to justify any emergency-the board had the
power to appoint as many special policemen
as the Governor might think necessary. Each
member had all the powers of constable to
make searches and arrest persons here, and
in every part Of the State. The board annu-
ally made an estimate of the funds required,
and in this estimate was included secret SER
rice money, hack and cab hire and counsel fees.
There was 70 limit to the amount The
city was forced to levy and collect and pay
over to the board the estimated sum. 1t has
exclusive control Of the fire telegraph of the
city. On election days, in the city, five hun
dred special officers were detailed to serve at /
the polls. For fear the Mayor of the city |
might pretend to have some control over the |
police, act No. 60 of 1869 was passed. This
act prohibits the Mayor from making any po-
lice appointments or exercising any police
duty, authority or control, and, by the second
section, he is permitted to make application
to the Police Board for assistance, which the
Roard, in its discretion, may allow or refuse.
This law was passed for two purposes:
First, to guard the persons Of the Radicals
put in Office by the machinery Of two other
acts-the registration and election acts; and
second, to govern, control and intimidate the
negroes and to force them to vote as a unit
for the Radical party. The purpose Of de-
failing five hundred special policemen to be
It the polls on days OF election, was to watch
every negro and to see that he deposited the :
right vote There was not a negro in the city
vho dared to vote any but Radical ticket
The Hon. Congressional Committee can now
understand the exact character of the Metro ,
oolitan police. It was an armed body, Of [,
icered by the Governor and under his COM
nand. The citizens had no police, no force
o protect themselves or their property.
This act is now in force and the police was !
lsed on the 14th September, 1874, to deprive L
'ur citizens of the right to keep and bear e
rms The police had entered stores and b
eized guns and ammunition-it had arrested Z
Individuals in the streets, who had arms in n
heir hands. These acts preceded September =
he 14th. The reporter of the Times inter- II
iewed Gov. Kellogg as to his power to seize :,
'eapons, and the Governor gave his opinion G,
nat in this free country no one had the right u
, keep and bear arms unless he belonged to Il
q organized militia. Let the committee send m
u Kellogg and question him ON this very =;
oint. Ia
Here was the armed force, here was the W "
tempt to disarm the citizens, boldly and c:
,enly made. m
IL was tlMe 10 assert our rights. Hence the st
rigin Of the White League, which sprung up a
ke magic, determined to defend what was ";
sretofore regarded as Constitutional rights. 81
be White League stood on the defense. No :"
,sressive move was made. But when that m
,lice brigade was ordered out. in full force. GO
th Winchester rifles, cannon and Gatling *
lns by the Governor; when Dibble, on the on
aft of the Governor, went out in full uni I'm
rm. and ordered two horses for bis special m
e-see Dibbls card published in the pa x.
rs--with Badger and Longstreet in COM p,
and. under the orders of the Gov y; ~
nor, to seize arms on board tir
samship consigned to private citi- rs
ms, then the White League marched CO..
It, under the command of Gen. Ogden, to ITO
cure and receive arms, private property, in
I'm the steamship. In the assertion of that he