Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-01-28
Louisiana Subcommittee.

Soon after the meeting of Congress. in
December, the House of Representatives
created a committee to investigate the
Southern situation. They were author
lied and directed to inquire into alleged
outrages. This committee was divided
into ub-committees, one of which, con-
sisting of Messrs. Foster, Phelps and
Potter, proceeded to New Orleans, and
was there at the opening of the Louisi-
ana Legislature. Its report has just
been submitted to the public. 1t was
written by Potter, a Democrat, and has
the signatures of the other members
both OF whom profess to be Republicans
The account given of the organization
OF the Louisiana House of Representa-
tives, and the so-called military inter-
ference, is almost identical with that
given by Gen. Sheridan. A careful COM
parative examination fails to disclose a
single material difference in the two ac.
counts. This is all the more significant
from the contrast in the prevailing tones
Of the two reports.
The most noticeable thing about the
Congressional report is its silence upon
the main feature of the situation. No
one would suspect from anything con.
had been the scene of assassinations,
collective or isolated. 1t would not be
inferred that life is specially insecure in
that State, or that there is any more i'm
munity from arrest and punishment
there than there is in the North gener.
ally. The correctness of representa-
tons herein, made by President Grant
and Gen. Sheridan, is not brought in
'hn :
the subject We submit that this omis-
sion Is disgraceful. A good deal is said
about taxation, the rarity of white Re-
puollcans, the mode of procedure before
and by the Retaining Board and kindred
matters, all of weighty importance in
themselves, but all combined of less con-
sequence than the Insecurity of life
Several wholesale butcheries have oc-
Cured, and the aggregate of isolated
cases amounts to over 200, and the as
sassins go scot free. Such, we say, is
the representation made by the Presi-
dent and the Lieutenant G eneral of the
United States, and the committee is en-
tirely oblivious of the whole matter.
Such report is a disgrace to those
who make it, and ought to be rejected by
the House. The latter should demand a
report on the main issue of the case. 1t
looks very much as if Foster and Phelps
had made play-spell of the investiga-
ton, allowing Potter to run the business
to suit himself. We are disappointed in
Foster. He had done some good work in
Congress. Phelps is conceited fop,
with immense inherited wealth and a
silly atiectation of wit. He is just the
fellow to be made the tool of a crafty
and polished politician like Mr.. Potter.
The latter did just what was to be ex-
pected of him. He shut his eyes to all
evidence against the Democracy and dis
torted and magnifed all the evidence
against the Republicans Even then he
has not made out his case.
1t is not claimed by the Republican
party that Kellogg is a paragon of polit-
zeal virtue, or that everything done by
The party in that State is justifiable. On
the contrary, there is desire to have the
entire facts in the case brought to light
and every man, from Kellogg down, re-
ceive his deserts, bs the same rewards
or punishments, small or great Fortu.
nately the disreputable omission of the
Congressional report will not be very
important practically, for Gen. Sheridan
is AZ work preparing full statement
touching assassin.tiops in Louisiana
The committee, by confirming his report
of the attempted but abortive Witt
usurpation, has prepared the public to
accept with implicit faith in its accuracy
that forthcoming report. In this way
the committee has rendered valuable
service, albeit Foster and Phelps were
simply clay in the hands of the potter. -
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