New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-17
aye,t, Orleans Republican.
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
A VIGOROUS LETTER TO GENERAL
RUTLERn

city. 1t deals without gloves with Co
gresham Phelps of the subcommittee r
Gently here. Doubtless General Butler vi
make good use of it:
New ORLEANS. January 10. 1875.
Hon. B. F. Butler
ESTEEMED SIR-The memories and chez
guickened in Louisiana by your declaratiO
OF the fifth instant upon the floor of Oh
House, to wit: II will stay here day an
night until peace is given to Louisiana.
gave it peace Once'-impel me to addres
you before he committee charged with a
inquest into her disorders, shall have mad
its report. Mean while Republicans heI
are left in doubt whether the sub-cOn
1nittee, notably impatient to conclude it
recent mission here and averse from task
ing its nerves by receiving testimony as t.
the Outrages that have smitten thousand
of our loyal people, are inclined to be
tray in its report the immunity" tina
Sheridan truly said on the fourth instant
sis given to all who indulge in defiance o
the laws and the murder Of individuals.
Abundant evidence establishing these of
lenses and thereby the justice of the finding;
OF the Returning Board, was at command
yet the committee refused both to consider
IN the latter regard more than two parishes
and those two it suffered the Democratic
side to select-Rapides and Iberia-and to
subpoena Republican witnesses from the
former parish. Had not an assault been
contemplated upon the State House for the
fourth instant, the Democracy would have
had fewer witnesses at hand from those
parishes.
Mr. Phelps, Of the subcommittee, while
constrained as a personal witness of the
Democratic effort at organization of the
lower House here on the fourth instant, to
admit its illegal character and the infrac-
ton involved of distinct statutory proyis-
ions tempers this affront to the Democracy
by having himself interviewed on the eve
OF his departure hence by the correspondent
OF the New York Tribune, in which print
he seems to have remembered his CONNER
cial interest, and few hours after the dis.
patch of his views White League organ
here, the Picayune, publishes "the manu-.
script as originally dictated by Mr. Phelps"
1t is terse digest of Democratic test.
mony; an apology to the League for the
lmpertinence of the inquest. "The Louisi-
anians always loved street broils," and .'all
whose disposition and position might in.
duce them to offer dangerous opposition
were in the White League" but "both sides
wanted peace!' The League is only "a SUI.
perlor police in the interests of law and
Order" and for ''its only act of apparent
iawlessness on September Ia offers ,justifiea-
~AoA' AAOAO udO Uccu INTIMIDATION.
but not much; about equally divided" be
tween the parties. Where the black bandits
are and their vindictive shambles to coun.
tervail the Democratic sport at Colfax,
Coushatta and New Orleans, Mr.. Phelps
does not submit. He derives comfort from
the fact in evidence that although
Democrat did discharge negro for voting
Republican ticket, another Democrat
lied from the polls on the appearance
nj 90 oI until
rest Mr.. Phelps might possibly re-enter
Congress from some district here, if his |
constituents could, after shooting negroes |
down to minority, escape durance long
enough to vote for him. He saws that in |
our late election 'the old masters threatened |
a little but cOaxed more" but he torbears |
to reveal the vigOr of the persuasive method. |
III we imagine no worse of them than they /
OF themselves; they may pass for excellent
men," said Thisbe in the play.
MIR. Phelps thinks, with wondrous con.
lldence, that 1.-THE committees presence in
New Orleans has done one good thing-ex.
ploded the dreadful mystery of the White
League" The League will hardly share
that confidence, grateful as it may be to
have him vOuch for it as "a superior police
n the interests of law and order" No Re-
publican here is probably more amazed
han is its Chief Ogden. that the latter's
statement should have suificed MIR. Phelps,
The mystery remains a mystery, except SO
ar as its intent has found speech in "iocal-
ties where" as Sheridan remarks, 1.-THE
cry air has been impregnated with assass-
nation" Mr.. Phelps has certainly not
contributed to explode anything-he
lropped too early tear for Sovereign
louisiana into his little powder.
He pleads merit in the League that it |
decided not to appear either with or with.
ut arms" upon the assemblage of the
legislature. He fOrgets to state why it so
eclded after having declared for months
trough Its prints that it meant to control
re Assembly and sweep the authorities !
'cm Its path, and, after having persistently I
rliled night after night through that +
erod. 10 these avOwed ends every re- '
'urce was directed. men were recruited. | 8
worn and disciplined, niles were imported 4
ID the old masters made extraordinary !
forts,' as MIR. Phelps has to admit, in the Il
ection. September IA was. perhaps, in. \
nded less as summary solution of the L
lestiOn than as an admOnition to the black 81
ectOr in November and the State admins. {
alton in January that "white civilization"
the Baton Rouge platform of the De. F
ocracy interpreted it, meant violent | b
clamatiOn OF power. The New Orleans ia
eague prints OF January contain notices d
INVOKING the League for that Sunday re
ght. Why waists purpose for the morrow CT
ddenly abandoned Not because of the tt
Explosive" character of the subcommittee. h;
i because man had reached New Or. al
ms whose bomb power they knew from | to
81 experience, Phil Sheridan. His mission ! hi
IS unexplained, but the League concluded p
TO break its stacks OF September guns sc
view of one with SO historic faculty for br
arming insurgents. nj
6ut Tor his presence here-an army in | w
en--the League would doubtless nave in
oeated January 4. 1874. the atrocity that fir
ell loyal men July 80. 1866, during his | tn
'ence III Texas from headquarters here: pa
ne needed no new evidence to under. at
no the murderous temper of the League, m,
1 has branded its ringleaders as he
lnded Inc assasslns OF 1866. But despite Gel
1T fear OF Sheridan, they could not forep0 viz
revolutionary experiment, which he has wi
cialiy narrated to the War Department. wi
defiance Of local law and OF all rules of his
ANIMATION, a minority accredits Witt to COZ
Chair Of the House by virtue of a war me
oop, and he, thrusting aside the clerk of ia
last Honse, legally charged with the VIII
!. declares himself Speaker, another man tbs
TX. hve defeated candidates members. eli:
raooieih the loDoy sergeants-at arms. bo
,reupon the rabble quickly turned the ex,
pels OF their coats and revealed Witt hel
,ery IN their printed blue and gold tbs
gees. MANY of Them" says Sheridan. at
Q well known as captains of White mu
'gre companies in this city," Stubbornly is
led all right of protest, all calls for Ga
sion, the majority sought to escape, and ma
@ confronted with a Gordon of the ser. ami
nts. armed with knives and pistols. The pol
lutte determination Of the Republicans. we
TO be awed INTO accessories TO the I'M. the
'nre, led the Democratic minority to Shl
IKE The interference OF the military com S,
lder. Such interference became no 9th
vance till the same officer acted Under the
ction invoked by the GOVERNOR when fro
'ught by the majority to assure them Say
ection, in the dischare of their duties ..