Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-03-05
NO. 10.
REPORTS. OF THE LOUISIANA
lMHT'FEE.
vi ajOrlty Report.

The Committee state that the lat
registration shows 80, 900 colored voter
and 76, 1913 white; that the registra
tlon was incorrect and exceeded tn
true colored vote; that it was who'll,
in the hands of Kellogg officials, witt
whom a Republican committee, witt
United States Marshal Packard a
their head, co-operated; that the Con
servatives specified with proof 500
cases of conceded false registration il
New Orleans alone.
In conclusion, the Committee Sc
forth that in November. 1874, the
people of Louisiana did fairly have /
free, peaceable aud full registration
and election, in which clear Conser
vatlve maj jority was elected to tht
lower House of the Legislature, o
which majority the Conservatives wer,
deprived by the unjust, Illegal, anl
arbitrary action of the returning
board.
To the resolution reported to the
House from the Committee in relation
to the action of the returning board
all are agreed, that the action of tht
board has defeated the will of the peo
pie as expressed at the polls. ThC
Committee say that kellogg may OF
may not have been elected in 1877, bu
there is no evidence to show the fact
Messrs. Foster and Phelps are of thE
opinion that the popular belief III bott
Conservative and Radical circles IN,
clines on the whole to strengthen kel
logg and Penn's claims, and that as
Kellogg is and has been the acting
Governor for the past two years, tC
deny his claims and install another il
his place after the lapse of time might
result in incalcu!able mischief to the
legal and political interests OF the
State. For this reason, Messrs. Fos-
ter and Phelps do not wish to oppose
the recommendation that the admlnia-
tration of Kellogg be recognized, no1
do they wish to be understood as urg-
ing it. Their wish is to record thei,
agreement with those of their asso-
clates who look upon such a cOmpro-
mise as less intolerable than the
present uncertainty and distress III
Louisiana. Messrs. Potter and Mar
shall are opposed to any resolution
recognizing the Kellogg governm ent.
They find nothing to justify the belief
that Kellogg was elected, and state,
III their Judgement, all that is needed
in Louisiana is the withdrawal of the
Federal troops and the right OF the
people of that State to govern them
selves.
MINORITY REPORT.
Messrs. Hoar, Wheeler and Frye
submit the following conclusions
In the whole case we are Of the opin-
ion:
1st. That there has been and is, on
the part of the party calling themselves
the white mans party, III Louisiana, a
purpose to take possession by force
and fraud of the State government,
without regard to the question of who
may have the numerical majority at a
fair election.
ID. That in the execution of this
purpose the white mans party have
refrained, and will refrain, from the
use of no instruments which they
think designed to accomplish it,
whether these instruments be murder,
fraud, civil war, or coercion of labor
ers by employers.
Sd. While there are many men IN
th ir party of more moderate views,
who do not themselves use or approve
these unlawful means, such meu de
sire the accomplishment CT the same
eud, and are powerless to restrain
their more violent associates.
4th. Three causes have made it cas-
ier to unite SO large number OF the
whites of Louisiana in these purposes,
and have rendered more difficult 20
unite the best men among them in OPP
position-the fact that the administra
tion party in Louisiana is made up by
massing together almost the whole ne
gro vote with few whites, largely
from other States !; the fact that there
has been great maladministration by
Republican officials the belief, hon
estly entertained by large numbers of
the white people of Louisiana, that
they have been twice defrauded out Of
the results of election in which they
have been successful.
9th. While all these things are great
evils much to be deplored and likely
to exasperate any people, the course
of the whites themselves has tended to
bring them about and infame them
The simple and peaceful remedies OF
obedience to law, argument, decent
treatment of their opponents, would,
If they had pursued them, have proved
eHectual long ago.
9th. While we believe Governor
Kellogg to have received majority OF
the votes in 1872, and while we believe
there was violence and fraud. which
frustrated the will of the people in
many parishes in 1874, the illegal or
der of Judge Durell and the illegal
conduct of the returning board in at
tempting to cure one wrong by another
naturally infiamed the popular dls con-
tent and lent plausibility to their com
plants.
7th. There has been much dishon-
esty, much corruption in State and
local administration in Louisiana. For
this the Republicans, especially under
Warmoth's rule, are largely response
BILE, although in numerous instances
their opponents have been equally to
blame
9Th. The effect of all this has been
to put an end to the authority OF Il W
over large portion OF Louisiana, to
deprive the negro of his freedom, ot
suffrage and wholly to destroy the
value of the methods provided by la "
for securing fairness in elections OF
ascertaining their result. This state
of things overthrows Republican gov
ernment in Louisiana. and seriously
menaces it IN the whole country.
9th. A new election held at this time
is not desirable. It is not asked fol
by either side, and would infame ana
aggravate the evils now existing.
10th. It is the duty Of Congress tC
use such power as is vested IN it by
the Constitution. 1t should recognize
the lawful government of Louisiana
by express resolution. We thin
William Pitt Kellogg the choice of ,
large majority of the voters of LOUIS
ana, and that he should be recognize
accordingly. 1t should provide fur
ther safeguards for holding election
| and ascertaining the result, if any c8I
be devised.
1lth. Bat these remedies are at bes
temporary and superficial, curing tb'
symptoms, not the disease. Eiic.en
aid to the State to establish pubic
education would have gone far to pre-
vent the evil, and may yet do muct
| TO effect cure. The public sentlmen
| of the rest of the community, w1thou
distinction of party, may do much t.
remove, as it has already done muct