Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-01-15
THE LOUISIANA TROUBLES
Special Message from the
President.
HE Senate of The United STATES.

-,
r inst, asking for information Us to any in
reference by any military officer or any
part of the army of the United States with
the organization or proceedings Of the gen
eral assembly of the State of Louisiana or
either branch thereof, and also inqulrlng
in regard to the existence of armed Organi-
cations in that State. hostile to the govern
, ment thereof and intent on oyerturnlng
such government by force. To say that
LAwLEssNEss, TURBULENCE AND BLooDsHED
have characterized the political affairs OF
that State since its reorganization ur der
the reconstruction acts, Is only to repeat
what has become we'll known as a part OF
its unhappy history but it may be proper
here to refer to the election OF loto, by
which the republican vote OF the state,
through fraud and violence was reduced q
a few thousands, and the bloody riots OF
1866 and 1868, to show that the disorders
there are not due to any recent causes or to
any late action of the federal authorizes.
Preparatory to the election OF lo72
SHAMEFUL AND USDIsGUIsED CONSPIRACY
was formed to carry that election against
the Republicans. without regard TO law or
right, and to that end the most glarlng
frauds and fOrseries were committed In the
returns. after many cOlored citizens had
been denied registration and Others deferred
BY fear from casting their ballots. men
the time came for final canvass OF the
votes, in view of the foregoing facts, VIII
liam =. Kellogg, the republican candidate
for governor. brought SUIT upon the equity
side of the United States circuit court for
Louisiana. and against Warmoth and Others
who had obtained possession of the returns
of the election, representing that several
thousand voters of the State had been
DEPRIVED OF the ELECTIVE FRANCHISE
on account Of their color. and praying that
steps might be taken TO have said votes
counted, and for general relief. To euable
the courts 10 inquire As To the truth OF
these allegations, a temporary restraining
order was issued against the defendants,
which was at once wholly disregarded and
treated with contempt by those 10 whom It
was directed. These proceedings have been
widely denounced as an unwarrantable
INTERFERENCE BY TIE FEDERAL JUDICIARY
with the election of state officers but it is
to be remembered that BY the fifteenth
amendment to the constitution Of the United
States, the political equality OF colOrcd
citizens is secured, and under the second
section Of that amendment, providing that
Congress shall have power To enforce Its
provisions by appropriate legislation, an act
was passed on the 3lst OF May, 1870. and
amended in ISL, the ohiec. OF which wa to
prevent the denial or
ABRIDGENEST OF SUFFRAGE
to citizens, on account of race, color or
previous condition Of servituje, and it has
| been held by all the Federal judges before
whom the question has arisen including
| Justice Strong of the Supreme Court, that
/ the protection afforded by this amendment
/ and these acts extends TO state a. well a 70
other elections. That 1t is the
rUTY OF THE FEDERAL COURTS
to enforce the provisions Of the constitution
of the United States and the laws passed
in pursuance thereof, i too clear for con-
trOversy Section Is OF said act, after
numerous provisions therein u prevent an
evasion OF the fifteenth amendment. provides |
that the jurisdiction OF the Circuit Court /
Of the United States shall
EXTEND 70 ALL CASES
in law or equity arising under the provisions /
of said act and OF the act amerdatOry I
thereof Congress seems to have contemplate |
cd equitable as well a. legal proceeding to
prevent denial Of suffrage to colOred citi-
zens. and 1t may be safely asserted that
Kellogg bill in the above named case, did .
not present ease for
EQUITABLE INTERFERENCE
OF the court No such case can arise under
the act That the courts Of the United
States have the right to interfere in various
ways with state elections, SO as TO maintain
political equality and rights therein, irres-
pecflye OF race or color, J. comparatively a
new, and to some seems TO lie
STARTLING IDEA
But i results a. clearly from the 18th
amendment 10 the constitution and the
acts that have been passed To enforce that
amendment, d the abr0gatiUn Of state
laws uphOld!ng slavery results from the
thirteenth amendment to tue constitution
" hi.e the jurisdiction Of the court in the
case Of Kellogg y. Warm0th and others Is
clear - ny mind, 1t seems that some Of the
orders made by the Judge in that and the
kindred case of Antoine were Illegal but
while they we're 50 held and considered it l.
not TO be forgotten that the mandates Of his
court had been contemporary dehed and
they were made while
WILD SCENES cy ANARCHY
were sweeping away all restraint of law and O
order Doubtless the Judge Of this court 7
made grave mistakes but the law allows /
the chancellor great latitude, not only IL e
Furnishing those VINO contemH his orders
and iniunctious, bat in preventing the con- e
summation OF the wrong which be has Judi 7
c!aAy forbidden. Whatever NAV be SAID Ut
thought Of these matters it was only made y
known 70 nc that process 0t tAg C
UNITED STATES COURT
wd- resisted ami a said act specially provides .
Tor the use OF the army and navy when nee v
cessary - enforce judicial processes arising
| considered 1t my duty to see Z
,h-t such process was executed according to a
the Judgment Of the court resulting from Z
these proceeding Th-1agh various con- u
troyersics and complications q State govern
ment vas organized. With VIM p. Kellogg. ?
A. Governor, which, ia the discharge of M u
tuty under section !. article 1,
OF the CONSTITUTION, u
have recognized a. the government Of the !.
STATE. Ii has been bitterly ana per,i-;eutiy
Alleged thst Kellogg was not elected.
" neither 10 yss o. not is not altogether a,
certain. nor i II any more certain tfst his =
Meknery, was chosen. The -
ioetiqn was 3
= S1SASTIc FRAUD. i
md there are no reliable Tc.-rls OF IT. re- :,
ult. Kellogg obtained possession q ina
,tice. and in my opinion, has more right to ,;
{ than HI competitor On the 3Oth oil Feb. -,
SO, the committee on privileges and elec- -.
ions of the Senate made report IN which =.
Leg ~ ii
liz. Wars SATISFIED 4.
y testimony that the manipulate. of .hc :,
lection machinery by Warmoth and other,
vas equivalent 10 t.entY thousand votes,
nd thay add that to recognise tho Aichuery 81
overnment would be recognizing
GOVERNMENT BASED UPON FRAUD. p
n defiance Of the wishes and intentions Of -
be voters of the state. Assuming the cor o;,
octaesS of the statements in this report. ~
nd they seem to have been generally ac- ~
ep;et ~ the country, the great crime in -
.ouisdua abOC. winch -. much has been f'
nd l. that one IS holding the ofice oi COS
-ror who was cheated out Of twenty thoa 10
.al ,Gs~- Sgs'nsi smother whose t.;.e 10 gi
lice is wi
UNDOUBTEDLY \ fRAes, slG
nd in defiance of the wishes and intention,
the voters of the state M.sinformed and Oh
sIudging as to the nature and extent Of wi
liS report the supporters OF McEnery pro- ha
eicd to dIsplaee by force in some counties
Tue a4lc me appOintees of Governor Nh,
ellogg. and the 18Th VI ,.pcH n an effort ~,
that kind, butchery Of citizens w. 20
mmitted at Colfax which. in bloodthirsti- -, -,
- and harhariy, Is hardly surpassed by b,,'
,.-, thi
d, VI ""~ WARFARE. Law
10 pGs this matter eeyonG controversy exc
tote irem the charge OF Judge Wooas, &c we
2 nited States circuit court. to the jury
the case OF United States rs Cruikshanks :,
ID others, in New Orleans, in March, ls74 der
Q said Uel
In the case on trial there are many flets ~
d; IN controversy. proceed 10 state some W.,
them IN the presence ana hearing of the tbe
-o'SaS ~ .o'u Sue, anu II | state as Off,
=. -. -. aty matte, t"a' Is ui>Putei, Res
TIE ORIGIN OF fEE Di!TlcoL?y -.
lich grew out of an attempt of whiie peI- ,'aT
rs to drive the parish judge and sheriff tno
ppointees of kelloge) from Office and then bee,
empted protection bv colored persons, pnh