New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-24
IooNrMUED FROM T1Rsr PAeE.I

the States was seriously affected against the
Republican party, Q change resulting large.
" from the financial distress Of the people,
and which should therefore have psturally
been greater IN Louisiana than elsewhere.
Fourth-It became the interest Of the
Conservatives, at least at that election, not
to iptimidate but to acquire bv every fair
their own interest to avoid the setting aside
of their votes. Local combinations against
the Kellogg government were made in
many parishes by men of all parties and
colOrs. In several parishes union ticket
Of colored and Conservative candidates was
voted for and elected. These causes ana
feelings naturally united to swell the Con-
servative vote in such localities exactly az
indicated by the returns.
Fifth-The entire wan. of any direct evl.
dence to show any general intimidation OF
the colored voters. The evidence certainly
indicates no general intimidation OF c0l0red
voters, and such intimidation as did exist
in the State was rather in the interest OF
the Republicans than the Conservatives:
The United States marshals, whose chief
was chairman of the Republican State Com
mittee. armed in come cases by blank war
rants and aided by federal troops, made
constant arrests before the election, but
none afterward.
The oversight of the elections and of the
returns was in the hands Of Governor kel-
loggs officials. Their count and returns did
show twenty nine majority of the members
of the lower house elected by the Conserva-
tiyes without any protest whatever, except
in three parishes, although it was their
province and duty to protest IN any case
where violence, intimidation or fraud eX-
listed. Indeed, the direct evidence az to the
election of 1874, as well az the circum.
stances, clearly indicate peaceable and
fair election. In fact, after the visit of
the first committee, and the revisit of
the special committee, the Kellogg party,
with all their machinery for collecting
evidence, were unable to produce in the en-
tire State more than half dozen persons to
testify to anything impeaching the freedom
and fairness of the late election, who were
non.0fice holders or connected with Office
holders.
After further comment upon the subject |
the committee say:
We hold, therefore, thatin November, 1874, |
the people of the State of Louisiana did |
fairly have free, peaceable and full regis |
trstlOn and election, in which clear Con. |
oorvative majority was elected to the lower |
house of the Legislature. of which majority |
the Conservatives were deprived by the 1
unjust, illegal and arbitrary action of the
Returning Board. To the resolution re.
ported to the House from the committee as
to the action of the Returning Board. we are
all agreed. We understand the committee
to be unanimous in finding the fact that
the action of the Returning Board has de-
feated the will of the people as expressed
by them at the polls on the third of NOvem-
Der, 1874. The people then elected to the
lower House of their Legislature majority
of Conservative members A portion of
the Conservative members thus elected
were refused their certificates. This is an
oct OF greatiiDjustice to the individuals. of
the gravest danger to the State and free
government, and ought to be Immediately
by any one competent to correct
it. The resolution recommending the re-
cognition of Governor Kellogg is based
upon general information and not upon evil
dence; on this point no testimony was |
taken by the committee or any part of it.
10 avoid the mischief and confusion of
change, q majority of the citizens of Louis
ANA seem willing to accept, as q compro-
mise, kellogg's recognition, and the restor
ation to the Conservatives of the control of
the lower house.
Messrs. Potter and Marshall utterly
oppose any resolution recognizing KEEL {
Ogg, finding nothing to justify the
1elief that he was ever legally {
elected, or Congress to recognize &
lsurpatiOn 80 gross and so oppressive, as
hey think, to establish precedent by s
which. under such preteXts, any State e
government may be overthrown, the will
Il the people nullified, fraud and violence {
made permanent, and republican form Of
overnment used to destroy liberty. In c
heir judgment all that is needed in Louis 7
INA is to withdraw the Federal troops and | '
cave the people Of the State to govern | g