The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-02-25

skltS Olr1b11itS'l- " ~ III @A4VANt sNiNthii
i proYenl than this. against Presidenl
70. s. Grapf q ca;censpiirators
e so ast
llIite issued b. :oells Stior com.
lnanding the drgcnts to disperse
within a limited time; and not till
then. can he use the military forces
This express provisions of law You
can find by turning to page 1898,
section $500, of the Revised Statutes
of the United States. In this case
nothing of the kind has been done OF
attempted to be done. Cromwell,
when he dispersed the British Par.
Lament in l64S by the military, was
no more a usurper than is President
Grant and Sheridan in this case.
He had no more right or power to
disperse that Legislature than he
will have to disperse the Forty,
fourth Congress when it shall meet
in December next. Neither the
President, nor Kellogg, nor any other
person or body on earth had the
right to judgeof the election, returns,
and qualifications Of the members Of
that Legislature except the Legisla,
turc itself.
In tha year 1865 President johnson
sent General Grant down South tc
examine and report to him the con
lition of the South. On the 18th
day: of December, 1865, among other
things General Grant used the fol,
lowing language in that report.
am satisfied that the mass .oi
thinking men OF the South accept
the present situation Of affairs in
good faith. !: :; !; & < : : :
My observations lead me to the
conclusion that the citizens of the
Southern States are anxious to re.
turn to sclf.govcrnmcnt within the
Union as soon as possible: that while
reconstructing they want andrequirc
protection from the Government
Iithat they arc in earnest IN wishing
to do what they think is required by
the Government not humiliating tc
them as citizens, and that if such q
course were pointed out they would
pursue it in good faith"
Now, after a lapse of many years,
his l.ieutenant-Gcneral reports they
are bdndiHi. During al this time
the republican party has had abso.
Lutte control throughout the United
States and in the State of Louisiana
If Sheridan speaks the truth, why
the change? 1t is because of the
great oppression, tyranny, and whole,
sale plumber under which they have
been compelled to live. But protests
loud and long come up from all elias,
ses of citizcns-nativc LouiSianians,
northern menliving there, foreigners,
merchants, tradcsmen, and ministers
of the gospel, Protestant and Catho-
lie, Jew and Gentilc-rcpelling the
foul and slanderous charge upon
them. But the denial and complete
rcfutation of these charges does not
rest here.
During this session Of Congress, in
obedience to resolution of this
House, the Speaker appointed a COM
mittee Of seven, consisting of five re-
publicans and two democrats. to visit
Louisiana and report upon the con-
dition of affairs in that State. That
committceappointcda a subcommittee
of its number, consisting of two re-
publicans and one democrat, to go to
New Orleans and take the testimony
and report in the ease. That sub
committee, after taking fifteen hun
dred printed pages of testimony,
make unanimous report in which
the @ ehsSa.ter ,out eSr Of sioss people triumph
antlv vindicated. wish time per-
mitted me to quote more at length
from that report.
A few citations from this able and
impartial report must suffice. FIRST
they say:
.The election embraced but one
State officer. The chief struggle was
over the election of members Of the
state Legislature and parish officers;
and in these elections local and per-
sonal considerations, as well as nat
ional or State politics, entered. The
returns by the commissioners Of elec-
ton, compiled and forwarded by the
supervisors of registration, gave
the conservatives maority'oftwcn-
tv-nine members out OF 4 total OF one
hundred and eleven members. In
only a few instances were there any
protestsaccompanyins these returns.
Yet the returning board under the
direction Of Kellogg found tifty.three
Republicans and ffty;three Demo
Gratis elected. As to the other five
no decision was made, their eases be
ing RENTED to the Legislature
The committee, after examining
several parishes in detail which the
returning beard acted on, say, in re-
gard to the parish Of Rapides.
Your committee are, therefore con
strained to declare that the action o.
the returning board in relectingthest
a. po,;sh of pan,Ias a nf