New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-23
THE WHITE LEAGUE.
Why Does it Not Disband :

the report of an interview with Genera
Ogden, sought and written out by the re
markedly clever correspondent of tn
Chicago Inter. Ocean, and which appears il
the following letter.:
NEW ORLEANS. January IA, 1875.
|, Why does not tina White League disband
This is the question to which l desire al
answer. have for several DAYS sought {
satisfactory reply; but in vain. Is its con
tinued existence productive OF good or evil
This query. too, has received attention. anc
the result of this scrutiny has been to es
tablish conclusively that The League from
it's formation has subserved only bad ends
1t is not my purpose to sketch, even briefly
the objects Of the order, for other CORE
spOndents of the Heter-Ocean have already
done that. 1t is the main question put
for it carries all others with it: Why does
not the White League disband!
While searching for only so much as a
plausible answer, yesterday interviewed
General F.. N. Ogden, commanding the
White League in Louisiana, for the purpose
of learning his explanation. He was found
sale are gunnybags and rope. The General
has seen service, and is a quiet. middle
aged, medinm.sized, unassuming, red
bearded, in .elligent gentleman. We leaned
against our respective piles of gunnysacks
while the following conversation occurred
Reporter-Genersl, why don't you. as
commander, issue an order disbanding the
White League2
General Ogden-Well,. sir, that question
hardly admits of direct answer. might,
l suppose, issue such an order, but it would
not disband the organization.
Reporter am informed the White
League is composed of companies, regi
ments and brigades, and is in many respects
essentially military. That being so, can
not understand why it would not obey your
orders, it has heretofore Obeyed them. Do
you fear insubordinationl
General Ogden-YOu do not comprehend.
To certain extent l control the League,
but its peculiar character prevents my ex-
ercising the same degree of authority as a
military commander can over his troops.
My order might disband the 25OO or more
enrolled men-in this city.
Representatives. are the active members,
are they not-the recruits who are in the
habit of drilling in the streets and at their
regular places Of meeting! They are the
forces, / suppose. that responded on che
tourteenthof September.
General Ogden-As was going to re-
mark, those are not the only members upon
whom we can rely. The White League in
New Orleans includes tor extreme occasions
almost every white man not Republican
in the city. I'VE have no armOries; every
man has his gun at his home, and at a giver
signal can turn out for offensive or leten-
sive purposes. 1t my order could compel
these citizens to give up their arms, or could
prevent them from using them, then
might disband the White League, but as it
ia q mere formal order by me could not &C.
complish this. 1t might discontinue meet
ings and drills, but the League would re-
main Just as effective as ever.
RepoEter-Why as effective as ever! Z.
Genecal Ogden-You know our people
almost to a man have seen service. They
are veterans, and have been under fire.
They are disci plined men, and can never
forget their training. 1t is years since they
wore the gray, but at a signal they could
torn ranks and as steadily give or receive
a vOlley as in ia.
Reporter-General, should judge-and
you will pardon me if misunderstood you
that you have regular army here, ready
and equipped for an emergency, the only
difference being that you do not wear uni
forms, and stack your arms singly in
closets instead Of collectively in the field.
General Ogden-Yes, it's about that way.
Rep0rter-What ciass Of men form the
League! What age!"
are nearly all young men. Many OF them
belong to our very best families, and they
are of various occupations.
epOrter-Let's see. 1t is ten years since
the close of the war; boys of ten and fifteen
then are now twenty and twenty-five. Yon
are training your young men SO as to enable
them to drill as well as their veteran fathers,
and 80 that when you say DRESS up"
they'll know what it means. Tell me,
General, briefly. why did you form this
White League!.
selves. There were companies CT colored
men marching the streets, and our people
became alarmed. They feared the negroes
might BONE day attack them or commit
and they would be defense
less; so they organized the White League,
and since then the colored men havn't
marched any in the streets.
RepOrter-Were not the colored men to
whom you refer organized as militia under
the law! Had they not a right to march
through the streets!
General Ogden Yes; but it alarmed our
people. They didn It feel safe.
Reporter-Couldn't you have organized
your White League under the State militia
law, as did the negroes'
General Ogden-Yes; but we did not
wish to do that. That would have been
a recognition of the Kellogg government,
and one of the objects of our League was to
make war ON Kellogg and his administra-
ton.
Reporter-It seems to me this is rather a
frank admission. But about these black
men parading the streets, did they ever
attack anybody!
General Ogden-Not that j am aware of;
but we were afraid they might.
-, ,,v g.
your White League the bands of negroes
Dave ceased marching. Governor Kellogg
tells me the same thing, and says the colored
militia are virtually disbanded, If not Who'll
y so. How is thatl
General Ogden-I have understood that
was the case.
Reporter-Then you have the field all
% yourselves!
General Ogden-Yes, with the exception
If Sheridan and the United States troops.
Reporter-Now, General, how long do
Tou suppose the Kellogg government would
Asst if the troops were withdrawn! How
ong before McEnery and Penn would be liz
he State House!
General Ogden-Inside of twenty. tour
.Ours. Kellogg and nearly all his officers
ire carpet baggers. They would probably
ind it convenient to take the first train out
Il town.
RepOrter-Why?
General Ogden-If you had been here
ong you would net ask that question. They
re not rightfully holding their Offices
they secured them by fraud. They have
cid them by the aid Of federal troops. and
an continue to hold them only SO long as
be troops remain.
Reporter-Do You mean to tell me that |
he Kellogg government would be over
brown. If he did not 60 without would |
'Ou drive him
General Ogden-I do not think myself |
1ould do it. but there are others who would |
g apt to i, terfere. Our people are very
and act from impulse. No one |
an control them.
Reporter-Would the threats to kill him |
nd certain other officers be carried into