The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-03-05
Majority Report of the Louisiana In.
vestigating Committee.

The following are the conclusions arrived at
by the majority OF the Louisiana investigating
Committee, as embraced in their report 70 the
House of Representatives at Washington;
The undersigned, majority of the Committee on
the State of the South respectfully report that they
cannot agree 10 the report made to the committee by
Mossrs Hoar Wheeler and Frye The laws inimical 10
the coored people of Louisiana, referred 70 in their
report have been repealed for years Except during
the schsm Of Gov. Warmoth, in 1872, the Republican
party has long had control of the machinery Of tho
State The late registration shows an excess of the
colored the white voters giving 907Sl colored
to 76,S23 white In the absence of any direct evil
dence that the late election not free and fair,
the assumption OF the minority, that enough colored
voters must therefore have been prevented from
voting at tho late election by the recollection of the
Colfax and Coushatta killings (the causes and CIR
cumstances of which are disputedl and by other
acts which occurred years before, to have changed
the result Of the election throughout the State is
assumption violent, when 1t is recollected that
both those parishes elected the full Kellogg ticket
by increased Republican major1ties, az not to be
ceiyed If any other cause for tine vote of the State
can be found. Such causes exist and are obvious.
Among them are:
Fyrst-The registration incorrect, and exceed
ed the true colored vote. The registration was
wholly in the hands of the Kellogg officials, with
whom Republican committee, with United States
Marshal Packard at thoirhead, co-operated. In only
three parishes did the Republican Supervisors of
Registration make any complaint OF unfair or in
sufficient registration. On the other hand, very
great complaint was made by the Conservatives, who
specified, with proof, 200 cases of conceded false
registration in New Orleans alone, and those Con-
servatves who had been cooperating in the Joint
party committee to fair registration gave up
the effort in despair. The census of 1870 the cor
roctncss of which il not impeached, showed S1,O16
whites and 1913 colored males II years OF age
All tho statistics and evidence before us indicated
no change in this proportion in favor of the colOrcd
voters Yet the registration OF colored voters eX
ceeded by 1000 the total number of adult males re-
turned by the census, while the registration of white
voters 10000 less.
r1.alo ,1,or Of ofa
1676O7. OF these 146,523 voted. This is
larger proportion of registered voters than usually
vote in any of the Northern States. In an agricult
ura State, scantily settled, where long Journeys had
often 10 be made to reach the polls IL IL unreasona
BILE to suppose that greater proportion OF the regis
tered blacks would have turned ont 10 sustain the
government under which the prosperity of the State
and their wages declined than usually vote at elcc
tions North or South.
Trd-The year 1874 was one of political changes in
which the vote throughout all the States was seri
ousy affected against the Republican party--a
change resulting largely from financial distress OF
the people, and which should therefore naturally
have beOn greater in Louisiana than elsewhere.
FOUrtt-It became the interest OF the Conserya-
tves at least at the last election, not TO intimidae,
but to acquire by every fair means the colored voe
Parties who were alleged to have threatened the
blacks even with refusal of employment were subject
TO prompt arrest. 1t known that pTetexts would
be sought to deprive the Conservatives OF the result
ii they prevailed in the election. 1t therefore
their interest TO avoid giving any such protexts.
Accordingly, they determined everywhere 90
operate with ana cOnCi1ate TIE blacks. Inty voted
down the propositions or suggestions which were
made in the early part of the campaign for refusal
TO employ those colOred voters who would not CO
operate with them, and generally sought by COM
bining with colored voters to carry the election.
Local combinations against the Kellogg candidates
made in many parishes by men of all parties
and colors. In several parishes a Union ticket of
colored and Conservative votes was voted for and
elected. An intelligent colored witness testified that
he Z" desired better government" and to that end
"waa willing TO swallow the Whit man if the white
] would swallow the cOlOroQ." These causes and
feelings naturally united to swell the Conservative
vote in such localities, indicated by the returns
Ffrh-The entire want of any direct evidence to
show any general intimidation OF colOred voters OF
course, in 40 large State it would be impossible
there should be no instance of refusal TO employ
of intimidation. Such occur in every State but tho
evidence certainly indicates no general intimidation
OF colorcd voters, and that such intimidation did
exist in the State rather in the interest of the
Republicans than of the Conservatives. United
States AIarshas, whose chief the Chairman Of
the Republican State Committee, armed, in some
cases, With blank warrants of arrest, and aided by
Federal troops, made constant arrests before the
election, bnt not afterward. The oversight of the
election and returns were in the hands Of Gov.
Kellogg's officials Their account and return did
show twenty-nine majority of members Of the lower
house, elected by the Conservatives, without any
protest Whatever except in three parishes, although
/ 1t was their province and duty TO protest in any
case whore violence, and intimidation, or fraud
existed Indeed the direct evidence 10 the election
of 1874, as well the circumstances, clearly
indicate peaceablo and fair election. In fact,
after the visit of the first committee and revisit of
the special committee the Kellogg party, with all
their machinery for collecting evidence, were un-
able TO produce in the entire State than half
dozen persons to testify to anything impeaching
the freedom and fairness of the late elections who
were not oficehoders connected with oficehold-
ers. Against such facts 1t seems to us idle to
sumo that the disturbances wildly pictured by
the minority could have kept up throughout the
State such feeling of intimidation would justify
the assumption that but for that feeling the State
/ would have gone Republican. All experience shows
that the result Of the election OF 1874 in Louisiana
as returned to the Returning Board, natural
and to lie easily accounted for by tho reasons we
have given. We hold, therefore, that in November,
1874, the people of the State OF Louisiana did fairly
\ have free, poaceabie and full registration and
election, in which clear Conservative ajority was
u elected to the lower house of the Legislature, of
which ma joriy the Conservatives were deprived by
the unjust, illegal, and arbitrary action of the Re
! turning Board. rIf
To the resolution reported to the House from the
committee AZ TO the action OF the Returning Board,
we are all agreed. We understand the committee 10
be unanimous in finding the fact that the action OF
the Returning Board has defeated the will Of The
people as expressed by them at the polls in Novem-
\ Der, 1874. The people then elected TO the lower
house of their Legislature a majority of COnserya-
\ tive members. portion of the Conservative mel
bers thus elected were refused thor certificates.
tho avest danger 10 the state and free government
and ought to be immediately corrected by any power
! compotentto correct IT,
The resolution commanding the recognition of
Gov. Kellogg is based upon the general impression,
| not upon evidence On this point no testimony was
taken either by the committee or any part OF H.
Kellogg may or may not have been elected IN 49,
but there isn evidence 10 show the fact or II there
be II has been neither sought nor found by this com
mittee. .. -,
Messrs. Foster and Phelps think that the
popular belief, taking both Conservative ano