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

81! issued d 0ei.sl ation com:
Imanding the 6rgents 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 1925,
section $500, of the Revised Statutes
of the United States. In this case
nothing of the kind has been done or
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 tie
right to judgeof the election, returns,
and qualifications Of the members Of
that Legislature except the Legisla-
ture itself.
In tha year 1865 President johnson
sent General Grant down South to
examine and report to him the con-
1ition 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 of
thinking men of the South accept
the present situation of affairs in
good faith. !; :; x : < < :;
My observations lead me to the
conclusion that the citizens of the
Southern States are anxious to re-
turn to sclf-governmcnt within the
Union as soon as possible: that while
reconstructing they want andrequirc
protection from the Government;
tIthat, they arc in earnest IN wishing
to do what they think is required by
the Government not humiliating to
them as citizens, and that if such a
course were pointed out they would
pursue it in good faith"
Now, after a lapse of many years,
his Lieutenant-Gcncral reports they
are JandiM. During all 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
scs of citizens-nativc LouiSianians,
northern mcnliving there, foreigners,
merchants, tradesmen, 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 a resolution of this
House, the Speaker appointed acom-
mittec 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
committecappointcd 4 subcommittee
of its number, consisting of two re-
publicans and one democrat, to 60 to
New Orleans and take the testimony
and report in the case. That sub
committee, after taking fifteen hun
dred printed pages Of testimony,
make a unanimous report in which
these foul charges are refuted and
the chsraeteruftn0se people triumph
antlv vindicated. Iwish 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:
aThe 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 elce-
ton, compiled and forwarded by the
supervisors of registration, gave
the conservatives a majorityof twen-
tv-nine members out OF a total OF one
hundred and eleven members. In
only a few instances were there any
protestsaccompanying these returns.
Yet the returning board under the
direction of Kellogg found tifty-thrce
Republicans and tifty-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 rejecting these
returns in the Parish Of Rapides and
giving the seats for that parish tothc
republican candidates, was arbitrary,