The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-03-11
CHARLES FOSTER,
WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS,
GARRISON N. POTTER,
SAMUEL 8. MARSHALL.
THE MINORITY REPORT,

THE MINORITY REPORT.
G.. F. Hoar, Chairman of the commit
tee, made the minority report, closing
with the following resolutions:
WHEREAS, Both branches of the Legislature of
Louisiana have requested the Select Committee
of the House to investigate the circumstances at
tending the election and returns thereof in that
State for the year year ls1t,S; and ,.,,n.,x
reported that the Returning Board Of that State,
in canvassing and compiling said returns and
an
were awarded in the House of Representatives
seats to which they were not entitled, and per-
sons entitled to seats Were deprived Of the them
of Representatives of Louisiana to take immediate
steps to remedy said injustice and to place the
Tha %sm keoss be recog
nized as the Governor of Louisiana until the end
Of the term of Office fixed by the Constitution Of
that State.
The majority and minority reports
were ordered printed. As the result of
the colloquy between members as to
which was the majority report and which
the minority report, it may be stated
that all the members of the committee
report against the action of the Return
ing Board that Messrs. Foster, Phelps,
Potter and Marshall unite in the MAORI
ty report that there was no general in
timidation in the State, but free and
fair election, which resulted in favor of
the Conservatives, who were deprived of
the result by the wrongful action of the
Returning Board; that Messrs. Hoar,
Wheeler and Frye unite in minority re-
port, and that Foster assents with Hoar,
Wheeler and Frye to a compromise
recognizing Kellogg as Governor, and
giving the majority in the House to the
Conservative delegates.
The report signed by Messrs. Hoar,
Wheeler and Frye is summarized under
eleven heads, which are briefly as fol-
lows:
First-That there exists in the White Mems
aa
the question who may have numerical majority at
any fair election.
they will not hesitate to any instrumentalties
which they think designed to accomplish their
end, whether the same be murder, fraud, civil
war or coercion Of laborers by their employers.
Third-While there are many white men of
moderate means who DO not themselves use ap-
prove these unlawful means, such men desire the
accomplishment of the same end, and are power
less under the leadership Of their more inauen-
tial associates.
FourM-Three causes have made it easy for the
white men to SO unite The fact that the Admin
altogether of negro votes, with few white votes,
largely from other States; the fact that there has
been maladministration by Republican officials;
that they have been twice defrauded Of the re.
suits of the successful election.
Firh-While these things are deplorable, the
to bring them about. fhe Simple and i" peaceful
remedies of obedience to law and decent treat:
ment Of opponents would, If they had pursued
sirM-W6ile we believe Gov Kellogg received
majority of votes in 1872, and while we believe
there was violence and fraud in many Of the por;
the illegal conduct Of the Returning Board in at
tempting to cure one wrong by another have
furnished substantial basis for complaints.
corruption in Louisiana. For these the Republic
can officials under Warmoth's rule are largely re-
sponsible, although many of their opponents
n4 EgS s eject ~ all this has been to put
an end to the authority of law throughout large
portion of Louisiana to deprive the negro of free
provided by law to secure fairness in elections
This state of things overthrows republican gov
eminent in Louisiana and seriously menaces the
whole country.
Ninth-A new election under national authority
is desired by neither side.
., Tsnth-congress should exercise its censtitu-
was the choice Of the majority Of the voters Of
1872, and should be recognized
EleUenth-These remedies are but superficial
LmClent euuCallOn8I ala WOulu nave zone muCn
to prevent the evil, and may do much to effect the
cure. The public sentiment of the rest of the
country, without distinction party, may do much
to remove as 1t has already unfortunately done
much to aggrayate, the evils of Louisiana. The
people should be made to understand that the
authority lodged in the National Government to
preserve a republican form of government and
to protect the rights of all citizens will be kindly
but fearlessly and steadily exercised and that no
party in this country will accept the alliance of
men who are seeking power by such methods as
we have been compelled to describe. Unless this
can be done the overthrow of the free institutions
of the whole United States will not long survive
the destruction of those in the South.