New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-03

Der OF persons in Louisiana. Its legality /!
doubtful. The authority of the person
chosen would be denied quite as strenu
ously as that of Governor Kellogg. With
out the presence Of United States troops w
do not believe fair election could be had
In the presence of troops we believe the
Democrats weuld refuse to take part. II
would be great calamity to Louisiana tC
excite at this time the violence and bitter
ness which an election contest would
kind)e. A government so elected would be
in substance only provisional government
The only alternative seems to be to recog-
| nize one or the other of the claimants to the
| office of Governor.
Kellogg is now in fact in office. The
| President has recognized him and states to
Congress that from the best information he
can obtain, he believes him to have been
elected The Kellogg governments a fact;
| its legality is sustained by the judicial tri-
bunals of the State; it is in active operation
IN all its departments; under it the late
| State election has been held, and on its
| certificates must depend, prim0 fucie, the
| right to their seats of the Representatives
| chosen from Louisiana tor the next Con
gress.
The McErery government exists only on
paper
Its recognition would create the most
perplexlng questions as to the legality of all
pooiIC proceedings utlu III LOUISIANA
two years past.
The recognition of Kellogg by the House
would give peace and quiet to Louisiana
until the next election. Some of us are in
cilned further to recommend additional
legislation to protect the peaceable citizens
OF Louisiana in the freedom of elections
and In the rights declared by the cOnstitu-
tional amendment. The law passed at the
short session of 1871. designed to suppress
the 3cfS known the II Klnv
was adopted with great hesitation, and was
denounced in some quarters as dangerous
to the liberties of the people. Yet it proved
an effective remedy, powerful for good but
harmless fer ill, and commanded the gen.
erai approval of the country. We feel as
deeply as anybody the objection to
suspending the writ of habeas corpus,
either for limited time or for spe.
clal emergencies or for a limited ex.
tent of territory. But when every other
legal safeguard IS overthrow, when to |
peaceable, honest, law abiding men is /
neither freedom of election, speech, of the |
press, of action, or of opinion, where there |
is no legal redress tor injuries or legal |
punishment for murder, it is but |
a mockery to leave this writ to be used
only as an instrument to enable wrongdoers
to escape punishment for their crimes. So
much OF the statute Of 1871 as authorized
the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus
IN certain cases has expired by it's own
limitation. Some of US believe that it will |
be necessary to re.enact these sections with
some notifications, and with careful re-
strictiOn of time and occasion. We do not
ncludeS any recommendation on that sub |
ect in this report.
On the whole case we are of opinion:
FIrst-Ihat there has been and is on the |
part OF the party calling themselves "the
White Mans Party in Louisiana" pur
pose to take possession by force and fraud
II the State government, without regard
o the question of who may have the nu-
nerical maj GRITTY at fair election. !
Second-Ihat in the execution of this |
purpose they have refrained and will re-
rain from the use OF no instruments which
re designed to accomplish it, whether 6
hose instruments be murder, fraud, civil :
var. or coercion of laborers by employers
Ihird-While there are many men in
heir party of more moderate views whe do ;
ot themselves use nor approve these un-
awful means, such men desire the accom-
ishment OF the same end and are power
eas to restrain their more violent associates.
kourth-Three causes have made It easier n
0 unite so large a number of whites OF :
'ouisiana in this purpose, and have render '
1t more difficult to unite the best men | t
morg them in opposition: The fact that
ne administration party of Louisiana is | =
hole negro vote, with few whites, large {
from other States; the fact that there {
as been great INSTRUMENTATION by Re- Il
ubllcan officials; the belief honestly enter +
lined by large numbers of the white people 2
louisiana that they have been twice de v
auded of the result of elections in which u
ley had been successful.
Fitth-Whle all these things are great =
-ila, much to be deplored, and likely to ex-
perate any people, the course of the whites =
emselves has tended to bring them about t.
I'd lnttame them. The simple and peace. SC
/ remedies of obedience to law, argument, 81
I'd decent treatment tor their opponents, II,
ould, ii they had pursued them, have IN
owed eflectual long ago. in
SlNth--Nhlle we believe Governor kei.
yg to have received IA majority of votes
1872, and while we believe there was VIC. =
ice and fraud which frustrated the will of
people in 1874. the illegal order OF j Judge
lreil aud the illegal conduct of the Re- ~
rning Board in attempting to cure one
ong by another naturally infiamed the =
puIar discomfort and lent plausbilitY to -
2 complaints. BY
,eventh-There has been indisputably tn
lch corruption in State and local admin TO-
ration in Louisiana. For this the Re- A,
blicans, especially under Warmoth's Ca
e, are largely responsible, although in 49,
nerous instances their opponents have DR.
III equally to blame
1ighth-The effect of all this has been to tn
al end to the authority of the law in q on on
&c portion OF Louisiana, to deprive the as
!ro OF his freedom of suffrage, and wholly on
destroy the value OF the methods pro- IA
ed by law for securing fairness at cleo :
IS and ascertaining their results. This
to OF things overthrOws republican gov
ment in Louisiana, aud seriously men J
S the whole country. ia
inth-A new election held at this time | Q,
Ter national authority is not desirable; -
S not wished for by either side, and Yer
lid intlame ard augment the evils now H na
sting. To-
enth-it is the duty of Congress to use a aal
b powers as are vested in 1t by the con. nro
utlon; it should recognize the lawful r
'ernor OF Louisiana by express resou- ST.
. We think William Pitt Kellogg the al
ice OF the majority of the voters of WI
siana, and that be should be recognized P
,rdingly. Congress should provide fur. T
safeguards for holding elections and
the result, if any can be de- N
d. -
leveith-Dut these remedies are at the IN
J temporary and superficial. curing the Il
ptoms and not the disease. Efficient aid sci
he State to establish public education ora ora
I'D have gone far to prevent the evil, will
may Yet 90 much to effect a cure. The cha
lie sentiment of the rest of the country | bet
,out distipct;op <f cont - ~ - Sec
49,. ~ ~ " pay ny w Mucn Apr
onAo'C' as ~ las dlAeduJ unfortunately Ing
8 much to aggravate, the evils in Louis A
, That peoDle should understand tbot | witt
ba antbnr;tr lodraJ ~ ~ -a.a.a1 en' RICH
nent to preserve republican government stu
to protect the rights of all its citizens this
be kindly but tearlessly and steadily iron iron
rted, and that no party in this country v view,
accept tEe alliance OF men who are late
ing power by such methods as we have | tive
cOmneIled IN 5escriha Irplasa +bis no., ! port