Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-01
NEW ORLEANS
Further Testimony Before the
Congressional Committee.
Gen. Ogden States the Objects
and Purposes of the White
League.
Not a Political Organization, but
a COnseryatOr of the Peace.
Testimony Of Gen. Ogden.

u
States Circuit Court, a large number o
spectators being present. The first Eitnes,
called was Gen. W. n. F. Ogden. whc
said:
l am the commanding officer of the
White League in this CITY. The obiec
and purposes Of the White League are
clearly defined in their constitution, TTbt
constitution was here submitted and read. I
Our organization is simply for defensive
purposes. The condition of affairs in
Louisiana called for such an organization
1t was established in July, 1874. We
called it the White League, be-
cause we could rely only on
the white people in our condition.
With political Offices we have nothing
to do. In the city of New Orleans our roll
viii call $500 to 5000 men. l have or
| gained out Of this number two regiments
! Of infantry and one Of artillery. We have
I officers for these regiments. Gov. Penn
aUthOrized the men 10 organize as militia
! when he was acting Governor. Was under
! Gov. Penn's orders on the l4th Of SeItem-
/ Der. Some Of the organizations now are
armed. l cannot say how many, as l have
/ not received my reports. We have no ar
! tillery, only what We made ourselves for
/ the 18th Of September. Some of the arms
captured on the 18th of September were
captured by parties outside Of my COM
mand. Those Immediately under my COM
mand took none Of the captured guns.
Some Of those outside who took guns have
since reported and claim to be members Of
| the Leagu6. do not know the strength
of the League in the parish.
To Mr.. Phelps-Immediately on the or
ganlzatiOn Of the League, it assumed y
military character. We had no armOry.
The guns held by the members of the
secret society white League) were OBJ
tanned by themselves. We have had very
irregular meetings since the 14th of Sep
TENDER. We have other companies who,
L see, met Afterwards. / issued no or
ders since the 18th of September. Regard
ing drill, the officers of the company at
tend 10 that. l sometimes attended drill.
We have no arInOries that l know Of The
League have not met lately for discussion.
The last meeting was about two weeks ago.
l then called a meeting Of Crescent CITY
White League Club. The meeting was to get
funds TO pay the expenses Of a procession
held after the election. We also passed
resolutions of nOn-interference with the
Returning Club. This club was really the
only club Of the league organization. Our
club has taken no political steps since the
18th Of September. We passed no resolu-
tiOns intimating to any member to dis
charge a negro who voted the Republican
ticket. We had no pledge that any body
should vote any particular ticket. Before
the election l summoned nv staff and a
few other gentlemen, 10 taSe steps TO police
the city on the End Of November. 1 divi-
ded my command into three divisions, one
under command OF Col Behan, another
under Col. Glynn, and a third under
Major -. They were to place fifteen
men near each poll to prevent disturbances.
did this because / was told measures
would be taken to create a quarrel. The
Leagues in the State are not under nv com
mand, though l believe they would obey
me f issued orders. There is no central
or Federal organization. / believe the
League existed in one of the northern par
ishes of the State before New Orleans.
don't know that any Republican Is a mem
Der Of our club. A gentleman who was in
the Federal army fell with us on the l4th
of September. New Orleans is not as pros
porous in business as heretofore. The de-
cline OfprOsperity in New Orleans is owing
TO our administration. Some uf our trade |
with Texas has been taken away by st.
Louis. don't know whether the loss
of our Texas trade is the cause
of the decline. Ny men informed
me that many cOlOred men voted the Con |
seryative ticket at the election. Many |
cOlOred men came to me for protection |
from the Republicans after the election |
and gave it to them.
To Mr.. POtter| put out men on cleo |
tion day to prevent disturbance, as any
thing of the kind would be construed into |
intimidation The organization grew out |
of the condition Of our affairs here. Our |
people we've in terror of the metropolitan |
police, who committed OutraSes, and were |
sent out into the parishes to execute the /
orders Of the Usurpa,ion, The metropOli- /
tan brigade were all armed. They turned |
out on the streets and drilled with arms. /
There was a negro militia. I heard that /
there was a black league, but never saw it.
To Mr.. FOster-On the 18th Of Septem-
Der We went out on the streets to get arms /
belonging to US, that were on board a ship. |
The police were on the levee, and as we
were going to get our arms, was informed 1
Of the advance Of the police. Then l /
formed my line Of battle. The White
League was not an organization for the pur-
pose Of helping the Democratic party. We
helped both parties in preserving the peace.
The meeting held that day demanded the
abdicatiOn Of the government. was act
ing in concert with the people. One Of the /
purposes Of the organization on the morn
ing of the l4th Of September was to get
these arms. The League did not know my /
acted not with the Committee /
Of Seventy, but with a committee Of citi-
zens. My purpose that morning was not a
peaceful one.
To Mr.. POtteT-We surrendered the
State House to Col. Brooks. During PENIS
the city was perfectly quiet.
The police are pretty much divided on the
color line. We made efforts to gain over
some of the colOred vote, but used no in
timidaiiOn. If the Federal Government
had not interfered, We would have had per-
feet quiet here. Duringth few day 5 ofthe
Penn government, l do lot believe it
would have been prudent for mar to have
expressed sympa' ny with the kellogg gov
eminent, on account Of the excitement.
Gen. Ogden was asked, on the conclusion
Of his evidence, by Mr.. Potter, 10 furnish
the names Of negro men who called on him
for protection, which be did.
A witness Tells What He Believes,
But Knows Nothing.
iStratOr, testified that he was acquainted
with the condition Of the cOlOred people.
Politically, they are Republicans. Don't
think you can find ten out of hundred
who are Democrats. More voted the Dem
Ocratic ticket this election than before.
Several reasons are assigned as the cause
of the change in them vote, but l believe
the principal one is that they were afraid
If losing their situations. There was no
secret organization among the cOlOred peO-
pie. Knew Of no reason why the whites
should have feared negro violence. Never
saw coIOred men drilling who did not be-
long TO the militia. There were only
about half dozen Democratic
negroes in the Third Ward.
There were about fifteen in the procession
from the Seventh Ward. Colored Demo-
cratic clubs existed on paper, not in reality.
| do not think there was a Democratic club
of fifteen men in the city al any /
time. Think about l.S00 voted the Con-
ticket. Some of them told me
they voted the Republican ticket, wrapped
up IL the Conservative ticket, for fear Of
being detected. Believed some few of them /
were rewarded by appointments. 1t is said
that many whites, who, if they had been
allowed to exercise their political views,
would have voted the Republican ticket.