The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-02
AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTH.
,s..,, rnvesfigation-Thc ~hise
League Organization.

AFFAIRS IN THE SoUia'
,,,. rnvesfisation-Thc White
League Organization. ~.
>. n,,p,Ss. December 3l.-The con
Ne" o, committee assembled THIS morn
sseSS'|Cnr oral r \. Ogden said: am com
ing. ,;na ofHccr Of the White League IN thlS
H Is The object ard purposes OF the W mite
W! .,o ore clearly dtfiaed in their const'tu
.Mt;on The constitution was mere sholn'.'
N,'on' -naM Witness continued: our or
Wv i simply Tor dcicnsife purposes
r. condiliou Of affairs called Tor sucn an
'h' ,;ra,;on. il was established IN july,
o. ".,., c,l,rd i, the White League because
80 ,,,,,,d nn;y rely upon white people IN our
,i;,;on: with political ONCE we nave NO.
.,;m[r % do: in the city OF New orleans our
III. vi ,,;j call from $500 10 $500 men; nave
.-,,or,yr,, out OF these two regiments OF IL
e..rr and ore Of artillery; we have Objects
t'" ;hn>e regiments Governor Penn au-
te' va NO 10 organize the mi!itia when ne
CIV "n,Inc Governor; was under Governor
w. H.s orders on the 14th OF September
Sor,r Of the organizations now are armea )
: csrro, say how many, as j nave not IT.
,o;,.nd mr. rcuort>: we have no artillery.
W.; ~ W. pn,lcs: Immediately on the Or
a,,sI;on NJ the League il assumed milf
farv character. We had no afmory. Inc
1'.s ,nId hy the members Of the Crescent
go. WIN, I.,suue were obtained by them
rI,,,s w, bave had very irregular meet
;,n. Since the l4ih Of september. we nave
other companies who ! see meet often. l
,,s,., sud no orders since the l4th OF Sep
,",,I e- rccard,us drill; officers OF The com.
-. ,ttrnd % hat. | sometimes prevented
Mi The LEAGUE has not met lately Tor as
a,...;ar The ;.i>t meeting WAS about TWO
ak. ago. then called meeting OF the
Cr,.r,ut Civ White League Club. The
-'nr,inr WAS to get funds TO pay the eX-
rrp>c> of procession held after the cleo
I'm. We also pas, Il resolutions Of non-ln.
t.r,rrrnrr with the Returning Board. our
c,na has taken no political steps since the
ian 81 September. We passed no reSoiu-
lions limiting that any member should dis
cha;cp any negro VINO voted the Republican
ticket. We mad no pledge that ANYBODY
.hn,ld vote any particular ticket
E,.furc the election summoned my staff
orf., h.w other gentlemen 10 take steps TO
,,a.f,. The city. On the ID OF November l
t,ij,d n, command into three divisions.
Thy wr:, 10 place fifteen men near each poll
to prevent Disturbances. ! did this because
~, told that measures would be taken TO
create a Uua,rel. The leagues in the State
are not under NIX comm md, though l be-
Iiryc they would obey me if l issued orders.
There Is no Federal or central organization.
believe A league existed in one Of the
northern PARISHES Of the State before in New
Orleans. / DO rot know that any Republi-
c,u !, 2 member Of our club. Many colored
iN,,f from n
Lcqn<. After he election gave it TO them.
To Mr. Potter: put out men on election
day to prevent diSlul bance. rs anything OF
thu, kind would be construed into intimida-
ton. The organization grew out 0! the con-
duIUn OF our affairs here. Our people were
in terror Of tie metropolitan police, who
committed oulra-cs, and were sent out into
parishes 10 execute orders Of u>urpatiou.
The metropolitan brigade were all armed.
They turned ont on the streets and drilled
with arms. There waSa negro militia COM
pauy. heard there was a black league, but
never SaW il.
To Mr.. Foster: On the 18th Of Septem.
Der We went out on the streets 10 get arms
belonging 10 Us that were on board ship
The police were on the levee. and as we
were going to get the arms | was Informed
Of the advance OF the police. Then I formed
nv line Of battle The White League was
not IN organization formed for the purpose
OF helping the Democratic party. We helped
both parties in preserving the peace. The
meeting held that day demanded the abdica
ton OF the Government. l was acting il
concert With the people. One Of the pur
poses of the organization on the morning o
The 18th was TO get these arms. The league
did not know my purposes. acted not witt
the committee of seventy, but with the com
mittee OF citizens. My purpose that morn
Ipg was peaceful one.
70 Mr.. Potter: We surrendered the State
house 10 ColoEeI Brooks. During Penn's 90
vernOrship the CITY "as perfectly quiet. Poll
tics are pretty much divided on the color line
We made efforts 10 gain over some of the co
lorcd vote. but used no intimidation. If tht
Federal Government had not interlered ",
would have had perfect quiet here. During
the few days of the Penn government d.
not believe it would have been prudent TO
q man 10 express sympathy with the kel
l0gg government on account Of the excite
ment.
General Ogden was asked, on the conclu
sion of bis evidence, by Mr.. Potter to fur
niSh the names Of the negro men wht
called on him for protection, which he did
James Lewis (colored), late city admins
TRAITOR. testified that the colored people wer'
Republicans: don't think you can find tel
out OF a hundred who are Democrats NOR,
voted Democratic tickets this election thar
before; several reasons are assigned for tb'
cause OF the change in their vote, but l be
lieye the principal one is that they were
afraid OF losing their situations. There is ne
stcrtt organization in Rapides parish. ] ad
dressed the coored people by invitation
Twenty. seven colOred men on my planta
lion voted the Conservative ticket; there was
10 intimidation. a Federal officer told me
II was the queteSt election be ever saw. The
coored people yo,eI the Conservative ticket
because OF the lnefficiency Of the present
officials.
General Sheridan and staff arrived here
last night.
The Vicksburg AfFafr-Examination OF
the Mayor.