The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-01-14

SAeAA4 NsFA-I .WAAAA sAAs ~ ~
State Legislatute or any OF its preceding
or with any civil department Of the gov
ernment l. repugnapt 70 our ideas o
government. / can conceive Of no cas-
not involving rebellion or inSurrectior
where such interference by the authority
Of the general government ought TO b
permitted or can be justified, but there
are circumstances connected with thu
La. Legislature which seem to exempt
the military from any intentional wrong
in that matter, knowing that they had
been placed In Louisiana TO preyentdomes.
tic violence and TO aid in the preservation
Of peace. The revolution was ap-
parently, though it Is believed, not really
abandoned, and the cry Of Federal
usuEpation and tyranny in. Louisiana was
renewed with redoubled energy. The
troops had been sent to the
State under the requiSition OF the
Governor, as other disturbances SEEM
ed smminent, They were allowed to
remain there TO render the executive such
aid as might become necessary to enforce
the laws Of the State aud repreSs the con-
tinued violence which seemed inevitable
the moment the Federal support should
be Withdrawn. Prior TO and with view
to the new election In Louisiana white
men assembled themselves together in
armed bodies called White Leagues, and at
the same time threats were made in the
Democratic journals Of the State that the
election should be carried against the Re-
publicans at all hazards, which very nat
urally greatly alarmed the colored voters,
By Section s oil the act Of February %,
1871, It Is made the duty Of U. $. Mar
shalls and their deputies Of polls where
votes are cast for representatives 70 keep
the peace aud prevent any violations Of
the so called enforcement acts, and other
offences against the laws OF the United
States; and upon a reQuisition ofthe Mar.
shal Of Louisiana, and in view Of said
armed organization and other portentous
circumstances ! caused a detachment Of
troops 10 be stationed IN various
localities In the State to aid him
in the performance Of his official duties
and the enforcement OF the State laws,
The officers and troops Of the United
States may we'll have supposed that It
was their duty to act when called upon by
the government for that purpose, Each
branch Of Legislative Assembly Is the
Judge Of the election and qualification Of
its members but II mob or q body Of
unauthorized persons seize and hold the
Legislative hall In tumultuoIls and riot
Gus manner, and so prevent any Organiza.
I'm, hv lbnan io0olity roIurnaI M nlhniad
II might become the duty Of the State Ex'
ecutiYe to interposo II requested by anna
iority Of the members-elect to suppreSa
the disturbance, and enable the persons
elected toorganize the House. Any ex-
erciSe Of this power would only be justi6a.
BILE under the most extraordinary Circrm'
stances, and II would DO the duty Of the
Governor to call upon the constabulary,
or II necessary, the military force Of the
State. But with reference to Louisiana,
II Is to be borne In mind that any attempt
by the Governor to use the police force
OF that State at that time would have
undoubtedly preclpitated a bloody contlict
with the White League, as II did on the
l4th Of September. There Is no doubt
but that the presence OF the United
States troops on that occasion prevented
bloodshed and loss Of life, Both parties
appear to have relied upon them as pre-
servers OF the public peace. The first call
was made by the Democrats TO remove
persons obnoxious to them from the leg
lSlatiYg hall, and the second was from the
Republicans to remove persons who had
usllFped seats In the Legislature without
legal certificates authorizing them to
take seats, and In sufficient number to
change tho majority. Nobody was dis
turbed by the military who had legal
right Of that time TO occupy q seat In the
Legislature. The Democratic minority
Of the House undertook TO seize It's or
ganization by fraud and violence. That In
this attempt they trampled under foot the
law, that they undertook to make persons
not returned as elected, members, 80 rs to
create majority; that they acted under a
prccOncerted plan, and under false pre-.
tense introduced Into the hall men to
support them by force II neceS.
sary, and that the conflict, disorder
and riOtOus proceedings followed are
facts which seem TO be well established,
and | am credlbly informed that these
proceedings we're a part Of premeditaled
plan 10 have the House organize In this
way, and recognize what has been called
the McEnery Senate, then to dcpose Gov.
Kellogg, and so reyolutionize the State
government. Wether II was wrong for
the Governor, at the request oil ma:
iority Of the members returned as elected
10 the House, to use such means as were
In his power to defeat these lawless and
revolutionary proceedings is per haps a
debaleablc question, but 1t Is quite GER
tain that there would have been no
trouble II those who now complain Of IL
legal Interference had allowed the House
TO be organized ID lawful and regular
manner. When those who inaugurlte
disorder disavow such proceedings, II will
be time enough to condemn those who by
such means as they have, prevent the stlc-
cess Of their lawlesa and desperate
schemes, 81 .-- ..
Lieutenant. General Sheridan was re.
auested by ME 10 20 to Louisiana to oh.
serve and report the situation there, and,
II In his opinion necessary, to assume
the command which he did on
the 4th inst. after the legislative
disturbances had occurred, at nine
o'clock P. NJ, several hours after
the disturbances. No party motive nor
prejudice can reasonably be imputed TO
him, but honestly convinced by what he
has seen and heard there, he has char.
acteriEed the leaders Of the White
Leagues In severe terms, and suggested
summary modes Of procedure against
them, which, though they cannot be adop-
ted, would, II legal, soon put an end to
the troubles and disorders In that State.
Gen. Sheridan was looking at the facts,
and possibly not thinking Of the proceed.
! ings that would be the only proper ones 10
PURSUE In time Of peace, Thought more Of
The utterly lawleEs condition Of The So
riety surrounding him al The time Of his
dispatch and what would prove sure rem.
edy. He never proposed To do an illegal
4 act, nor expressed q determination 10
proceed beyond whatthe law In the future
might authorize for the punishment oil
| the atrocities which have been commit.
led, and The commission Of which cannot
be successfully denied, LISA deplorable
!. fact that political crimes and murders
have been committed In Louisiana which
have gone tinheeded and which have beer
Justified or apologi1ed for,which must resi-
IA feptoAeh Upon the State and country