Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-01-21
Many murders of like character have been

L. u
Judge of the parish, and the District Attorney
# the 18th judicial district of the State. on
heir way TO court were shot from their horses
by men in ambush on the sth Of October. 1871,
and the widow of the former in a communion
ion TO the Department of Justice tells n piteous
tale of the prosecutions OF her husband because
be was Union man. and of the efforts made
10 screen those who had committed a crime
which. To Use her own language "left two
widows and nine orphans desolate." To saw
That the murder Of a negro or white Republican
l. not considered crime in Louisiana would
probably he unjust 10 great part of the peo-
pie. but it is true tina; a great number-of such
murders have been committed. and no one has
been punished therefor. and manife>tly To them
the spirit Of hatred and violence i stronger
than law. Representation Wa. made to me
that the presence of troops in Louisiana was
and irritating to the people. and
that there was no danger Of public disturbance.
II they were taken away; consequently early
IN last summer the troops were all withdrawn
from the State with the exception Of u small
garrison at the New Orleans barracks. II wa.
claimed that comparative state OF quiet had
supervened. The political excitement A. TO
Louisiana affairs seemed To be diving out, but
the November election was approaching. and
Il was necessary for party purposes that the
dame should be rekindled. Accordingly on the
l4ih OF september. u. Penn claims that he was
elected Lieutenant-tiovernor in lS12. issued an
infiammaiory proclamation calling upon the
militia Of the State to assemble and 10 drive
from power the usurpers. A. he designated the
officers Of the State. The White leaguers.
armed aud ready for the conflict. promptly ~
spondcd. On the same day the Governor
made formal rcqu>iton upon me. pursuant
to the act of 1873. and section 4 Of article of
the constitution. Ia aid in suppres>ing demon
straiiye violence. ON the next dav issued one
proclamation commanding the insurgents 10
di>pcr>e within five DAYS OF the date thereof.
but before the proclamation was published in
New Orleans, the organized and armed forces,
recognizing u>urplng Governor had taken
forcihle possession Of the state House and
temporarily -ubNerted the government. TWEEN
N or more people were killed. Including mem
Der Of the police Of the city. The streets OF the
city were stained with blood. All that was de-
sired in the way Of excitement had been ac-
compli>hed. That there was intimidation Of
Republican voters at the election. notwith-
standing these precautions. admits Of no doubt.
The following are specimens used on the iith
of October. Eighty persons signed and pub
li>hel the following AT Shreveport
We the undersigned merchants Of the city
Of Shreveport. in oh -dicnce 10 a request Of the
Shreveport campaign club. agree to Use every
cndeaYor to get employees To vote the peoples
ticket al the ensuing election. and in the event.
/ of their refusal Ia do. or in case they vote
the radical ticket 10 refuse 10 employ them Al
/ thu expiration Of their present contracts"
ON the same day another large body Of per
! sons published in the same place a paper. in
which they used the following Language:
We. the undersigned merchants Of the city Of
Shreveport, alive to the Importance of >"CIir-
/ iug good and honest government 10 the State.
( do agree and pledge ourselves not to adS ancr
any supplies or money 10 our planters the com
4 ing wear who will give employment or r,.ut
/ land 10 laborers who votrihc radical ticket in
! the coming election
1 nave m Information Of the proceedings ot
the returning board for said election. which
ia h.-
published. but it i a matter of public inf,rna-
ton that 4 great part Of the tim" taken - can-
! Va>> the votes was consumed hy the arguments
Of LAWYERS. several of whom represented each
party fore the board. | have no evidence
that the proceedings of this board were not in
accordance with the law under which ihey act
I cd. Whether in excluding from their count
certain returns they were right or wrong i
question that depends upon the evidence thcl
had before them. but it j. very clear that th'
law gives them that power if they choose {,
exercise it in deciding that it wa, primI ficis
and that the persons whom they return a
elected arr entitled to the Offices for which the,
We're candidates.
Respecting the alleged interference hy TIA,
military with the organization OF the Legisla
ture Of Louisiana on the ith inst. | have u,
knowledge or Information which has not beer
received by me since that date and pub.
li>hed. Ny first information was from th'
papers on the morning Of the 9Th. did no
know that any such thing was authorized an,
no orders nor suggestions were ever giyea I,
any military officer in that state upon tina
subject prior 10 the occurrancc. am wei
aware that any military interference by In
officers or troops Of the United States with III
organization of a State Legislature or any OF III,
proceedings. or with any civil department o
the government. i rrpugnant 10 our idea a
government. | can conceive Of no case inyolV
lng rebellion or instruction where such inter
FSaaGGs Rx t9e general so'ernmen, ought 10 b
lative imbrOglio in Louisiana which seem 1
exempt the military from any intentions
wrong IN that matter, knowing that they wcr
placed IN Louisiana 10 prevent domestic No
ience and aid 10 repress il.
The revolution wss apparently. though it /
believed not really abandoned. and the cry O
, federal u,urpatlon and tyranny in Louisani
! was renewed with redOubted energy. Troop
had been sent 10 the state under the requisii0
: OF the Governor. and A. other disturbance
! seemed imminent they We're allowed to remain
: there to render TO the executive such aid a
might become necessary TO enforce the laws Il
the state and reprcss the contaued yiol-nt-
which seemed inevitable the moment fedora
support should be withdrawn. Prior. 10 an,
: with view TO, the late election in Louisiana
Whlte men associated themselves in arm,
bodies called White Leagues, and NJ the sam
time threats were made in the Democrats
journals Of the state that the election should b
carried against the Republicans at all hazards
which naturally greatly alarmed the coloTe,
voters. BY section of the act Of fa.bruar
18Th le11, II l. made the duty Of United Stale
marshals and their deputies al the polls wher
votes are cast for representatives in Congres
10 Keep the peace and prevent sny violation
o. the so-cslled enforcement scts and other OF
fences against the laws of the United states
and upon the requi.ition of the marshal Of Lou
l>lana. IN view OF said armed organization
Cnd other porientou. circumstance | eau. e,
ii detachment Of troops to be- stationed in yari
ou> localities in the state TO aid him in the per
iormance OF his official duties aud the enforce
ment OF the state laws. Tie officers and troop
oil the nIted states may have supposed that /
was their duty 10 act when called upon by In
Governor for that purpose. Each branch o
the legislative assembly is the Judge of tn
election and the qualification OF il. own mem
ber>, but If Il mobor a body of unauthorize,
persons seize and hold the legislative hall in
tumuituous and riOtous manner, aud pre-
vent any organization by those legally returne,
a. elected, II might become the duty OF the stat,
executive 10 lnterpose, if requested by a ina
Jorlty OF the members elected. TO suppress. th
disturbance and enable the persons elected t,
organize The House Any exercise OF thi
power would only be Unsuitable under most eX
traordinary circums ances, and il would ihel
BE- the duty of the Governor to call upon tn
constabulary, or If necessary the military fore
Of the state. But with reference TO Louisi2n
Il Is to be borne in mind that any attempt b.
state at this time would have undoubtedly pre-
clpitated bloody conflict with the Whit
League as il did on the lith, OF sept.
There Is no doubt but that the presence o
nlted States troops upon that occasion pre-
vented bloodshed and loss of life. Both par
ties appeared TO have relied upon Thorn a. con
Nators OF the public peace. The first cal
Was made 10y the Democrats TO remove per
sons obnoxious 10 them from the iegslatiy,
hall. and the second was from the Republican
TO remove persons who hS1 usurped the seat
in the Legislature without legal certificates au
thorizing seats, and In sufficient number I,
change the majority, Nobody was disturbe,
by the military, who had legal right at tina
tune TO occupy Il seat in the Legislature
That the Democratic minority of the House un
dertook TO seize its organizations by fraud an,
violence. and in this attempt they trample,
under foot the law, that they undertook {,
make persons not returned a. elected mem Der
80 as to create majority. that they. under .
preconcerted plan and under false pretenoe-
introduced into the hall body OF men TO cup
port their pretensions by force if necessary
and that conflict, disorder and riotous proceed
ings followed, are facts that seem TO he wei
established. And / am eredibly informed tina
these violent proceedings were part of pre-