New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-17

| tnoH QuaunCatlOnS. As q matter of fact
however, their qualifications were passed
on oy military officer and fifteen soldiers
called IN from the street by an insubordi
nate minority. There never was even q
senDIance OF right about the matter, and
yet We have had for some weeks TO listen
10 great quanrG of smart ,tisi priu.
sophistry; Mr.. C0nkling, as might have
been expected, contributing fourteen col
unns OF 1t, showing that the presence Of
the five members made the Legislature d
rl0tous mob, and authorized armed inter
ference with its proceedings.
-Putting.a charitable construction upon
the cause of this perversion of the truth,
the REPUBLICAN is disposed to believe
the Nation. instead of intending to
originate false statement Of the con-
dition Of affairs here, has been led
into error by reading the accounts OF
them published in the Democratic press.
But this will not form even decent ex-
cuse why publication Of the pretensions
OF the one in question should be so easily
led into error that might prove dangerously
pernicious to the public good; an error
the Democrats are endeavoring to nation
alize in order that it may enable the Dem
ocratic party to elect Democratic Presi-
dent in 1876. If the Nation really
has the good of the people in view,
and is truly friend and advocate
OF republican government, it will not
give aid and comfort to any party that
attempts to gain possession Of the govern
ment by violent means. Now, if the
Nation had carefully watched the course
of events in the Southern States for the
past few years, it would have known that
the Democratic party South has been
organizing with view Of obtaining, by
fair or foul means, the possession Of tho
governments of these States, in order to
consolidate and make them unit in cast
ing their vote for the next President.
This work of the Southern Democracy,
composed chiefly of the old rebel element,
proved successful in Texas; and thus
stimulated they proposed to make it sue
cess in all the Southern States. Violence,
as in Texas, was to be the strong weapon.
Since the success of the Democracy in
Texas there has been little or no peace in
Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Ala
bama, ETC., particularly when ar election
was to be held Trouble has existed in |
these States ever since the work of re- |
construction commenced, but it assumed !
its most aggravating form as the time for
an election approached. In the fall of |
1874 an election was to be held in Louis
lana for Congressman, mem bers of the
State Legislature, ETC., and six months
prior to this event the Democrats in
Northern Louisiana and other portions of
the State commenced to organize their
White League for the purpose OF driving
prominent white Rcpu blicans from the
State, and by acts of violence preventing
colored Republicans from voting. As the
Southern Democrats had become noto-
rious for conduct of that kind, federal
md State laws had been enacted to pre-
vent its recurrence, as far as possible, by
making it's authors subject to punishment,
md instituting means to prevent the ac-
'esss OF. any party to power through
means of violence. To prevent men
rom accomplishing their political pur-
poses in this way in Louisiana the
Legislature established Returning Board
with power to change resuit in an
election, upon sufficient evidence, that it
had been arrived at through violent
means. There was ample evidence be-
ore the Returning Board in regard to
he last election in this State to show that
he Democrats had carried many of the |
'arishes claimed by them by the actual
bedding of blood; that in fact they had
a reign of terror in the State
hat precluded the possibility of any fair
nd peaceable election being held, not
the presence of United
tates troops short time before the cleo
ion. In the first place, the reign of
error had been successfully inaugurated
1onths before the troops arrived, in con-
equence of which it was impossible to
ave q fair and full registration, without q
hich there could be no fair election.
he Returning Board, according to law, /
ad canvassed the election returns aud I
sturned such men to the Legislature as !;
he Law and the evidence in the judgment
the board warranted. The five men,
ers spoken Of by the Nation as having t
cen expelled by General De Trobriand t
ere not returned as members, nor had
leir claims been passed upon by the l
gally organized House Of Representa- '
yes. The Democrats in attempting to S
.rry out their plans of violence, it is S
ne, attempted to make Mr.. Wilt Speak d
by noisily proclaiming him elected. 1t Il
also true that he rushed to the Speakers t
ask, and wrenching the gavel violently e
ON the hands Of Clerk vigers, attempted
usurp the functions of Speaker from t
% Republicans who at the time had b
ajority Of two in the House 1t is fur 1
er true that when the Republicans saw {
at it WAS impossible to enforce their t,
gal rights they protested against the 6
olent and unlawful conduct of the h
and temporarily withdrew 1
ON the House of Representatives,. 1t was a
en- that the ave members spoken of by Il
g Nation were sworn in by MIR. Wilt L
alters had reached this point when Mr.. Il
iltz called on General De Trobriand to | II