Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-01-23

VIZ VIZ c"uo wy WuoNuVs wv ~
body Of persons published in the
same place q paper IN which they
used the following language:
We. the undersigned. merchants of the city
of Shreveport, alive TO tho great Importance
Of securing good aud honest government To
the State, do agree and pledge ourselves not
to advance any supplies or money 70 any
planter. tho coming year, who will give ON
ployment or rent land 10 labOrcrs who vote
the Radical ticket ut the coming election.
THE RETURNING HOARD.
I have no Information Of the pro
ceedings of the Returning Board
for said election, which may not be
found IN its report which has been
published, but 1t Is a matter Of pub
lie information that great part Of
the time taken to canvass the votes
was consumed by the arguments OF
lawyers, several OF whom represent.
ell each party before the Board. l
have no evidence that the proceed
ings Of this Board were not in &C.
cordance with the law under which
they acted. Whether in excluding
from their count certain returns
they were right or wrong is Il ques-
ton that depends upon the evidence
they had before them but it is very
81 car that the law gives them the
power, if they choose to exercise it,
of deciding that it was prima facie,
and that the persons whom they re-
turn as elected are entitled to the
Offices for which they are candidates.
THE ISSUE OF THE HOUR.
Respecting the alledged interior.
ance by the military with the organ.
ization OF the Louisiana Legislature
on the 4th inst, l have no kmOwl-
edge which has not been received
by me since that time aud publish
ed. My first information was from
the papers on the morning of the
9Th. did not know that any such
thing was anticipated and no orders
nor suggestions were ever given to
any military officer in that state up
on that subject prior to the occur.
renee. l am well aware that any
military interference by the officers
or troops Of the United States with
the organization of IL state Legisla-
ture, or with any of the proceedings,
or with any civil department of the
Government, is repugnant to our
ideas of government. l can con.
ceive of no case not involving rebel
lion or insurrectiOn, where such in
reference, by authority of the Cen
cral Government, ought to be per-
mitted or can be justified.
NO INTENTIONAL WRONG DONE BY THE MIL
IrARY.
There are circumstances connect
ed with the late Legislature i'm
broglio in Louisiana which seem to
exempt the military from any in
territorial wrong in the matter, they
knowing that they had been placed
in Louisiana to prevent domestic
violence and to repress it. The rev.
olution was apparently, though it is
believed not really, abandoned, and
the cry of Federal usurpation and
tyranny in Louisiana was renewed
with redOu5led energy. Troops
had been sent to the state under
this requisition OF the Governor,
and, as other disturbances seemed
imminent, they were allowed to re-
main there to render the Executive
such aid as might become necessary
to enforce the laws of the state and
repress the continued violence
which seemed inevitable the mo-
ment Federal support should be
withdrawn. Prior to and with a
view to the late election in louisa
ma, white men associated themselves
together in armed bodies called
White Leagues, and at the same
time threats were made in the Dem
ocratic journals of the state that
the election should be carried
against the Republicans at all haz-
ards, which very naturally greatly
alarmed the colored voters.
THE DUTIES OF FEDERAL OFFICERS.
By section 9 of the act of Feb.
%, 1871, it is made the duty of
United States Marshals and their
deputies at the polls, where votes
are cast for representatives in Con-
sress, to keep the peace, and pre-
vent any violations of the So called
acts, and other offences
against the laws of the United
States, and upon requisition of the
Marshal of Louisiana, in view of
said armed organizations an Il other
circumstances, l caused
letacnments of troops to he station
ed in various localities in the state
to aid him in the performance of his
official duties, the enforcement of
the State laws. The officers and
troops of the United States may
nave supposed that it was their du-
" to act when called upon by the
Governor for that purpose. Each
branch Of the Legislative Assembly
$ the judge of the election and quail
ication of its own members; but if
! mob or body of unauthorized
persons seize and hold the legisla-
i've hall in u tumultuOus and riot
JUS manner, and 30 prevent any Or
,anization by those legally returned
Is elected it might become the duty
# the State Executive to interpose,
f requested by majority of the
elected, to suppress the
disturbance and enable the mem.
'ers elected to organize the House.
Any exercise of this power would
My be justifiable under most extra