The Portland daily press., 1875-02-24

throw of the State governfAeht by the White
League on the 18th ofsSeptember; the turning
out of large numbers of parish officers in the
country, compelling them to fly for their lives;
the fearful lesson of Conshatta; the forma-
ton, array and drilling of the White League,
the natural succession of the White Camelia,-
these things, in community where there is
no legal punishment for political murders,
must in the nature of things have filed with
terror people timid and gentle like the col
ored population of Louisans, even if we had
not taken abundant evidence as to special
acts of violence and crime, and their effects
on particular neighborhoods.
Mr.. Monciur, the Conservative candidate
for State Treasurer, claims majority in the
whole State of about 5000. A far greater
number of Republicans than enough to over
come this majority must have been prevented
from registration or driven from the polls. In
view of these facts we do not hesitate to find
that the election of 1874 was neither full, free
nor fair; that in large portions of the State
the usual means of instructing and persuad-
ing the people, of organizing and conducting
n cafr1paign, could not be carried on by the
Republicans without danger to their lives;
and that many more voters than were need
ed to give the Republican party complete
victory were prevented from voting at all or
even coerced into voting the white mans
ticket.
The final conclusions and resolutions of the
report are as follows:
"On the whole case, we are of the opinion:
First, That there has been and is on tn
part of the party calling themselves the white
mans party in Louisiana, purpose to take
possession by force and fraud of the State
government, without regard to who may have
,,,oioritv al a fair p1pptIOp
Second That in the execution of this pur-
nose they have refrained and will refrain from
the use of no instruments which are designed
TO accomplish it, whether those instruments
be murder, fraud, civil war or coercion of
laborers by employers.
Third, While there are many men in their
party of more moderate views, who do not
themselves use nor approve these unlawful
MEANS such men desire the accomplishment
of the same end, and are powerless to restrain
their more violent associates.
Fourth, Three cases have made it easier to
unite so large number of the whites OF
Louisiana in this purpose, and have rendered
it more difficult to unite the best men among
them in opposition the fact that the admin
straton party of Louisiana is made up
massing together almost the whole negro
with few whites largely from other Sta {;
the fact that there has been great maladmin-
istraticn by Republican officials; the belief
honestly entertained by large numbers of the
white people of Louisiana, that they have
been twice defrauded of the result of elections
in which they had been successful.
| Fifth, While all these things are great evils,
much to be deplored and likely to exasperate
| any people, the course of the whites them
| selves hastened to bring them about and in
| flame them. The simple and peaceful reme-
| dies of obedience to law, argument and decent
treatment for their opponents, would if they
had pursued them have proved effectual long
| ago. .
Sixth, While we believe Governor Kellogg
| to have received majority of the votes in
| 1872, and while we believe there was violence
and fraud which frustrated the will of the
| people in many of the parishes in 1874, the
| illegal order of Judge Durell and the illegal
| conduct of the Returning Board in attempt
ing to cure one wrong by another, naturally
| infamed the popular discomfort and lent
plausibility to complaints.
Seventh, There has been indisputably much
| corruption in the State and local administra-
ton in Louisiana. For this, the Republicans,
especially under Warmoths rule, are largely
responsible, although in numerous instances
their opponents have been equally to blame.
Eighth, The effect of all this has been to
put an end to the authority of law in large
portion of Louisiana, to deprive the negro of
his freedom and wholly to destroy the value
of the methods provided by law for securing
fairness at elections and ascertaining their re-
suits. This state of things overthrows Re-
publican government in Louisiana, and seri-
| ously menaces the whole country.
| Ninth, A new election held at this time
under the national authority is not desirable.
| 1t is not wished for by either side, and would
infame and augment the evils now existing.
Tenth, 1t is the duty of Congress to use
| such powers as are vested in it by the Con-
stitution. 1t should recognize the lawful
Governor of Louisiana by express resolution,
We think William P. Kellogg the choice OF
the majority of voters of Louisiana, and that
! he should be recognized accordingly. Con-
gress should provide further safeguards for
| proving elections and ascertaining the result,
| it any can be divised
Eleventh, But these remedies are at the
| best temporary and superficial, curing the
| symptoms and not the disease. Efficient aid
to the State to establish public education
would have gone far to prevent the evil and
may yet do much to effect cure. The pub
! lie sentiment of the rest of the country,
without destruction of party, may do
much to remove, as it has already un-
fortunately done much to ag-
| SrdVaCe L00 OWLS III lOulSldIld. IL Is utC-
essary that the people should understand
that all the authority lodged in the genera
| government to preserve Republican form of
| government and to protect the rights of all its
| citizens, will be kindly but fearlessly and
steadily exerted, and that no party in this
country will accept the alliance of men
who were seeking power by such methods as
| we have been compelled to describe. Unless
this can be done the free institutions of the
whole United States will not long survive the
destruction of those in the south.
| Whereas, both branches of the Legislature
of Louisiana have requested the special COM
mittee of this house to investigate the circum-
stances attending the election, and said COM
mittee have unanimously reported that the Re-
turning Board of that State, in canvassing
and compiling said returns andspromulgating 6
! the result, wrongfully applied an erroneous
rule of law by reason of which persons were
awarded seats in the House of Representa-
| tivesi to which they were not entitled, and
| persons entitled to seats were deprived of
them, 60
| ResolUed, That it is recommended to the
| House of Representatives of Louisiana to
| take the necessary steps to remedy the great
| injustice and to place the persons rightfully
| entitled, to seats therein.
| Resol5ed That William P. Kellogg be re-
| cognized as the Governor of the State of
| Louisiana until the end of the term of the
office ixed'by the constitution of that State.
| ~ - -
| r.