Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1875-01-20
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
White League Violence In Lou
iSiana Reviewed.
Kind Words for LaW-Abiding
Southern People.
Fair Warning for White LeaguerS
and KukluX,
Grant First Read Of Military In
reference in the Press.
WAsHINGToN, January -.

.
[ have the honor to make the follow
| ing answer 10 Senate resolution Ut
| the S.h inst, asking for information as
| 10 any interference 10y any military
officer or any part Of the army OF the
| United States with the organization or
proceedings of the General Assembly
/ of the State of Louisiana, or either
| branch thereof, and also inquiry III re-
/ gard to the existence OF armed OrgauI-
| cations in that state hostile 10 the
I government thereof and intent on
uverturuiug sucu government by force.
| 70 say that law lessLess, turbulence
Z and BIO Iusned have characterized the
I political affairs Of The state, since lls
Reorganization under the rcconstruc-
| ton acts, is only to repeat what has
| become well known Us u part Of It's uu-
[ happy history. BuL u may be proper
I here TO refer To the election OF 1865, by
which the Republican vote OF the slate,
| through fraud aud violence, was re-
| duced 10 few thousands, and the
| bloody riots of 1866 anu 1865, 20 show
| that the disorders there are not due 10
any recent CAUSES OF 10 any late action
/ OF the Federal authorities.
/ Preparatory To tue election of 1872,
| a shameful and undisgulsed conspiracy
| was formed 10 carry that election
against the Republicans without re.
gard to law or right, aud TO that end
| The most glazing frauds and fOrgeries
were committed in the returns, after
many colored citizens bad been denied
abstraction, and Others deferred
/ by fear from casting their ballots.
/ When the time came for "a final can
/ vass Of the votes, in view OF the fore
going facts, William 2. Kellogg, the
! Republican candidate for Governor,
brought suit upon the equity side of
the United States Circuit Court, for
| Louisiana, and against Warmoth and
others who had obtained possession of
the returns of the election, represent
inc that several thousand voters of the
State had been deprived OF The cleo.
tive franchiseOn account of their color,
and praying that steps might b. la
ken 20 have said votes counted and for
general relief. TO enable the Court to in
quire as to thetruth ofthese allegations
a temporary restraining order was issu-
ed against the defendants, which was
at once wholly disregarded and treated
with contempt by those to whom il
was directed. These proceedings have
been widely denounced as an unwar-
rantable interference by the Federal
Judiciary with the election Ol
State officers, but it is TO he remember
ed that by the 18th amendment to the
Constitution Of the United States, the
political equality Of the colored citi.
zens il secured and under the "a Sec
ZION Of that amendment, providing
that Congress shall have the power t.
b. enforce its provisions by appropriate
10 "a FagzEI thu
, 3lst of May, 1870, and amended il
1871, the object of which was to pre-
vent the denial or abridgment of tn,
r. suffrage to the citizens on account o
q race or color, or previous condition o
/ seryitude, and it has been held by al
: the Federal Judges before whom tn
b question has arisen, including Justic
j Strong, of the Supreme Court, that tn
e protection afforded by this amend
= ment, and these acts extend 10 Stat
4, as well as other elections.
al That it il the duty of the Fedora
n J Courts to enforce the provisions of III
q Constitution of the United States an
d the laws passed in pursuance thereC
g is too clear for controversy, and Sectio
- Of said act, after numerous prov
i sions therein To prevent an evasion {
.. the 10Th Amendment, provides that tn
,e jurisdiction of the Circuit Court of III
~ United States shall extend to all cas-,
to in law or equity arising under the pr,
IN visions Of said act, and Of the a,
ne amendatory thereof.
ir Congress seems to have contempt
9. ted equitable az well as legal proceed
l. ings, TO prevent the denial Of suffIal
II to colored citizens, and it may be SAT
lc ly asserted, that if the Kellogg bill
The above named case did not preset
a case for the equitable interpOsitiC
Of the court, no such case ca
arise under the act. That the cour
IT. Of the United States have the right
lac interfere in various ways with Sta
I'm elections, so as to maintain polite
ed equality and rights therein irrespecti'
r. of race or color, is comparatively ne
Of and to some IL seems 10 be, startlir
ut idea, but it results as clearly from Il
.r. 18th Amendment 10 the COnstitutiO
th and the acts that have been passed
Ia enforce that amendment, as the abr
g.. CATION OF State laws, UNFOLDING II
-. very, results from the 18th Amen
u ment TO the Constitution. While Il
up jurisdiction of the court in the case
not kellogg vs.. Warmoth aud others
nm clear 10 my mind, il seems that son
mt Of the orders made by the Judge
ut that and the kindred case OF Anton
hc were illegal.
lt. But while they are 50 held al
ui considered. il is not 20 be ioTgOtte
that the mandate Of this Court h'
been contemporary deiied, and d.,
IA. were made while wild scenes
,i anarchy were sweeping away all !
"a straint of law and order. DOubtlC
Ir the Judge Of this Court made era
.fo mistakes, but the law allows the Cha
"a. cellOr great latitude, not only in pa
nd i-uing those who condemn his Ordt
,u- and injunctions, but in preventing I
III contamination Of the wrong which
I'm has judicially forbidden. WhateI
s.. may he said or thought Of those m
sp tiers, it was only made known TO l
that the process Of the u. s. Cot
was resisted, and as said act specia
sin provides for the use Of the army a
ed navy when necessary 10 enforce juI
on cial process arising hereunder, | O.
sidered it my duty TO see that 81