The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-01-28

! justified the massacre, but denounced as fed
/ eral tyranny and despotism the attempt Of the
| United States officers to bring them to Justice
Fierce denunciatiOns ring through the country
/ about officers interfering in said election mat
ters in Louisiana, while every one OF the
Colfax miscreants goes unwhipPed of justice.
! amt no way can be found IN this boasted land
| OF civilization and Christianity, to punish the
| perpetrators of this bloody and mOnstreus
| crime.
Not unlike this was the massacre in August
| last. Several northern young men Of car ital
| and ENTERPRISE had started the little and
| fourishing town OF Coushatta. Some Of them
| we're republicans and office-holders under Kei-
| logg. They were, therefore, doomed to death.
! Six OF them were seized and carried away from
| heir homes and murdered in cold blood Not
one has been punished, and the conservative
| press of the state denounced all efforts to
/ that end, ard boldly justified the crime.
| Many murders OF a like character have been
| committed in. individual cases. which rannot
here be detailed. For exsmple. T. S. Craford,
| Judge OF the parish, and the district attorney
OF the twelfth judicial district OF the state on
/ their way 20 court, were shot from their horses
| by men in ambush on the Sth Of October,
! 1873 and the wife OF the former. in COM
munication to the department OF justice, tells
a pitiful tale OF the persecution Of her hus-
| band because he was a union man. and Of the
| efforts made to seize those who had committed
q crime which. to use her language, left two
widows and nine orphans destitute. To say
! that the murder OF negro or a white repubh-
can. is not considered a crime in Louisiana
| would probably be unjust to great part OF
| the people. but it is true that great number
of such murders have been committed. and
no one has been punished therefor, and mani
festly the spirit OF hatred and violence is
stronger than the law.
Representations were made to me that the
presence OF troops in Louisiana WAS unneces-
sarv. and that there was no danger OF public
disturbances If they were taken away Con-
saduentlv early last summer the troops were
I n. EGr.-.
Of a small garrison at New Orleans barracks.
It was stated that a comparative state of quiet
had supervened and that political excitement
to Louisiana affairs seemed to be diving
out but the November election was approach
ing and it was necessary for party purposes
that the flame should he relghted. Accord
inglv on the 14th Of September ID. Il Penn,
claiming that he elected lieutenant gov
erDOr in 1872. issued infiammatory procla-
nation calling upon the militia of the state TO
arm, assemble, and to drive out the usurpers,
as he designated the officers OF the state. The
White Leagues armed and ready for the con-
fct promptly responded. On the same day
the governor made a formal requisition upon
me. in pursuance OF the act OF 1895, and sec
ton 4, article 4 Of the constitution. to aid IN
suppressing domestic violence. On the next
dav issued r.ly proclamation commanding the
insurgents to dlsperse within five davs Of the
date thereof but before the proclamation was
published in New Orleans, the organized and
armed forces recognizing a usurping govern
Ftate-house and temporarily subverted the
government, Twenty or more people were
killed. including number Of the police OF
the city. The streets Of the city were stained
with blood. All that WAS desired in the wav
of excitement had been accomplished. And
in view of the steps taken to repreas it, the
revolution was apparently. though 1t Is be-
lieved not really. abandoned, and the cry of
federal usuFpatiOn and tyranny in Louisiaua
was renewed with redoubled energy. Troops
had been sent to the state under the requisi-
tion of the governor, 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 Tepress the continued
violence which seemed inevitable the moment
federal support should be withdrawn. Prior
to and with a view to the late election in Lon
isiaua white men associated themselves to-
gether in armed bodies called White Leagues,
and at the same time threats were made in
the Journals of the state. that the election
should be carried against the republicans st
all hazards, which, very naturally, greatly
alarmed the coored voters.
BY section of the act of Feb. 2S, 1871, it
is made the duty of United States marshals
and their Deputies. at polls wnere votes are
cast for Representatives in CONGRESS-, to keep
order and prevent violations Of the go called
enforcement act, and other offenses against
the laws OF the United States. and. upon
Tequisition OF the marshal of Louisiana.
and in view OF armed organization and
portentous circumstances, l caused detach-
ments of troops to be stationed in various To-
calities in the state. to aid him in the perform
ance Of his official duties.
That there was intimidation of republican
voters at the election. notwithstanding this
precaution, admits of no doubt. The follow
ing are specimens OF the means used: On
the 14th Of October. eighty persons signed and
published the following at Shreveport:
1--WE. the undersigned, merchants of the
city OF Shreveport, in obedience to a request
OF tine Shreveport Campaign club, agree to
use every endeavor to get our employees to
vote the people's ticket at the ensuing cleo
tion and in the event of their refusal so to do.
or in case they vote the radical ticket, to re-
fuse to employ them at the expiration Of their
term OF service"
On the same day another large body of per-
sons published in the same place paper, in
which they used the following language:
ave, the undersigned, merchants of the
citv of Shreveport, alive tn the great import
ance OF securing good and honest government
to the state, do agree and pledge ourselves
not to advance any supplies or money TO any
planter the coming year, who will give employ
ment or rent lands to labOrers who vote the
radical ticket the coming election"
have no information of the proceedings OF
the returning board for said election, which
may not be found in its report which has been
published, but it ia matter Of public infor
nation that great part Of the time taken to
canvass the votes was consumed by the argu
ments OF lawyers, several of whom represented
each party before the board. I have no evil
dence that the proceedings OF this board we're
not in accordance with the law under which
they acted Whether, in excluding from their
count certain returns they were ri ht or
wrong, is a question that depends upon the
evidence they had before them, but it is very
clear that the law gives them the power, if
! they choose to exerc SO it. OF deciding that
way, and prima facie. the persons whom they
| return IA elected, are entitled to the Offices
/ for which they were candidates
Respecting the alleged interference by the
| military with the organization OF the legisla-
ArrG "a N.DrF faTo IN a ~ hn No
| knowledge or information which has not been
| received 10y me since that time and published.
/ MY first information WAS from the papers Of
| the morning of the 5th of Jsnuarv. I did
not know that any such thing was anticipated,
| and no orders and no suggestions we're ever
/ given to any military officers in that state on
! that subject prior to the occurrences. l am
| we'll aware that any military interference by
| the officers of the United States with the or
| ganization OF a state legislature or any Of its
| proceedings, or with any civil department OF
the government, is repugnant to our ideas Of
| government. / can conceive or no case not
| involving rebellion or insurTection, where such
| interference by authority of the general gov
| enment ought to be permitted or can be justi-
fed. But there are circumstances connected
/ with tie Legislative imbrogho in Louisiana
| which seem to exempt the military from any
intentional wrong in that matter.
The enforcement OF the state laws, the
officers and troops Of the United States may
| well have supposed that IL was their duty to
act when called upon by the governor for that
! purpose. Each branch OF the Legislative as
sembly is the judge Of the election and quail
/ fcatons OF its own members but il mob or
| q body of unauthorized persons seize and
hold the legislative hall in a tumultuous and
| riotous manner, and so prevent any organiza-
ton ty those legally returned as elected, il
might become the duty of the state executive
to interfere, il requested by majority OF the
members elect, to suppress the disturbance
and enable the persons elected to organize the
house ANY exercise of this power would be
justifable under most extraordinary circum-
stances, and it would then be the duty Of the
governor to call upon the constabulary, or II
necessary, the military force of the state,
But, with reference to Louisiana. il is to be
borne in mind that any attempt OF the govern
or to use the police force OF that state sc this
time, would have undoubtedly precipitated
bloody conflict with the white league, as il die
on the l4th OF September. There is no doubt
but that the presence OF the United States
troops on that occasion prevented bloodsheC
and the loss OF life. Both parties appear L
have relied upon them AS conservators of tn,
| public peace. The first call was made by tn,
I u