The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-02-12
THE CONGRESSIONAL lNVESTiGA-
| TION.
Evidence of Conservatives.

r. II. Marr-Said he had never held
any Office or been candidate for any.
He was born in Tennessee, practiccu
law in Kentucky and finally came to
Louisiana i'll 1915.
Witness was appointed chairman OF
the Committee of Seventy, the object
of which committee was to obtain, by
legal measures, q recongnition of the
rightful government, and seek Il re-
dress of political grievances from Con-
gross.
He was President of the Baton Rouge
Convention, and contributed to the
| framing of the platform adoption in
that convention; the principal design
OF this platform was to unity all the cle-
| inents opposed to the Kellogg adminis-
| tration. He offered to place the plat
form in the record.
Precautions were taken to avoid any
measures which might be constructed
to having the appearance of intimida-
ton.
Witness made several speeches dur
ing the campaign, and often saw col
orcd men present. The election was
quietly conducted throughout the
State.
There is very little, if any, prepon-
derance of coIored votes over the
whites, reasoning from the census OF
1870. This census was taken in the
summer months, while Il great many
white people were away. In taking
the census of negroes, where the ago
was not known, is was considered as
twcnty-onc.
1t is Il capital error to suppose that
the people divided on the color line
in 1872; this was not the case, for many
negroes voted the Fusion ticket.
Tho general feeling of the people has
been that they were living under a gov
ernment which had not tho shadow OF
right to support it.
Witness stated that lie had sent no
dispatch to st. Martin such as that
mentioned by Il previous witness as
having been sent by him. His dis
patches in answer to those received by
him were all in the same words: that
none but Kellogg officials would be
recognized.
Witncs said that in his speeches hc
had declared it his opinion, and it was
the one which lie would always hold,
that no law, human Or divine, forced a
people to submit to Il usurption in an
elective government, and that they
would be justified in taking up arms; to
OVcrturn it whenever they had an op-
po1tunity.
The negroes, he said, idolized power,
and whatever party SENS to have polit-
ictt supremacy will be respected and
supported by the blacks. Hence it WAS
concluded by the Conservatives that a
firm appearance and concentration of
their party would rally more negroes to
the peoples cause than dcmcanor OF
compliance and yielding.
Witness stated that the Grant parish
case was not fully co:nprcicnicd, and
he then proceeded to narrltc the t.irr,lnl-
stances connected with that event, hi,
account being based, like that of Mr.
Brckwith, upon the evidences which
WAS taken on the trial.
After dwelling for some tim" on the
facts which were developed! on that triui
the witness came to the consideration of
other matters.
lie said that the question OF the rpla-
ton of the races, had not been Suliici-
emily considered after the war. The
blacks arc Instruments in the hands Of
politicians.
He said the Conservatives were al
most Worn out with constant rcitcrl-
tions that they had no wish to deprive
the colorcd men of their rights. The
negroes, owing to their recent state of
serVitutic, have never been free think
| ers and actors, hence they arc tools of
designing men.
MIR. Mari, before leaving the stand
| stated that as the Chairman of the Cen
tr;,l Committee, he had addressed let
| ter to Gen. Sheridan, asking Il list of the
| murders he mentioned in his report,
hut had received no answer. Also that
protection papers were given to negroes
! who had voted the Democratic tick ct
| at the clction on account of their con-
tinual complaints of being badly treated
| by their cOmratlsc.
| TO Mr.. Frye: Witness said, in an
swcr to the question upon what cvi-
dencc he formed his opinion Ola tlag OF
truce being presented to the negroes in
the Colf:,X Court House, that it was on
the testimony of an Italian, Marantini
by name, and he thought there was
other evidence besides this in the
| records of the trial.
He repeated certain expressions
which he had uttered in n speech ai
Baton Rouge which had already been
quoted in his direct examination. He
said he took an active part in the pro
ceedings of the 18th Of September and
told the people to arm themselves.
;.>f &c