Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-01-22
INDEPEN DENCE, IOWA, FRIDAY, JANUARY %, 1875

but the law allows the chancellor
great latitude not only to Furnishing
those condemning his orders, bu,
those preventing the consummation
of the wrong which he has judicial
ly forbidden. Whatever may be said
or thought of these matters, it was
only made known to me that the pro.
cess Of the United States Court was
resisted, and as said acts specially
provide for the use of the army and
navy, when necessary to enforce judi
cial process arising hereunder, l con-
sidered it my duty to see that such
process was executed according to
the Judgment of the court resulting
from these proceedings, through vari-
Gus controversies and complications.
A State administration was organized
with William p. Kellogg as Cover
nor, which, in the discharge of my
duty, under section 4 of article 4 OF
the Constitution, / have recognized
as the government Of the State. 1t
has been bitterl and persistently
alleged that Kellogg was not elected.
Whether he was or not is not alto
gethcr certain; nor is it any more
certain that his competitor, McEnery,
was chosen. The election was a
gigantic fraud, and there are no re-
liable returns of its result. Kellogg
obtained possession of the Office, and,
in my opinion, has more right to it
than his competitor.
On the goth of February, 1873, the
Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tons of the Senate made report,
in which they say that they are salts
fed by the testimony that the manip-
ulation of the election machinery by
Warmoth and others was equivalent
to 10000 voters, and they add that to
recognize the McEnery Government
would be recognizing government
based upon fraud, in defiance Of the
wishes and intentions of the voters
of the State. Assuming the correct
ness of the statements in this report,
and they seem to have been generally
accepted by the country,
THE GREAT CRIME IN LOUISIANA,
about which so much has been done
and said, is that one is holding the
Office of Governor who was cheated
out of 10000 votes, against another
whose title to the office is undoubted-
ly based on fraud, and in defiance to
the wishes and intentions of the vo-
ters Of the State. Misinformcd and
misjudging as to the nature and ex-
tent of this report, the supporters Of
McEnery proceeded to displace by
force, in some parts Of the State, the
appointecs of Gov. Kellogg, and on
the 18th of April, in an effort of that
kind, a butchery of citizens was com
mittcd at Coltax, which, in blood
thirstiness and barbarity, is hardly
surpassed by any acts of savage war
fare. TO put the matter beyond con-
troyersy, l quote from the charge of
Judge Woods, of the United States
Circuit Court, to the jury in the case
Of the United States VS.. Cruikshank
and others, in New Orleans, in March
1874. He said: 'In the case Oh tri-
al there are many facts not in contro-
versy | proceed to state some of
them in the presence and hearing Of
the counsel on both sides, and if |
state as u conceded fact any matter
that is disputed, they can correct
me-" After stating the origin of the
difficulty, which grew out of the at
tempt Of white persons to drive the
parish Judge and Sheriff, appointees
Of Kellogg, from Office, and their at
tempted protection by colored per-
sons, which led to some fighting, in
which number of negroes were
killed, the Judge states that most of
those who were killed were taken
prisoners. Fifteen or sixteen of the
blacks had lifted the boards and ia
ken refuge under the floor of the
Court House. They were all captur-
ed; about thirty-seven men taken
prisoners; the number is not definite
ly fixed. They were kept under
guard until dark. They were led
out two by three and shot. Most of
the men were shot to death. A few
were wounded, not mortal y, and by
pretending to be dead, were after
ward, during the fight, able to make
their escape. Among them was the
Levi Nelson mentioned in the indict-
ment. The dead bodies of negroes
killed in this affair were left unbur-
led till Tuesday, April Is, when they
were buried by Deputy Marshal
and an officer of the militia from
New Orleans.
THESE PERSONS FOUND FIFTY-NINE
DEAD BODIES.
They showed pistol shot wounds,
the greater majority in the heart,
and many of them in the back of the
head. In addition to the dead found
some charred remains of bodies were
discovered near the Court House.
Six dead bodies were found under a
warehouse, all shot in the heart but
one or two, which were shot in the
breast. The only white men injur-
ed, from the beginning of these trou
blcs to their close, were Hadnot and
Harris. The Court House and its
contents were entirely consumed
There is no evidence that any one in
the crowd of the whites bore any
lawful warrant for the arrest of any
of the blacks. There is no evidence
that either Nash or Cazabat, after
the affair, ever demanded trial before
an officer who even set up a claim to
legally act; but the Register continue
ed to act as Parish Judge.
These are the facts in this case, as
l understand them to be admitted
TO hold the people Of Louisiana gen.
orally responsible for these atrocities
would not be just; but it is lament.
able fact that insuperable obstruc.
tons were thrown in the way Of pun.
ishing these murderers, and the SO.
called conservative" papers of the
State not only justified the massacre
but denounced as "Federal tyranny
and despotism'' the attempt of the
United States officers to bring them
to justice. Fierce denunciations
rinr thro,uh tho cOuntry ahout of.