Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-01-20
Political.
President Grants Message,

have the honor 10 make the following answer
10 Senate resolution OF the Sth instant, asking
for information as 10 any interference by any mill
itary officer any part Of the army Of the United
States, with the organization OF proceedings Of
the General Assembly Of the state of Louisiana,
or either branch thereof and also inquiring IN
regard To the existence of armed organizations In
that state hostile 20 the government thereof and
intent on overturuing such government by force.
10 say that lawlessness, turbulence and blood
shed have characterized the political Affairs Of
that state since its reorganization under the re-
construction acts, is only u repeat what has be
come well known as q part Of is unhappy history.
But II may he proper here 10 refer 10 the election
Of 1858, by which the republican vote Of the state,
through fraud and violence, was reduced to few
thousands, and the bloody riots Of 1863 1861 and
1873, TO show that the disorders there are not due
to any recent causes or to any late action Of the
federal authorities.
Preparatory to the election Of 1872, n shameful
and undisguised conspiracy was formed 10 carry
that election against the republicans without re-
gard 10 law or right and to that end the most
glanng frauds and iorgeries were committed IN
the returns after many cOlored citizens had been
denied registration and others deferred by fear
from casting their ballots. When the time came
for a final canvass Of the votes, in view Of the
foregoing facts, William I. Kellogg, the republi-
can candidate for governor, brought suit upon the
equity side Of the United States circuit court Tor
louisiana and against Marmoth and others, who
had obtained possession Of the returns Of the
election representing that several thousand voters
franchise on account Of their color and praying
that steps might be taken 10 have said votes
counted, and for general relief
To enable the couit to inquire ~ to the truth Of
these allegations q Temporary restraining order
issued against the defendants, which was at
once wholly disrcgardcd and treated with CON
tempt hy those to whom % was directed. These
proceedings have been widely denounced as an
uuwarantcd interference by the federal judiciary
with the election OF state officers. but it Is TO be
remembered that, by the fifteenth amendment TO
the constitution of the United states the political
equality Of colored citizens is secured and, under
the second section of that amendment, providing
that Congress shall have power 10 enforce its pro-
visions by appropriate legislation, an act was
passed On the 3ist Of May, 1870, and amended IN
ISL. the object Of which was to prevent the de-
nial or abridgmcnt Of suffrage 10 citizens on Sc
count of race. color, or previous condition 0i ser
vitude and 1t has been held by All the federal
judges before whom the question has arisen, in
cluding Justice Strong Of the supreme court that
the protection afforded by thi. amendment and
these acts extends 90 state well a. other cleo
tions, and that il is the duty Of the federal courts
10 enforce the provisions of the constitution Of the
United States, and the laws passed IN pursuance
thereof Is too clear for controversy.
INTERFERING wiru STATE ELECTIONS
section 10 Of the said act, after numerous pro-
visions therein 10 prevent an evasion Of the iii
teenth amendment provides that the jurisdiction
of the United States shall extend to all cases in
Law or equity arising under the provisions Of said
act and Of the act amendatory thereof Congress
seems to have contemplated equitable A. well as
legal proceedings to prevent the denial Of suffrage
To colored citizens. aud IL may be safely asserted
that II Kellogg bill in the above named case did
not present case for the equitable interposition
of the court, no such case can arise under the act
That the courts Of the United states have the
right to Interfere in various ways with state ecc
tions so as tO maintain political equality and
rights therein, irrespective Of race or color, Is
comparatively a new, and 10 some IL seems to be a
startling idea. But t results as clearly from the
fifteenth amendment 10 the constitution and the
acts that have been passed to enforce that amend
meut, as the abrogatiun Of state laws upholding
slavery results from the thirteenth amendment to
the constitution. While the jurisdiction Of the
court in Kellogg rs. Nanuoth and Others is clear
TO my mind. it seems that some Of the orders
made by the judge in that and the kindred case Of
Antoine are Illegal But while they are so held
and considered It Is not 10 Ice forgotten that the
mandates of this court had been contemptuOusly
dehed and they were made while wild scenes Of
anarchy were sweeping away all restraint Of law
and order. Doubtless the judge Of this court
made grave mistakes, hut the law allows the
chancellor great latitude, not only in Furnishing
those who contemn his orders and injunctions.
but ia preventing the consummation Of the wrong
which he has judcially forbidden.
Whatever may be said or thought of those mat
ters, 1t WAS only made known " nie that the
process Of the United States courts was resisted.
and as said act specially provides for the use of
the army and navy when necessary to enforce ju-
dical process arising Hereunder considered It
my duty Ia see that such process was executed ac-
cording to the Judgment of the court. Resulting
from these proceedings. through various CON
troYersics and complications, state administra-
tion was organized. with " illiam T. Kellogg ~
governor, which, IN the discharge Of my duty
under section g. article Of the constitution, have
recognized as the government ot the state.
1t has been bitterly and persistentiy alleged
that Kellogg was not elected Whether he was or
not is not altogether certain, nor is 1t any more
certrin that his competition Mctnery, was chosen,
no reliabls returns of It, result. Kellogg obtained
possession of the office, and in my opinion has
more right 90 it than his competitor
MANwuLAriNG TIE vogEs.
ON the 10Th Of February, 1873, the Committee
on Privileges aud Election Of the senate made
report in which they say they were satisfied by
testimony that mauipulatiou uf the election ma
chiuory by Wannoth and others were equivalent
H. twenty thousand votes and they add That o.
recognize the MckneN government would be re-
coguizin- government hasod upon fraud. in de
hanre OF the wishes and Intentions ol tie voters
Of the state Assuming the correctness 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 said, is that one is holding the Office of gov
elnor who was cheated ont uf twenty thousand
votes. against whose title to the office is un-
duuhtedly based on fraud and IN defiance Of the
wishes and intentions Of the voters of the State
Msiniorncd aud isjudging as 90 the nature and
extent Of this report, the supporters of Mctnery
proceeded to displace by force in some counties Of
the state the appontoes of toy. Kellogg, and ON
the 18th of April IN an effort of that kind,
hatchery OF citizens Was committed at tulfaN
which In bloodthrstiness and barharity is hardly
surpassed by any acts Of savage warfare
10 put this matter beyond controversy, quote
from the charge Of Judge Woods, of the United
States Circuit Court, to the lry in the of the
United States ageut CruikshanlS and Others In
New Orleans, in March, 1874. lie said, ' In the
case on trial there are many facts not in contro-
yeny. lproceed 90 state some Of them In the pres
ence aud hearing of counsel on both sides and II
state as a conceded fact any matter that is dis
putcd. they can correct me" After stating the
origin Of the difficulty which grew out Of an at
tempt of white persons T. drive the parish judge
and sheriff appointces Of Kellogg from office and
their attempted protection by colored persons,
which led 10 some fighting, IN which quite num-
ber Of negroes were killed, the judge states:
" Most OF those who were not killed were taken
priSoners' Fifteen or sixteen of the blacks had
lifted the boards and taken refuge under the floor
Of the count house They We're all captured.
About thirty seven men were taken prisonels-the
number Is not definitely fixed They were kept
under guard until dark They were led out two
by two and shot; most of the men were shot dead,
a few were wounded, not mortaily, and by pre-
tending To be dead were alterwaid, during the
night, able 10 make their escape. Among them
was the Levi Nelson named In the indictment
The dead bodies of the negroes killed in this af-
fair were left unburied until Tuesday, April 18th,
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 great major
ity in the head and the most Of them in the back
Of the head
In addition to the fifty mine dead bodies found,
some chaned remains were discovered near the
court house Six dead bodies were found undera
warehouse all shot In the head but one or two,
which were shot in the breast The only white
men injured fIom the beginning of these troubles
To their close were liadnOtand Harris The court
house aud its contents were entirely consumed
There Is no evidence that any one in the crowd OF
whites bore any lawful warrant for the arrest Of
any Of the blacks. There Is no evidence that
either Nash OF Cazabat. after the affair ever de
manded the Offices to which they had set upclaim ;
but the register continued To act as the parish
judge, and shaw as sheriff.
THE PEOPLE not RESPONSIBLE
These are the facts in this case as understand
them 10 be admitted. To hold the people of Louis
lana generally responsible for these atrocities
would not be just but Il Is lamentabe fact that
insuperabe distractions were thrown In the way Of
Furnishing these murdereIs and the so-caled con-
seryaye papers of the state not only justified the
massacre, but denounced as federal tyranny and
dcspotism the attempt Of the United States officers
To bring them TO justice. Fierce denunciations
election mattens In Louisiana, while every one Of
the Colax miscreants goes unwhipt of Justice and
way can be found in this bOasted land Of ciyili-
zation and Christianity 10 punish the perpetrators
OF this bloody and monstrous crime
Not unlike this was the massacre In August last
Several northern young men OF capital aud enter
prise had started Ia the little and ilourshing town
Of Coushatta Some of them were Republicans
and ofiice-holders under Kellogg They We're,