Wilmington journal., 1875-01-15

deayor to get our employees to vote
the peoples ticket at the ensuing cleo
ton, and in the event of their refusal
SO to do o in case they vote the Radi-
cal ticket to refuse to employ them at
the expiration of their present con-
tracts"
On the same day another large body |
of persons published in the same place |
paper Ill which they used the follow
ing language:
eve, the undersigned, merchants of |
the city of Shreveport, alive to the |
general Importance of securing 4 good |
and honest government to the State, |
do agree and pl dge ourselves not to
advance any supplies Or money to any
planters the coming year, who will
give employment or rent lands to Ia
borers who vote the radical ticket in
the coming election.
L have no information of the pro-
ceedings of the returning board for
said election, which may not be found
in its reportw hich has been published,
but it is a matter of public information
that a great part Of the time taken to
canvass the votes was consumed by
the arguments of lawyers, several of
whom represented each party before
l.
the proceedings of this board were not
whether in excluding from their
count certain returns, they were
right 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 exercise it, of deciding that
way and 2,rinaa tocie thepersons whom
they return as elected, are entitled to
the offices for which they were caudl-
dates.
Respecting the alleged interference
by the military with the organization
OF the Legislature of Louisiana on the
4th instant, [ have no knowledge or
| Information which las been re
celved by ne since that time and
published My first information
was from the papers Of the morning
of the 9Th of January. did not know
that any such thing was anticipated,
and no such orders or suggestions
were ever given to any military officers
in that State upon that subject prior
| to the occurrence L am we'll aware
| that any military interference by the
officers "f the United States, With the
organization Of & State Legislature or
any of its proceedings, or with any
civil departure III of the government, Is
| repug uant t. our ideas of government
L ca', conceive of 10 c1se not involving
rebellion or insurrectiOn where such
interference by authority Of the Gen
eral Government ought TO be permit
ted or can be Justified, but there are
circumstances come cted with the late
Legislative embrogilo which. seem to
exempt the military from any inten-
tlonal wrong III that matter. knowing
that they had been placed III Louis
lana to prevent domestic violence and
aid in the etforce nlent Of the State
laws, the officers ana troops of the
United States may well have supposed
that ii was THEN duty to act when caileC:
upon by tie Governor for hat purposo
Each branch Of Il legislative assembly
Is the judge OF the election ana quail
featioN OF its own members; but If Il
mob or body OF unauthorized per
sous seize and hold the Legislative hall
in a tnmuituous and riotous manner,
and so prevent organization by those
legally returned as elected, il might
became the duty OF the Stat Ex. Gu
tive to interpose, if requested by a
majority of the members-ciect. to snp-
press the disturbance and enable
the persons elected 10 organ.ze TIE
house. Any exercise of this poUtl
would only be ju~ti;is5:e under u,'~.
| extraordinary circumstances atd 4
would then be the duty of the Govern
nor TO calltupoH the con>tabulary, or ii
necessary the military forces # IL,
State. But with reference TO LoaiSj-
ana, 1t IL to be borne IN mind that ,-u<
attempt by the government to us. ii,
police force of that STATE at that tine,
would have undoubtedly precip: tated
Il bloody conflict with the White
League as It did on the 18th OF S-E-
tenn Ter. There is no doubt but that
the presence of the I. s. troops upoi
that occasion prevented bloodshed and
the loss of life. Both parties appear
TO have relied upon them as coIIserva-
tors oftLc public peace. The first cal
was made by the Democrats to remove
persons obnoxious to them from the
Legislative hall, and the second va:
from tue Republicans to remove per
sons who had usurped seats in the
Legislature without legal certificates
authorizing them TO seats. and III
sufficient number to change tie major
ity. No body was disturbed by the
military who had legal right at that
time to occupy seat in the legislature.
That the Democratic minority Of the
House undertook to seize its orgaDiza-
tlon by fraud and violence that in
this attempt they trampied under foot
the law, that they undertook to make
persons not returned as elected men,
bers, SO as to create a majority; that
they acted under preconcerted plan
and under false pretences introduced
into the hall body of men to sup
port their pretensions by force if ne
cessary, and that conflict, disorder and
riotous proceeding followed, are facts
that seem to be well established, and
am credlbly informed that these vio-
lent proceedings were a part of q pre-
meditated plan to have the House or
ganized and in this way recognize what
has been called the McEuery debate,
then to depose Governor Kellogg and
SO revolutionize the State government.
Whether it was wrong for the govern.
ment at the request of the majority of
the members returned as elected to the
House, to use such means as were in
his power to defeat these lawless and
revolutionary proceedings is perhaps
a debataEle question, but it is quite
certain that there would have been no
interference had allowed the House to
be organized in lawful and regular
manner. When those who inaugur-
at-d disorder and anarchy have disap-
proved of such proceedings it will be
time to condemn those who by such
means as these have to prevent the
success of their Iawless and desperate
actions.
Lieut. General Sheridan was re-
quested by me to go to Louisiana to
observe and report the situation there
and if In his opinion necessary, to
assume the command, which he did
on the 4th instant (the Legislative dis
tus bance had occurred at 9 O'clock
m. } a number of hours after the dis
turbance. No party motives or preju-
dices can reasonably be imputed to
him but he was honestly convinced by
! what hn has seop op1 hoorl fboro