The daily gazette., 1875-01-02
from hc ". J. SIN, Of yesterday.
The LOuisidna Outra0e.

i
The Louisiana Outrage.
In order to be consistent to his in
iquity, the President has resolved to
pursue the vindictive crusade against
the people of Louisiana to the bitter
end, without counting the cost or the
consequences. He gives no more heed
to public opininion now than he has
hitherto done to justice in this malig-
nant persecution.
The Returning Board, which, after
two months of manipulation, has count
ed out the fairly elected candidates
and substituted others dictated by
their employers, was organized ex-
pressly to do this infamous work. Ii
was a part of the conspiracy and an
element In the fraud. And now when
the work is done, the President repeats
the part he previously played in recog-
nizing Kellogg as Governor, who had
been set up by his own intervention,
and he claims the acts of this infamous
board to be legal and regular. To
sustain it, he produces an opinion
from Landaulet Williams, who is
known to be one of the chief conspira.
tors himself, and the bribed agent of
the Ring who have been plundering
that stricken State.
These are the'plain facts of the pre-
sent case, palpable to every eye and
notorious to the whole world. They
may be said to surpass in audacity all
the previous villainy, astounding as it
has been. If similar condition of
things had occurred in any Northern
State after the recent election, and o
returning board had declared candi-
dates chosen whom everybody knew
to be largely defeated, would the
people submit tamely to be defrau-
ded of their rights by such a proceed
ing =?
Let us bring the question home to
ourselves, for that after all is the true
test. The people of Louisiana knew
as well on the Sd of November that
they had elected their State Treasurer
and large majority of the Legislature
as the people of New York knew on
the 4th of November that Tilden was
Governor and the Legislature was De-
mocratic on joint ballot. In neither
case hal the result been officially an
nounced, yet it was morally certain in
both.
Now suppose that two months after
the election, and this result had been
accepted by the country, board Of
partisan counters had figured Tilden
out and Dix in, with a Republican Le-
gislature, what would have been the
feeling in this State and IN this COM
munity ? It is hardly necessary to an
swer such question, or to suggest that
promptand stern remedy would have
been found to redess such monstrous
wrong.
The people of Louisiana nave sub
mitted to this last and greatest outrage
with forbearance hardly to be ex
pected in prsence of SO gross provo
cation. With shotted guns from ships
of war pointed at their firesides, and
small army parading the streets in time
of profound peace to illustrate the
beauty of republican institutions, they
are heald as prisoners under orders
from Washington, and subjects of the
theiving despotism which the Presi-
dent has erected by force.
| Conscious of the crime which has
been committed with his privity. the
President sees danger in every passing
shadow. and fears that in their very
despair this crushed and plundered
people may rise up again and strike as
their forfathers did for far less reason
against the cruel tyranny which he and
his creatures have imposed upon them
He seeks a preteXt for slaughter, and
has sent Gen. Sheridan to the spot be-
cause he believes him to share in all
his own prejudices and passions.
| If the people of the United States
now turn deaf ear to the just appeal
made to their patriotism and manhood
by Louisiana, and fail to denounce this
fraud and tyranny, they will invite the
harsh judgement of the civilized world
The time has come when these arbitrary
usurpations must cease and the Prcsi-
dent be required TO obey the laws. ,
We are to-day living under a vulgar
despotism, of which brute force ;lnd ven-
atty are the chief characteristics Power
is centralized at Washington in the
hands of one man, and majorities in Con-
gress obey the orders of the White
House as if they were the slaves of q
master. If the army and navy may be
used at the angry will or caprice OF a
reckless President, to serve partisan
purpose or to satisfy personal vengeance
there is no liberty left.
Here is fraudulent government es-
tablished and upheld by Federal govern
ment bayonets in Louisiana for two
years, entirely by the acts and approval
of the President, without which it could
not have stood one day. Then comes ar
election, and in the face of all these OBJ
stacles the people calmly vote down the
usurpation. A conspiracy is then organ.
lied to cheat them out of the result, ano
the President appears again on the scene
and threatens bloodshed if they venture
|, to assert the privilege of every American
citizen. This is the situation.
Go forward to the Presidential election
, Of 1876, and apply this experience tx
! South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana
Mississippi and few other States. thai
II - :, ,,an%o;,, oapt;nnanov hold fhs