Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-03-05
LOUISIANA.
Reports OF the Investigating COmmIt-
tee.

LOUISIANA.
Reports OF the Investigating COmmlt-
tee.
WASHINGTON, Feb. %.
In the House, this morning, the major
ity report of the Louisiana Investigating
Committee, signed by Messrs. Foster,
Phelps, Potter and Marshall was pre-
sented. The following conclusions have
been arrived at:
The undersigned majority of the Committee on
the State of the South respectfully report that
they cannot agree to the report made TO the com
mittee by Mcssrs. Wheeler and Frye. The laws in
imcal to the coored people of Louisiana, referred
TO In their report, have been repealed for years,
Except during the schism of Gov Warmoth, in
1872, the Republican party has long had control OF
the machinery OF the State, The late registration
shows an excess of the colored over the
823 white In the absence of any di-
rect evidence that the late election was
not free and fair, the assumption of the minority,
that enough colored voters must therefore have
been prevented from voting at the late election by
the recollection of the COfax and Coushatta kill
ings (the causes and circumstances of which are
disputed), and by other acts which occurred years
before to have changed the result of the election
throughout the State, is an assumption so Ho-
lent, when il ie recollected that both those par
ishes elected the full Kellogg ticket by increased
Republican majorites, as not to be received II
any other cause for the vote of the State can be
Among them are:
FIrst-The registration was incorrect and ex-
cecded the true colored vote. The registration
was wholly in the hands Of the Kellogg officials,
with whom Republican committee, with United
States Marshal Packard at their head co-operated.
In only three parishes did the Republican Super
yisOrs OF Registration make any complaint OF un-
fair or insufficient registration. On the other
hand, very great complaint was made by the Con-
servatives, who specihed with proof, J, 200 cases
of conceded false registration in New Orleans
alone and those Conservatives who had been CO.
operating in the Joint Party Committee to secure
fair registration gave up the effort in despair The
census of 1870, the correctness of which is not
impeached, showed S7,0S6 whites and S6,913 col
ored males over twentY-one years OF age. All the
dicated no change in this proper.
tion in favor of the colored voters. Yet
the registration of colored voters exceeded by
1900 the total number of adult males returned by
the census, while the registration of white voters
was 10000 less.
SeoOnd-The whole number of voters registered
was 67,607. OF these 1883 voted. This is a
larger proportion of registered voters than usual
ly vote in any of the Northern States. In an
agricultural State, scantily settled, where long
Journeys had often to be made to reach the polls,
1t is unreasonable to suppose that greater pro-
portion of the registered blacks would have turned
out TO sustain the Government under which the
| prosperity Of the State and their wages and the
| value Of their shares of production had steadily
declined Than usually vote at elections North OF
South.
| Third-1s74 was year of political change, in
which the vote throughout all the States was Sc
| riously affected against the Republican party, q
g TssEHg sS0n
rally have been even greater in Louisiana than
| elsewhere.
FOurth-It became the interest of the Con.
servatves at least at the last election, not TO in
| umidate, but to acquire by every fair means the
| colored vote. Parties who were alleged to have
threatened the blacks even with refusal of EN-
| known that prctext would be sought to de
prive the Conservatives of the result II they
prevailed in. the election. ; 1t was the e
such pretexts. Accordingly, they determined
| everywhere TO cooperate with and conciliate the
Tsey GsS STwn the
| the campaign for a refusal to employ those col
ored voters who would not cooperate with them
| and generally sought by combining with colored
voters to carry the election. Local combinations
| against the Kellogg candidates were made IN
many parishes by men of all parties and colors
In several parishes union ticket of colored ant
Conservative voters was voted for and elected
| An intelligent colored witness testified that h'
desired better government" and to that enc
twas willing to swallow the white man II tn,
| white men would swallow the colored." Thesi
causes and feelings naturally united to swell tn,
Conservative vote in such localities as indicated
by the returns.
show any general intimidation of colored voters
OF course, in so large State IL would be impossi
BILE there should be no instance of refusal TO EN-
ploy, or OF intimidation, such occur in ever.
general intimidation of colored voters, and tha
such intimidation as did exist in the State wa
rather in the interest of the Republicans than o
the Conservatives. United States Marehals, who's
chief was the Chairman OF the Republican Stat
Committee, armed, in some cases, with blan
warrants of arrest, and aided by Federal troopl
made constant arrests before the election
but not afterward The oversight of tn
election and returns was in the hands Of Coy
Kelloggs officials Their account and return di
/ show twenty-nine majority of members of tn
lower house elected by the Conservatives with
out any protest whatever, except in three parisi
, es, although IL was their province and duty I
I protest in any case where violence and intimidI
: ton, or fraud, existed. Indeed, the direct ey
dence as to the election Of 1874 as well as the ci
I fair election. In fact after the visit of II
! first committee and revisit Of the special commi
+ for collecting evidence, were unable to produt
= in the entire State more than halfa-dozen pc
sons to testify to anything impeaching the FIRE
: dom and fairness of the late election WI
!, we're not ofHceholders or connected with offic
! holders. Against such facts II seems 70 MS i'd
TO assume that the disturbances so Vividly pic
ured by the minority could have kept up throug
out their State such feeling OF intimidation
would justify the assumption that but for tn
feeling the State would have gone Repnblica
All experience shows that the result Of the ele
tion oflS74 in Louisiana, as returned to the X
turning Board, was natural and TO be easi
accounted for by the reasons we have given. V
hold, therefore, that in November lS74, the pc
pie of the State of Louisiana did fairly have
5. free, peaceabe and full registration and eectio
in which clear Conservative majority was elel
+. I'd TO the lower house of the Legislature,
y which majority the Conservatives were Gapriv
}. by the unjust, illegal and arbitrary action Of
!, Returning Board.
= To the resolution reported 10 ths House fro
the coInmitteo - to the action OF the Returni
n Board we all agreed. We understand the col
+ mittoe 10 be unanimous In finding the fact III
the action Of the Returning Board has defeat
a the will OF the people as expressed by them
y the polls In November, 1874. The people tn
elected to the lower house OF their Leglslf tur,
majority OF Conservative members. A portion
the Conservative members thus elected were
fused their certificates. This 10 an act of great
}; justice to individuals, Of the gravest danger
Z, the State and free government aud ought TO
n Immediately corrected by any power compete
y to correct lt
o The resolution commencing the recognition
Gov. Kellogg e based upon the general impr
- sion, not upon evidence. On this point no tes
!. mony wast taken either by the committee or q
y part OF H. Kellogg may or may not have be
" elected In 1874 but there IL no evidence to sh
the fact, or II there be II has been neither souI
a nor found bY this committee.
a MeSsTs, Foster and Phelps think th
o the popular belief, taking both conssry