The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-01-22

special Message OF the President in Ref
crcnce 10 Louisiana Affairs.

"a The Senate u me ERifsd states
Ihara The honor to make The following answer
10 a senate resolution u tht IN instant, asking
fr information a. % any Interference by any
military officers or any part " the army ~ III,
United States with the organization or proceed.
ings Of tsir General Assembly oi The state 81 Lon
isianA or either branch thereof, and also inquir-
ing in nfrari a. the existence Of armed 0rganixa
ton. IN that section hostile 10 the Goyrrnmenl
thereof, and intent on overturning such Govern
ment ~ force.
10 sav thai lawlcssness, turbulence and blood.
shell have characterized the political affairs Oi
that state since IL Organization under the Recon
~nucfion acts. is only a. repeat what has bscOme
well known az part Of it, unhappy history hut
ID may b0 proper here 10 refer 10 the election OF
ices. by which the Republican vote Of the state.
through fraud and violence, was reduced 10 a
few thousands. and 10 the bloody riots Of lSai and
IsS, 10 show that the disorders there are not due
10 any recent causes or 10 any late action ~ the
Preparatory 10 the election Of 1872, a shameful
and ~nBcisgUised conspiracy was formed to carry
that election against the Republicans without re-
gard ~ law or right, and 10 that end The most
glaring frauds and forgery We're committed IN the
returns. and many colored citizens had been de-
MED registration, and others deferred by fear from
final canvass ~ the votes. in view of the forego-
ing facts. William r.. kellogg, the Republican
candidate for Governor. brought suit upon the
equity side Of the Unitea states Circuit Court for
Louisiana. and against " arfnoih and others who
had obtained possession ~ the returns ~ the cleo
tion, representing that several thousand voters Of
the STATE had been deprived of the elective fran
rhi~c on account Of their color. and PRAYING thai
steps might hc taken 10 have their votes counted,
and for general relief. To enable the Court 10
Inpuire a. 10 the truth Of these allegations, a tenn
porary restraining order was issued against the
defendant, which was at once wholly disregarded
and treated with contempt by those 10 whom il
WAS directed. These proceedings have been wide
ly denounced as an unwarvantahle Interference
by the EcderAl judiciary with the election Of state
officers: but il is 10 be remembered that by the
Fifteenth Amendment 10 the Constitution 81 the
United states, the political equality 81 col
ored citizens il secured, and under the sec
T1nd section Of that amendment, II IS provided
that Congress shall have power 70 enforce
it. provisions by appropriate legislation. An act
was paszed on tie 3lst day Of May. $50. and
amended in ISL, the object Of which was to pre-
vent ue denial or abridgnent Of suffrage u cit
liens on account Of race, color, or previous con.
lition OF serytude, ana u has been held ny all
he Federal Judges before whom the question has
arisen. including Justice strong " the supreme
Court, that the protection afforded by this amend
ment and these acts extends a. state a. well a. 10
other elections. That it Is the duty 81 the Feie.
RAJ Court 10 enforce the provisions Of the Con
stitution 81 the I nited states and the laws passed
IA pursuance thereof. IL too clear for controversy.
section fifteen ~ said act. after numerous proyi.
-ipns therein 10 prevent an evasion " the fif.
tecnth Amendment, provides that the jurisiic-
ton of the Circuit Court q! the United states
under the provision 81 said act and OF the act
thereof. Congress seems 10 have
contemplated equitable n well n legal proceed
ings y prevent the denial 81 suffrage 10 colored
'itlzcas, and il may be safely asserted that II
hellogg's bill, in the above named case, does not
present a case for the equitable interp0sifion "
the Court, that no such case can arise under the
act.
That the courts Of the United states have the
A,hs ~ interfere In various ways with state
elections, 80 a. q maintain political equality and
s1giss therein. irrespective u race or color. IS /
comparatively a NJ ". and 20 some seems a. be a
.tartlfng idea. but i results as clearly from the
fifteenth Amendment 81 tbe Constitution and the
acts that have been passed ~ enforce that amend /
nent, as the abrOgauon VI state laws UNFOLDING /
Lavery results from the Thirteenth Amendment
~ the Constitution. While the jurisdiction If
the Court in the ease OF Kellogg versus Mammoth
and others is clear To my mind. IL seems that
some 90 the orders made by the Judge in that and
he Kindred case 81 Antoine were Illegal. But
while they are 80 held and considered II T. not 70 I
81 forgotten that the mandate u his court had |
seen oontefnptuou-iy dsiiei. and they We're made |
while Wild scenes Of anarchy were sweepingaway
al restraint ~ law and order. Doubtless the
Judge 81 this Court made grave mistakes, but
the law allows the Chancellor great Latitude. not I
sRiy IN Furnishing those who condemned his or.
hers aud inlunctions, but 10 preventing the con
summation Of the wrong which he has iuiicialiy
fprh.dfen.
Whatever NAV be said or thought Of these mat
terz, il was only made known 70 me that a pro-
Of the 1 nitei states Court was resisted. ami
A. said act specially provides for the use
~ tbe army and nayv when necessary 10
enforce a judicial process arising hereunder, 1
considered IL my duty % see such process was
executed according to the Judgment Of the Court
resulting from these proceedings. Through yari-
Gus controversies and complications a state
Administration was organized with William 4.
nelogg a. Governor. which. in the discharge of
my duty, under section 4, Article 4, Of the Con
-ututons i have recognized az the Government Of
the state. IL has been bitterls and pcrsistcntly
alleged that Kellogg was not elected. Whether
he vas or not IL not altogether certain, nor H. IL any
more certain that his competitor, McEnery, was
chosen. The election was a gigantic fraud, and
there are no reliable returns ~ the result. KEEL
logg obtained possession Of the Office, and in my
opinion has more right 10 it than his competitor.
On the 10th Of February. ISIS. the Committee
IN Privileges and Elections Of the senate made a
report, In which they say that they are satisfied
the testimony that the manipulation Of the cleo
ton machinery by Warmoth and others wasequly-
alent 70 1900 votes, and they add that 70 recog
nlze the hcknery Government would he recog-
mixing a Government based upon fraud, and in
defiance Of the wishes and intention Of the voters
II the state. Assuming the correctness Of the
-fatemeni1 in this report, and they seem to have
heen generally accepted by the country the great
In Louisiana, about which 40 much has
been done and said, Is that one j. holding
the Office of Governor who was cheated out u
twenty thousand votes against another whose title
20 the Once il undoubtedly based on fraud, and ia
- the wishes and Intentions II the
Of the state.
Misinformcd and misjndging AZ to the nature
and extent Of this report, the supporters Of Me
liner! proceeded to displace by force in some
logg. and on the 18th OF April, in an effort Of that
Kind, a butchery Of citizens was committed al
toiax, which, IN blood thirstiness and barbar-
ity a. hardly SURPASSED BY any acts ~ savage
warfare. 10 mt Inc matter beyond controvarev
quote ir,m the charge " Judge Woods, u the
Iniied states Circuit Court. 10 the jury In the
'a-e ~ the United -tntes We. truikshank and
Others IN New Orleans, IN March, ie7l. He
-aid In the case on trial there are MANY facts
~ al controversy. ! proceed 70 state some Of
hem N presence and hearing Of counsel on both
sides, ana II state az conccdeifact matter that
- disputed they can correct me" After stating
ne origin q The difficulty, which grew out 81 an
attempt 81 white persons % drive the parish 4;
Judge and sheriff. appointees 81 kellogg, from
Nhtcf, and Their attempted protection by coiurcd 4
NrrAons. which led 10 some fighting in winch quite I
= nuut-rc a negroes were killed, the Judge states .
Nnss ~ those who were not killed were taken Z
Nri-oncr-. Fifteen or sixteen 81 the blacks had q
iiited The hoor and taken refuge under the Court. Z
mouse. They were All captured. About thirty '