Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-01-21

\ own members. but IL q mob or body OF unauthor-
lied persons seize and hold the legislative ball
| in q tumuituous and riotous manner, and SO pre-
! vent any organization by those Legally returned
az elected, II might become the duty OF the state
Executive TO interpose IL requested by majority
OF the mernbers-elect to suppress the disturb
/ ance and enable the persons elected to organize
the House. Any exercise of this power woaldbc JUS
4 tifable under most extraordinary circumstances
| and 1t would then be the duty OF the Governor
TO call upon the constabuiary, or II necessary the
military force Of the State; but with reference 10
Louisiana. Ii il to be borne in mind that any at
tempt by the Governor TO use the police force o.
| that State at this time would have undoubtediy
precipitated bloody conflict with the Mnlte
League, as it did on the l4th OF september There
| 10 no doubt but the presence Of the United States
troops on that occasion prevented bioodshed ana
| the loss of life. Both parties appeared TO nave
relied upon them as conservators OF the pupiic
! peace.
The first call was made by the Democrats to re-
move persons obnoxious to them nom the Legis-
lative hall, and the second was from the hepnpn-
| cans TO remove persons who had usurped seats IN
the Legislature without legal certificate authorz-
! ing them to seats, and in SUFFICIENT numbers 10
change the majority Nobody was disturbed ny
| the military who had legal right at that time to
occupy seat in the Legislature. That the Dem
ocratic minority Of the House undertook 70 seize
| its organization by fraud and violence; that In
this attempt they trampled under foot the law, IN
that they undertook TO make persons not returned
| as elected members SO as TO create MAJOR,
ty; that they acted under preconcerted plan, and
| under false pretenses introduced in the hall men
TO support their pretensions by force II necessary
| and that the conflict, disorder and rlotous pro-
ceedngs following facts which seem 10 be
well established, and am credibly informed that
| these violent proceedings were part OF pre-
meditated plan to have the House organized IN
| this way; recognize what has been called the
McEnery Senate; then to depose Gov
Kellogg. and go reyolntionize the state
Government Whether it was wrong for
| the Governor, at the request OF the majority
of the members returned as elected in the House,
to use such means as were in his power to defeat
these lawiess and revolutionary proceedings Is
aknfal Init ia n
| tain that there would have been no Trouble III
| those who now complain of illegal interference
| had allowed the House to be organized in law
| full and regular manner. When those who IN
| augurate disorder anarchy disayow such pro-
ceedings, IL will be time enough to condemn
| those who, by such means as they have, pre-
vented the success of their lawless and desperate
| schemes.
Lieut-Gen. Sheridan was requested by
| me to go to Louisiana to observe and report the
situation there, and, IL in his opinion necessary
| TO assume the command, which he did, on the 4th
inst, after the legislative disturbances had oc-
Cured, at nine O'Clock in the evening, number
OF hours after the disturbance. No party motives
nor prejudces can reasonably be imputed TO him.
| but, honestly convinced by what he has seen and
heard there, he has characterized the Leaders OF
| the White Leagues in severe terms and suggested
| the summary modes OF procedure against them
| which, though they cannot be adopted, would, IL
legal soon put an end TO the troubles and disorder
Gen Sheridan was looking at the facts and pos
| sibly not thinking OF proceedings which would be
the only proper ones TO pursue In time 8 OF peace
| he thought more OF the utterly lawless condi-
ton of society surrounding him at the time OF his
dispatch and Of what would prove sure RENE
dy. He never proposed to do any illegal act nor
expressed determination to proceed beyond
what the law In the future might authorize for The
punishment Of the atrocities which have been
committed, and the commission OF which cannot
be successfully denied.
II is deplorabe fact that political crimes and
murders have been committed in Louisiana which
have gone unpunshed and which have been justl-
fed or apologized for, which must rest as q re-
proach upon the State and country long after the
present generation has passed away. have no
desire to have United States troops interfere in
the domestic concerns OF Louisiana or any other
State.
On the 9th of December last Gov. Kel-
logg telegraphed to me his approximations
make another attack. Upon the same day Imade
the following answer, since which no communi-
cation has been sent to him:
"Your dispatch OF this date just received. 1t
Is exceedingly unpalatable TO troops in antici
patton Of danger. Let the State authorities be
right, and then proceed with their duties without
ested the question will be determined whether
| lhe United States lie able to maintain law and
order within it's limits or not
| have deplored the necessity which seemed
| to make it my duty, under the Constitution and
| laws, to make such interference. have always
| refused, except where it seemed to be my impera
| tuition and laws Of the United states required.
| have repeatedly and earnestly entreated the peo
pie OF the South to live together In peace and
obey the laws, and nothing would give me greater
pleasure than to see reconciliation and tranquility
| everywhere prevail, and thereby remove all
| necessity for the presence Of troops among
| them. I regret, however to say that this
state Of things does not exist, nor does it's exist
| ence seem to be desired in localities and as to
those 1t may be proper for me to say that, to the
| extent that Congress has conferred The power on
| me to prevent 1t, neither Ku-Klux Klans, White
| Leagues, nor any other association using arms
and violence to execute their unlawful purposes
can be permitted in that way TO govern any part Of
this country; nor can see with indifference Union
| men or Republicans ostracized prosecuted and
| murdered on account Of their opinions, as they
| now In some localities
Ihave heretofore urged the case of Louisiana
upon the attention OF Congress, and / cannot but
think Its inaction has encouraged the great evil.
To summarize: In September last an armed,
ganized body OF men, in the support of candidates
who had been put In nomination for the Offices Of
| Governor and Lieutenant Governor at the Noyem-
Der election in 1872 and who had been declared not
elected by the Board OF Canvassers that had been
recognized by all the courts to which the question
had been submitted, undertook to subvert and over
| throw the State Government that had been recog-
| nized by me In accordance with previous prece-
dents. The recognized Governor was driven from
the State House, and but for his finding shelter
In the United States Custom House in the capital
of the State of which he was Governor, IL IL
| scarcely to be doubted that he would have been
| killed From the State House, before he had
| been driven to the Custom.House, call was
made in accordance with the fourth section of
| the fourth article OF the Constitution of the
United States for the aid of the General Govern
| ment to suppress domestic violence. Under those
circumstances, and In accordance with my
sworn duties, my proclamation Of the 18th of Sep
tember 1874, was issued. This served To reinstate
| Gov. Kellogg In his position nominay but il
cannot be claimed that the insurgents have to
this dav surrendered to the State authorities the
| arms belonging to the State, that they have in
| any sense dlsarmed. On the contrary, it is
known that the same armed organization that ex-
| listed on the l4th of September, 1874 in opposi-
ton to the recognized State Government, still
| tain their organization, equipments and COM
manders, and can be called out at any hour to re-
sist the state Government. Under these circum-
| stances the same military force has been contin-
ned In Louisiana sent under the first call,
| and under the same general instructions.
repeat that the task assumed by the troops Is
not pleasant one to them; that the army Is not
| composed OF lawyers capable of judging at mo-
ments notice of just how far they can 20 in the
maintenance of law and order, and that IL was
| impossible to give specific instructions providing
! for all possible contingencies that might arise
| The troops were bound to act upon the judg-
| ment of their commanding officers upon
each sudden contingency that arose, or
await instructions which could only reach
| them after the threatened wrongs had been COM
mitted which they were called on 10 prevent. Ii
should be recollected, too, that upon my recogni-
| ton Of the Kellogg Government ! reported the
! fact, with the grounds Of the recogni ion 10 Con-
grees, and asked that body 10 take acton In the
matter; otherwise should regard their silence as
| acquiescence In my course. No action has been