Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-01-21
turbances had occurred, at NIUE O'Clock

seen and heard there, he has cnaraetFr- |
lied the leaders Ui the White Leagues
in severe terms, and Suggested sum
mary modes uf procedure against
them, which, though they cannot be
adotted, would, If legal, SOON put an
END to the troubles and disorders in
that State. Gen. Sheridan Ias looking
at the facts, and possibly not thinking
of the proceedings that would be the
only proper ones to pursue in time of
peace, thought more of the utterly law
less condition Of the society surround
ing him at the time of his dispatch and
what would prove sure remedy. Hel
never proposed to dQ<fn illegal act, nor
expressed "a determination 10 proceed
beyond what the law in the future
might authorize for the punishn ent oi
the atrocities which have been com
mitted, end the commission Of which
cannot be successfully denied. 1t is a
deplOrable fact that political crimes and
murders have been committed in Lou
isiana which have gone UNDECIDED and
which have been justified or orapo!ogized
for which much rest as a reprolch uinu
the State and country long AFTER the
present generation has passed away. /
States troops interfere in the domestic
concerns of Louisiana, or any CthtrI
State. On the 9th Of December hast
Gov. Kellogg telegraphed to-ne his APP
prehensions that the White League in
tended to make another attack. Upon
the same day l made the following an
swer, since which no communication
has been sent TO him: Your dispatch
of this date has just been received, it is
exceedingly unpalatable to use the
troops in anticipation of the dangers.
Let the State authorities be right and
then proceed with their duties without
the apprehension OF danger. II they
are then molested the question will be
determined whether the United States
is able to maintain law or order within
its limits or not. l have deplored the
necessity which seemed to make it MY
duty under the constitution and laws
10 interfere. | have always refused,
except where it seemed to be my i'm
perative duty to act in such manner
that the Constitution and laws of the
United States may be upheld. l have
earnestly entreated the people of the
South to live together in peace and
obey the laws, and nothing would give
me greater pleasure than TO see recon-
ciliatieD and tranquility everywhere
prevail and thereby remove all necessi
ty for the presence of troops among
them. ] regret, however, to say that
this state of things does not exist, nor
does its existence seemed to be desired
in certain localities. AS to those, it
may be proper for me to say that to the
extent that Congress has conferred
power on me to prevent, neither Ku-
KluX Klans, White Leagues, nor any
other association using arms and vio-
ience to execute their unlawful pur-
poses, can be permitted to act in tina
way in any part of this country; nor
can see with indifference Union men
or Republicans OstrasiZed, prosecuted
and murdered on account of their opin-
ions, as they now are in some localities.
| have heretofore urged the case of
Louisiana upon the attention of Con-
gress, and / cannot but think its inac-
tion has prejudiced this great evil. To
sunni marize, in September last an armed
and organized body OF men, in support
of the candidates who had been put in
nomination for the Office of Governor
and Lieutenant Governor at the new
election in 1872, and who had been de-
clared not entitled, by the board of can
vassers, to be recognized and by all the
courts to which the question had been
Submitted, undertook to subvert and
overthrow the State government that
had been recognized to be in accordance
with previous precedents. The recog-
nized Governor was driven from the
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, it is not sim
cerely doubted that he would have been
killed. From the State house, before
he had been driven to the custom
house, a call was made in accordance
with the fourth section and fourth arti
Gle of the Constitution of the United
States, for aid of the General Govern
ment to suppress the domestic violence.
| Under those circumstances and in ac-
cordance with my sworn duties, my
proclamation of the 10th of September,
! 1874, was issued. This served to rein
state Gov. Kellogg to his position NOM
inally, but it cannot be claimed that
the insurgents have to this day surren-
dered to the State authorities the arms
belonging to the State, or that they
have in any sense disarmed. On the
contrary, it Is known that the same
armed organization that existed on the
l4th of September, 1874, IN opposition
to the recognized State Government
still retains its organization, equip
ments and commanders, and can be
called out at any hour to resist the
State Government. Under these cir
cumstances the same military force has
been continued in Louisiana as was
sent under the first call and
under the same general instruc-
tions. l repeat that the task as
signed to the troops is not pleasant
one to them; that the army is not COM
posed of lawyers, capable OF Judging at
moments notice of just how far they
can go in the maintainance of law and
order, and that it was impossible to
give specific instructions providing for
all contingencies that might arise. The
troops were bound to act upon the
Judgment of the commanding officer
Iapon each sudden contingency that
arose or await instructions, which could
ONLY reach him after the threatened
wrongs had been committed which
I they were called on to prevent. - 3D.
4 1t should be reco!lected, too, that
upon my recognition of the, Kellogg
government l reported the fact which
the grounds OF recognition to Congress,
and asked that body to take action on
the matter. Otherwise | should regard
their silence as acquiescence in my
course. No action has, been taken by
that body, and have maintained the
position marked out. Iferror has been
committed by the armyin these matr
tiers it has always been on the side of
} the preservation of good order, the
maintenance of the law, and the pro-
lection Of life. Their bearing reflects
lcredit upon the soldiers, and if wrong
has resulted the blame rests with the
turbulent feeling surrounding them.
l now earnestly ask that such action
be taken by Congress as to leave my