Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-13

/ ginning OF these troubles TO their close were
| Hadnot and Harris. The courthouse and its
! contents were entirely consumed.
| There Is no evidence that any one in the
crowd of whites bore any lawful warrant for
/ the arrest of any of the blacks There is no
/ evidence that either Nash or Cazahaf after
! the affair ever demanded their Offices to
/ which they had set up claim, but Register
| continued TO act as parish judge, and Shaw
| as sheriff
! These are facts in this ease as under
| stand them to he admitted"
! To hold the people Of Louisiana generally
responsible for these atrocities would not ~
! just, but il Is lamentable fact that insuD-
| erable Instructions were thrown in the wav
! oi furnishing these murderers. and the So
| called conservative papers of the state not
only JuStliled the massacre. but denounced aS
| federal tyranny and deSpotiSm the attemnt
| 81 me United states officers 10 bring them TO
justice Fierce denunciatiOns ring through tn
country about office holding and election
matters in Louisiana, while every one of the
tolfaX mlScreants goes unwhpped of Justice
and no way can be found i'm this boasted land
OF civilization and christianity to punish Tho
perpetrators Of this bloody and m0nstrous
crime.
Not unlike this was lemasSacre in August
laSt. several northern young men of capital
and enterprise had started the little and flour
t-i,'-.IG own - I'r'''shatta Some of them
We're republicans AMI office-holiers under
kellogg. They Were, therefore. doomed ID
death. Six of them We're seized and carried
away from their homes and murdered iii cold
blood. No one has been punishei and the
efforts 70 that end, and boldly justified the
crime.
Many murders of like character have
been committed i'm individual cases which
cannot here be detailed. For example: L >.
crawford, judge. and II. III. Harris, district
attorney Of the l2th judicial district Of the
stale. 6ii tf"fT way TO court were shO. from
their horses by men i'll ambush OF the Sth OF
October. 1873, and the widow of IL former in
Il communication 10 the Department OF Jus
lice, tells "a piteous tale OF the prosecutions OF
ncr husband because he was a Union man.
and of the efforts made 10 screen those who
had committed a crime which, To use her own
language, left two widows and nine orphans
dCSOlatc."
TO say that the murder of a negro or white
republican is not considered crime in
Louisiana would probably be unjust To
great part OF the people; bat. il Is true that
great number OF such murders have been
committed and no one has been punished
therefor, and maniestly as u them the
spirit OF hatred and Violence is stronger than
law.
Representations were made TO me tina: the
presence of troops in Louisiana was uDn2ceS-
SaTy. and irritating 10 the people. and that
there was no danger OF pubic disturbance IL
they were taken away. Consequently, early
| in last summer the troops We're all with
| drawn from the state with the exception of
Il small garrison at New Orleans barracks.
| II was claimed that q comparative state OF
quiet had Supcryened, Political excitement
| as ~ Louisiana affairs seemed ID be dying
| out But the November election was ap-
preaching. and il was necessary for party
! purpOScS that the fame should be rekiudlId.
Accordingly. on the iith OF September, II.
| T. Penn. claiming that he was elected Lieu
| tenant Governor in lNl2. issued al infiamma-
| tory Proclamation calling upon the militia
of the State to arm, assemble, and drive from
power the u>urpcrs, as ne ueSISnatei the
officers of the state. The White Leagues.
| armed and ready for the conflict, promptly
responded.
| on the same day the Governor male
! formal reQuiSitiOn upon me. pursuant ID the
| act of l195, and section N article I. OF the
! Constitution, 10 aid in suppressing dom eStic
| violence. On the next day issued my proc
| Iamati0n commanding the insurgents 70 dis
| perse within five days from the date thereof
| but. before the proclamation was pubil>he
| in New Orleans, the organized and arm |
| forces recognizing usurpng Governor, ha
| taken iOIciblc possession OF the State House
| ana temporarily SubVerte1 the gOVernm INT.
| Twenty on more people were killed, including
| Il number of the police of the city. The street
OF the city were stained with blood. All tla
| was desired i'm the way of excitement hal been
| accomplished, and. ia view OF the steps taken
10 reprcsS II. the revolution was apparently
| though it il believed not really, abandoned
| and the cry OF Federal usurpatiOn AM
| tyranny i'm Louisiana was renewed with
! r"doubled energy. Troops had been sent t)
| the state under thiS requi>jt.On of the Gov
! cInCr, and a. other disturbances seemed i'm
minent, they were allowed 10 remain there 10
| render the executive Sdcn dld a. might be-
come necessary TO enforce the laws of the
State and TePTe>s iae continued VioiGnc
! which Scs!nCd Inevitable The moment Fed nral
support should be withdrawn.
| Prior ln, and vi th view 10 the lat elec-
| ton in Louisiana, white men a>SOciatei
| themselves together iii armed bodies. called
| w hNe Leagues and at the same time
! threats were Eiade in the democratic ic Journals
| a. the state that the election should be car
! riCd against the republicans al all hazards
| which vere naturally greatly alarmed tbs
| cOiOrcd NPter>. BY section of the act O
| February y, ISL il j. made the duty Of Il
| :. marSistiS and thcirucpUtieS a polls where
votes arc cast for Representatives in Con
! gTtSs, to keep the peace and prevent any vo
! lationS of the So-caIlcd Enforcement acts ana
! other cflcnCeS against the laws OF the United
States: and upon requiSitiOn OF The mar
| Shat e Louisiana, and in view of said armed
organizations. and other pOrtentous cTcups
stances, caused detach mcnt> OF troops TO h,
stationed in various localities in the state Il
aid him in the performance OF his Official dU
ties. That there was intimidation of repub
liran voters at tile election, ,notwithstandin:
these precautions. admits OF no doubt. Til.
following are specimens of the means used.
On the l4th OF october eighty persons signeu
snd published the following at Shreveport:
We. the undersigned, merchants OF the
city OI Shreveport, in obedience To a request
of the Shreveport campaign club, agree t.
use every endeaVor To get our employees Il
vote the peoples ticket at the ensuing elec
ton; and in thecvent Of their refusal SO to do
or i'm case they vote the radical ticket, to re
fuse 10 employ them at The expiration OF thei
| present contracts"
| On the same day another large body OF per
| sons published i'm the same place paper, in
! which they used the following language:
/ I'VE, the undersigned merchants of the city
| of Shreveport. alive To the great importance
of securing good and honest government Il
| The state, do agree aud pledge OH ufselves no
to advance any supplies or money to any
| planter the coming year who Will give EN-
| ployment or rent lands TO laborerS who vote
| the radical ticket in the coming election;
! lhaVe no Information OF the proceedings OF
| the returning board for said election which
may not be found in its report, which ha,
| been published. put ii is a matter of publ.
Information that great part of the time
| taken to canvass the votes was consumed by
The arguments OF lawyers, several of whom
| represented each party before the board.
| lave no evidence that the proceedings of this
, board Were not in accordance with the law
under which they acted. Whether in eX-
| etIding from their count certain returns they
| were right or wrong, is a question that de
| peilds upon the evidence they had before
| them; but IL Is very clear that the law gives
them the power, If they choose to exercise It,
| OF deciding that way, and lIginid fdcie the per.
| sons whom they return as elected are entitled
| to the offices for which they were candidates
Respecting the alleged interference by thG
military with the organization of the legis-
latureso OF Louisiana OH the 4th instant Ihaya
no knowledge or information which has no:
been received by me since that time md
| publishes. My first information was from
| the papers of the morning of the 5th of jan
| uary. / did not know that any such thing
| was anticipated. and no orders nor sugges-