The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-01-19
ALEXANDRIA, La, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1876
solent authority.

solent authority.
Deeply impressed with these truths
the people, though smarting under
wrongs and outrages which would
not be borne in the older States Of
the Union, have been patient, taking
hope and courage from the article of
the Federal constitution which obi
ges the United States to guarantee
to every State Of the Union repub-
lican form of government.
Having appealed to the political
department. of the Federal govern
ment for the enforcement Of this
guarantee in behalf Of our State, and
having never abandoned that appeal,
nor authorized its withdrawal, we
have recently learned, with surprise
and indignation, that it is urged by
the usurpers and their supporters in
u N
other States, as fatal objection to
our appeal, that by the Wheeler adj
Eiustment of the difficulties which
grew out of the organizations of the
House Of Representatives in January,
1875, we, the people of the State,
have acguiesce in the nsurpation,
and can no longer be heard to ques-
ton its legality or to demand its
overthrow.
We assert that there is not one
syllable of truth in this objection,
and for the following reasons:
l. Because the people Of Louisiana
did not submit, for the adjudication
Of the Vince ter committee, their con-,
stitutional right Of se!f-goyernment.
2. Because the persons who sub
mitted their own claims to seats in
the State Legislature to the decision
Of the Wheeler committee, never sub
mitted, nor intended to submit, the
conflicting claims between the law
fully elected McEnery government
and the usurpation, and said latter
claims are not covered by nor en-
braced in the award Of said COM
mittee.
3. That the rival claims of the.
de jure and de .tacto State govern
ments were never submitted to said
committee, and said COMMITTEE, in.
their official report, expressly state
that their Investigations were restric-
ted to the legislative difficulties Of
1874 and 1875, and that they took
no evidence in regard to the election
| Of 1872.
4 That on it's face the Wheeler
adjustment expressly withholds any
approval of the Kellogg government,
and it does not and cannot bind the
peoples lawfully elected, but exclu-
ded Governor, officers and Senators,
nor the people themselves, who were
not parties to the Wheeler resoln-
ton, nor prevent their appeal to the
general government for the guaran-
tee Of a republican form Of gov
eminent.
And now, speaking for themselves,
the people Of the State Of Louisiana
do solemnly affirm that they have
mot acquiesced, and never will acqui-
.esce, in the Kellogg usurpation; that
lit is as repugnant to them wishes,
and interests, and sense Of justice, as
it was the day Of its lawless estab.
|lishment over them by force; that
they recognize as the only govern
mcnt elected by the people of the
State, as the only government emit
tied to their support, respect or con.
fidence, that Of which John McEnery
and d. B. Penn are the official heads
and they affirm that they have beer
patient and silent since the adjourn
ment of the last Congress, in til,
hope and belief that the presen'
Congress would listen to theil
grievances and grant the proper
relief.
This is not only their right, but
, under the positive direction Of tn,
constitution, it is the duty Of til,
General Government to guarantee tt
Louisiana as State in the Union
the government Of its choice, ant
;. thereby republican form Of govern
ment.
And the people Of Louisiana d
solemnly declare that they will no
abandon their struggle for the RICH
Of self government. In urging Til
right, they feel that they discharg
f :
a duty not only to their own self-res
!, pect, to themselves and to their chi
!, dren, but also duty to the constitu
ton, to the Union, aud to every Stat
: Of the Union, whose rights and lit
! critics have been overthrow, violate
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