The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-06
i EVIDENT MEANING orr THE
SENATE ELECTION BILL.

called an election Dill Will tHc l'1l "ou
larttv required to ascertain its full
meaning. and even now Its volulninous
paues are still undigested for want OF
time. But seen in the light OF the past,
and in the fact that the Kellogg
usurpation now holds every I'M
portant office In the State from the
Chiof Executive to consapie'
and that the Election bill gives ana IS
designed to give to the so-called kepub-
lican party in Louisiana, with lts
shameful record Of fraud, force and
crime. the entire and legal control both
OF the polls and the counting ana re-
turns Of the ballots, 1t becomes lns.lp-
portably oppressive. To place the
elections of the people by law exclu-
siyely in the hands Of party Is insuf-
ferable. and no free people would
possibly consent to such badge
OF dishonor and such an invitation
To ditorders and violence. But when
| It is proposed, and Is thus
openly and insultingly done, to consign
the destiniesof the citizens OF LOUISE
ann TO set OF men whose fraudulent
domination has been once secured by
the hand Of party power ut Washington
advising and sustaining violation Oh
the ballot boxes OF the people and once
again, when deficd and Frustrated be-
cause OF It's unheard OF crimes against our
freedom and our property, restored and
reinvigorated, in it's then helpless
ness, by the same misused power
at Washington apparently dead
to the sufferings and wrongs OF
American citizens In this blighted
commonwealth, the quiet submis-
sion OF the people would be-
come a remediless slavery indeed.
The very loyalty OF the people OF Louis
lana to the Government of the United
states and the Union OF which they are
n part. forbids them to consent that
an American freeman shall sink into
political servitude. They have given
for years the most valuable hostages to
peace. They have shown In a great
leading fact OF their history within a
year or two past, that no provocation
has had the effect to induce them to
resist the authority and laws OF the
United States, and that they have en-
deavored to escape, after all protests
and circumstances were unavailing, by
the only weapon left to them, from the
narneless outrages and absolute ruin and
degradation threatened by domestic
. usurper and tyrant and his prof1igate
myrmidons. There Is no wish to break
the Punic peace which allows us to
breathe and to live in the hope still ex-
listing in tho fainting breasts Of the
people, but it is simply an atrocity to
which human nature cannot submit,
which would seek with miscreant and
coward hand to rob us Of freedom,
property and hope all with one fell
grasp-to send us to that prison place
| In hell OF which Dante writes, where
the merciless inscription over the door
is, "Who enters here leaves hope be-
hind"
| A resume OF the exigencies OF the
situation will show
First - That the Radical party,
through de fdcto Governor Kellogg,
is now in possession OF the gov
eminent of this State in defiance
of popular election, and by force and
fraud, and that the people have endured
this outrage, SO abhorrent to the Ameri-
can character and 50 repugnant to free
principles, because anxious to exhibit
their Willingness to obey even bad gov
eminent and bad laws existing by the
procurement and under the auspices OF
the United States government, with the
expectation that they would be allowed
an opportunity In the future to re-estab-
lish their rights, their self-respect, and
their former prosperity.
Second--While the executive and ju-
dicial authority are under the exclusive
control Of the Republican or Radical
party, usurped by fraud and maintained
by violence, one branch Of the General
Assembly is also In their possession, a
favorite place In which to enact their
orgies, while obstructing public bust
ness with their frivolities, or concocting
party schemes for perpetuating hate
full and infamous existence, all other
results being comparatively unimpor-
tant in their unpatriotic thoughts.
Third-It is evident that what men
have once done, they will be apt, under
the same temptation, to do again, il they
are allowed the same means, and
q similar opportunity presents itself
The Senate election bill contains the
same Returning Board feature 50 dis
gustingly odious, with the power in Mr..
Kellogg to appoint the same individuals
as before, or others quite as conscience
less. There is to be an election this fall
in which the same vital question will be
involved as in the famous but unfor-
tunate struggle three years ago. That
question will be whether the best
classes Of the people in tho State, and
q majority, too, Of the voting popu-
lation, shall govern Louisiana for their
and its honor and welfare, or whether
q gang Of aliens, adventurers and ne
groes, claiming to be Republican
party, and in that name obtaining the
sympathy and support Of the Govern
ment Of the United States il still under
the control OF the Republican and Radi-
l