New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-07

ton beyond the power of this convention to
determine. That question may be decided
by the national Congress. 1t Is no question
for US here to decide, whether we will have
| green or gold money We have the right to
hold the money we have got. So far as
for the reading over again OF the last section
Of that report.
The section was read.
report of the committee on resolutions be
adopted.
Mr. Dupre, Of Orleans, rose for informa.
ton. He desired to know what effect this
protest of Mr. Leonard would have upon
this report.
The chair answered, "None whatever. 1t
is merely filed as a report of one Of the
| members"
Mr.. Dnpre asked if it formed any part OF
the report.
the chair replied, 'No. Sir; none what
ever
Mr.. Dupre then moved the adoption OF
the report
The report was adopted unanimously.
Mr.. Richardson, OF Ouachita, moved that
the protest of Mr.. Leonard be spread upon
the minutes of the convention.
The chair answered that it could be done
Mr.. Mari, of Orleans, announced that the
| committee on memorials and address was
| ready to report.
The report was called for.
The committee was invited to the stand
Mr. Mari, chairman of the committee, said:
Mr.. Chairman, preliminary to reading
! this report, l Will state that out OF the com
! miltee of nine, eight were present. Judge
| Merrick, OF the committee, was not present
| and does not concur in the report. He
| took no part in the deliberations, because
| lie was attending to business elsewhere at
| the time Of the meeting.
| Mr.. Mari then read the report As follows:
! To the President and to the Senate and House OF
| representatives of the United States Of Amer
We. the people of the State of Louisiana,
| assembled in convention through our
regularly chosen delegates. respectfully pre-
| sent this, our memorial and petition, and
| ask for it respectful consideration.
We assume that it has been established
before both houses of Congress that the act
| ing government in the State Of Louisiana is
| a usurpatiOn; that the individuals person.
/
| the State, but, on the contrary, were un-
| questionahly defeated at the elections held
| for the offices which they fill in 1872 and
| 1874: that this ia true as to the Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, all the State officers,
| fifteen Senators, several Representatives,
one of the Supreme judges, several of the
| district judges, md many OF the inferior
local officers
We further assume as fact equally es-
tablished, that the lawfully elected Cover
nor. State officers, Senators. Representa-
tives. Judges and inferior officers, whose
places are usurped and held by their de-
ieated opponents, were, ard are, excluded
from said otficial positions by the unlawful
interference of the federal authority,
through its courts. and through its military
power.
The midnight order and double writ of
mandamus and injunction issued by Judge
Durell, United States district judge, by
which he organized the usurping Legisla-
ture. and for which he escaped impeach-
ment only by resi- gnation; the seizure of the
State House by federal troops iu Decem Der,
1872; the dispersion By force Of the State
Legislature and the arrest of Speaker Mon
cure in March, 1873; the expulsion of Speak
er Witt and certain Representatives in the
State Legislature in January, 1875: She
proclamations of the President in April,
1873. and September. 1874. and the blto
thirsty orders and dispatches of General
Sheridan IN January, 1875, are facts. the
eickening recital of which has engaged the
attention OF the people of the Union, and
are too well known to justify repetition.
We also assume that it mas been es.ab-
lrhed that the right of the people To elect
their officers and representatives, has been
taken frcm them and vested in partisan
State Returning Board of five mem mbers.
chosen By the usurping State Senate, and
having the power within Itself to fill Va
canciss that may cccnr in its mem bership;
that it has been esta blished that this board
may igncrs the official returns of elections
and substitute therefor er parte afidavits,
their own opinions and calculations; that
they may add supposititious votes or reject
legal woes, and 50 modify the official re-
turns by unofficial statements as to defeat
the viii Of the people and substitute there
for their own personal or partisan choice of
candidates, and that the State Supreme
Court has repeatedly decided that tha
declarations OF the Returning Board arc
final and can net be reviewed by any tri-
buDal.
In view Of these facts, the people of the
State see with alarm that the usurping kel
lOyg government, which they never elected,
and which, therefore, is not republican IN
form or in substance, is armed with the
fearful DO wer of absolute self-perpetuatioD;
tyrannical and lawieEs conduct of the
usurpers, as shown bv the statute book, by
the court records, and by the public history
of this unfortunate State since their usurp-
ing rule began, the people can not deludo
themselves with the belief, or lull them.
selves with the hope, that the conduct OF
these corrupt and unprincipled usurpers in
the future will differ from It's conduct in the
past.
We furthermore assure that it has been
demonstrated that this usurpation can
exist only as it is supported by the military
power OF the federal government
The Senate committee so found in 1873;
the House committee 80 found in 1875; the
usurper Kellogg 80 testified. on his oath,
before the Hoar committee, and the events
of the fourteenth of Septem Der, 1874, show
that, before the feeblest demonstration of
an outraged and long suffering people,
made at the State capital, and no where
else, the usurping government crum lied
away in every parish in the State, leaving
not q vestsgs Of its insolent 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 pa
tient, taking hope and courage from the
article of the federal constitution which
obliges the United States to guarantee to
every State Of the Union a republican form
of government.
Having appealed to the political depart
ment of the federal government for the en-
forcement 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 in
dignation, that it is urged by the usurpers
and their supporters in other States, as a
fatal objection to our appeal that by the
Wheeler adjustment of the difficulties which
grew out of the organization Of the House