The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-28
TnE BATON ROUGE OUTRA0E.

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East Baton Rouge, within the last three
days, by Marshal Packard, under the
authority of the Federal Government.
That the public may clearly eomprc-
bend the magnitude of this Outrage, we
deem it proper to give BRIEF history OF
the events which gave rise to it.
For many months the Offices of the
parish Of East Baton Rouge have been
in the hand of as incompetent and cor
rupt q set Of parochial officials MS ever
gave license to ROBBERY, arson and muir
der, even i'm Louisiana. The conso-
qucnces are that lawlossncss has super
seeded order and law; the turbulent
element Of the population, until recent
ly, reigned supreme, filling the parish
with alarm and insecurity. This state
OF things finally became intolcrable, and
on the nineteenth of January last the
citizens OF the parish, white and black.
assembled i'm Baton Rouge in mass
meeting to take steps TO protect So
ciety from the rullians who had
taken possession Of the parish /;
whose midnight marches were lighted
by burning gin-houscs, and whose deeds
of violence had filed the hearts OF the
community, whites and blacks, with
apprehension, and even with terror.
The imbecilc usurpation Of Kellogg
lifted not finger to bring the maraud-
crs to Justice; on the contrary, the par
ish officials OF that usurpation, impotent
for good, were the patrons of all the
lawlessncss which reigned in the com
munity. Kellogg, squat like toad
In New Orleans, guarded by Grant 8
bayoncts, and surrounded by the vcrmin
OF thieves, who constitute his partisans
and officials, looked on unmovcd.
In this crisis the people were forced to
act for themselves, and no such meet
ing ms that OF the 10Th Of January ever
took place In the parish before. The
white men from every district Of the
parish were there; the negroes, despair
ing Of protection against the regulators
from tho wretched Governor they had
aided in putting upon the State, and
from the drunkards and thieves they
had aided in making parish officials.
gathered with the white citizens as their
last and best hope Of protection. The
meeting was quiet, orderly and dignified.
but determined. There was no violence ;
there were no threats; but there was u
resolved purpose to stop the career of
arson, robbery and murder, which,
under Radical auspices, was depopula
ting and running the parish.
The meeting required the Sheriff. the
Tax Collector and the Parish Judge to
resign tho offices they had disgracod
A committee, composed Of conservative
and representative men. was then
appointed to visit Mr.. Kellogg to re-
quest him to accept the designations and
appoint competent and worthy men in
the places OF the retiring officials.
And, finally, resolutions were adopted
pledging the faith of the citizens to a
suppression oflawlessness and q restora-
ton OF peace and law, If Kellogg would
comply with their request. Let it be
borne in mind that this was not q politi-
cal meeting that it was not white
mans" meeting. 1t was a meeting of
the citizens, irrespective of race, color
or previous conditions and irrespective
Of politics. The committee appointed
by this meeting to visit Kellogg arrived
in this city a few days subsequent to the
meeting; they called upon the dc facto
told him fully OF what had occurred and
requested that he would accept the resig-
nations Of the Objectionable officials and
make fitting appointments in their
stead. Mr.. Kellogg seemed to be fully
impressed with the grievances the pco-
pie Of Baton Rouge had sustained. He
evidently thought they were justified in
their action; he certainly did not think
that any violence had been done by the
citizens, or that they had perpctrated
any outrage upon the officials. He told
the committee he could not make the
appointments just then, because
the influence of Senator Burch would
defeat their confirmation in the Senate.
He assured the committee, however,
that at the earliest moment he would do
all in his power for their constituency.
Kellogg, as usual, failed to keep his
pledge; and within the past week the
citizens Of Baton Rouge have themselves
taken the proper steps to cause the OBJ
iectionable officials who resigned on the |
9th Of January, but who have persisted
In holding on to the Offices, to abdicatc |
One of the most corrupt and objection
able OF these officials required to resign |
is one Geo. L. Davis, Parish Judge.
This fellow is carpet-bagger of the
first water; with some capacity and a
finished education, he is at the same
lime creature Of the lowest, basest and
most bestial instincts. Corrupt in the
OF his office; a coward
If the meanest sort; depraved in his
social life, he has made the parish
an instrument of oppres-
zion and fraud. He has used it to afford
to cattle, hog and cotton
hieves, and not unfrequently he has
dismissed confessed negro criminals
rom custody with the pious injunction,
go and sin no more" This man has
lone more than all others combined in
Cast Baton Rouge to encourage the
'egroes in depending upon the !
attic, hogs and cotton of the
more honest and thrifty blacks, and ,
mon those of tho whitoc I'll, -, .