The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-05-10

PRACTICAL effect OF Which was TO con-
firm the insurgents in the advantages
which they had gained, and prevented
any effort to dispossess them.
On the inauguration of President
Hayes, The State authorities made
preparations to organize a militia force
for the defense Of the State Govern
ment. General Nichols police seized
seized upon the recruiting officers and
imprisoned them for treason, without
benefit Of bail, or writ, or habeas corpus.
[ telegraphed this fact to President
Hayes, asking if this was violation Of
the status quo, and, if not, whether the
release of these men by force, all civil
remedies having been exhausted, would
be so considered. The President re-
piled; S'Y our dispatch of the oath is
received. The Secretary of War has
telegraphed to General Augur. A
commission will shortly visitLouisiana.
In the meantime the President desires
that the situation remain unchanged"
The commission came. In the
meantime, the Nichols Government
had crystallized into shape. So far
from permitting the situation to remain
unchanged, it had broken into the tax
collectors offices of the city. had taken
forcible control of the State institu-
lions, and had S strengthened itself on
all sides. Notwithstanding this, how
ever, the commission found the legal
Legislature still in session at the State
House, and my title unassailed, and
unassailable except by force.
Result of their labors during the two
weeks that they remained here is known
of all men. They induced number Of
| the members Of the legal House of
Representative to take seats in the
Nichols House, thus giving it a re-
turning board quorum. Prior to the
meeting of the Legislature, the Demo
Gratis claimed to have elected only sixty
members Of the House, one less than a
quorum. One at least of the members
so claimed by them was absent on the
1st Of January last. No Republican OF
independent member would consent to
act with the Nichols House, and con-
sequently, in order to obtain even the
appearance of an organization, they
had been compelled to call to their aid
three men who were defeated at the
polls, whose election had not been pre-
viously claimed. The inquiry, there
fore, seems pertinent in this connection.
| If a F2fnrning Board quorum was SO
efectual for Nichols claim, why was
it that such quorum was ignored
while it remained faithful to the legal
Government of the State? That Gov
eminent had a ReturningBoardq quorum
from the day on which the General AS
sembly convened, and the Legis-
lature, duly organized, remained in
legal existence till disintegrated by the
direct action of the commission.
This result having been achieved, it
is q matter Of record that congratulate
DRY messages were exchanged between
the President and his commission. On
the following day, the President, by q
formal order, made public, through the
press, directed that the United States
troops occupying a building in the
vicinity Of the State House should be
removed to their barracks. Those
troops had been placed there by Presi-
dent Grant, without a formal call of
the Governor, to protect the Returning
| Board while counting the vote for
| President.
[ firmly believe that had the legal
Government been recognized, it could
have sustained itself without the inter
vention of the troops, but the
order for withdraw, issued
under the circumstances, and III the
manner that it was issued, clearly
indicated that even the moral support
which the legal Government OF Louis
lana should have received from the
national Administration would be
denied. Had the General Assembly
continued in session in the State House,
| should have deemed it my duty to
have asserted and defended the Gov
eminent to the last, Notwithstanding
the withdrawal of the troops; but with
the Legislature disintegrated and no
prospect Of present success, | cannot
task your tried fidelity by asking you
longer to continue to aid me in the
struggle that [ have thus far maintain
ed. therefore announce to you that
| am compelled to abstain for the
present from all active assertion Of my
legal rights, but yield only to superior
forces.
| am not wholly discouraged by the
fact that, one by one, the Republican
State Governments of the South have
been forced to succumb to force or
fraud, or policy. Louisiana, the first
State rehabilitated after the war, is the
last State whose Government thus falls,
and [ believe it will be among the first
to raise itself again to the plane of
equal and honest representation. |
advise that you maintain your party
organization, and continue to battle for
the rights of citizenship and free gov
eminent. We strive for these, and not
for man or men.
It grieves me beyond expression that /,
the heroic efforts you have made, and
thei cruel sufferings that you have
undergone to maintain Republican
in Louisiana have had this !