The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-24
THE. SITUATION.



in taking D retrospective view OF the
events OF the past six years, 1t is un.
necessary to dwell upon the sickeniDg
details Of the indignities and wrongs
that have been heaped upon our people.
1t Id even more fortunate that the true
courage or q people can be as aptly
illustrated by patient forbearance as by
u display of personal courage, else the
future historian might well turn with
disgust from the record. as demon
strating the degenerGcy OF people
that had borne 80 honorable o part In
one OF the greatest wars OF modern
times. Let us hope that, after paying
a proper tribute to the heroic valor Oh
I,o,lisiana's citizen soldiers during the
late war, and eulogizing the still greater
display Of moral courage evinced pY
patient suffeging and manly forbear.
ance up to the present hour, he may
here stop ami chronicle the fact that,
having reached the point where for
bearance ceased to be d virtue, we
proved, by our stern resistance to
further oppression, that the surviving
sons OF Louisiana were worthy OF her
martyred children, who repose beneath
the sod OF so many battle fields.
The writer, upon his advent among you
in 1870, found the government OF the
State under the control OF aliens and
reneRades, having no interest, or senti-
ments In common with the people ofthe
State. Offices were multiplied, corrup-
ton and venality were the rule, and
honesty the exception among the army
OF otficeholders who absorbed the hard
earnings OF II people struggling TO re-
pair their shattered fortunes. Not only
were the material interests sacrificed by
every devisable scheme OF fraud, but the
dearest rights OF free people were
trampled under foot.
Under these circumstances you were
told to be patient, to trust to the innate
sense OF justice Of the American peo-
pie, to lean upon the great Democratic
party OF the North. and to rely upon the
ballot, that palladium OF American
liberty, to redress your wrongs.
You followed this advice, and what
was the result?I
At the election in November, 1879. you
elected Governor, Lieutenant Cover
nor, and majority Of other officers Of
your choice. You breathed more free.
iy, and your hearts leaped with Joy as
light breaking through thedark clouds
that had hitherto lowered over you.
Alas, 1t was but O. passing vision, as
baseless as the auicksand that swallows
up the unwary traveller. An unoonsti-
tutional Returning Board, whose infa-
my was as we'll known TO you then, as
Ii has recently become evident to the
whole world, without having q single
election return before them, declared
rs elected another set OF vampires.
The midnight order OF o debauched and
blasphemous judge, backed by Federal
bayonets, completed the work, and
once more you lay ut the feet OF your
oppressors. Again you were told to be
Che Federal Government, and again
you were patient In suffering until, In
1874, an attempt was made to render you
powerless for resistance by depriying
you of your arms, In order to place them
In the hands OF an ignorant and delud-
ed race, controlled by your designing
and lremorseless enemies. When they
reached the climax OF invading tho
sanctity OF your homes In their lawless
search for arms, you, on tho memorable
1ath OF September, arose In your might,
and after short conflict, In which
nearly a hundred lives were sacrificed.
you swept the usurping government out
OF power and once more you breathed
W freemen. During three days the
State was again In the hands Of her own
people. Order reigned supreme; crime
for q time hid its hideous head; the
humblest citizen, Of whatever race or
color, was protected In his every right.
At the end OF three days, upon the
demand OF single Federal officer, you
laid down your arms and surrendered
up to him the government OF your State,
which was Immediately restored TO the
profane hands from whose grasp you
had wrested It. At the election In 1874
you again triumphed over your enemies
and elected q majority of both branches
Of the Legislature; Soon after entering
the legislative halls, an officer, wearing
backed by the bayonets of Federal
soldiers, drove the duly elected repre-
sentatives Of the people from their
seats.
Inc story OF your wrongs, which had
SO long fallen upon deaf ears. at last
began to make Itself heard. The peo-
pie OF the North were at last aroused
Congressional committees visited this
city, and, though composed mainly Of
Republicans, they exposed the frauds
that had been perpetrated, and declared
that VIM. 2. Kellogg, the usurping Gov
ernor, had not been elected to that
office; they also declared that you had
elected q majority Of the members Of
e3C lIVklSleshuAC. AL o ltslttk hOuI IL ulh-
jority OF your chosen representatives
accepted a so-calied compromise, by
which they agreed not to displace the
Ausurper, and to condone tho crimes OF
his associates. Even OF the small pit
lance allotted you by this so-called COM
promise you were defrauded, and the
State remained as effeetually under the
control OF yeur enemies as at any pre-
vious period. Again, you were told to
be patient and to rely upon the peace
full power OF the ballot, and again you
were patient.
This brings US up to November, 1876.
What was your condition on the eve OF
that election? In 1870 State bonds were
worth eighty.four cents on the dollar;
by reputation the debt had been re.
duced forty per cent and tho reduced
bonds were worth sixty cents on the
dollar, the equivalent of thirty-s cents
upon their origina! face value, showing
81 characterization of M arn thap n fty nor