Year: 1874

90 -1-1CctCc1tCY, y. =. GRANT, PreSI.
dent cfthe United States of Anserica.
Inc COMMITTEE of Seventy, body
which fully represents the Conserya-
tive people of Louisiana, referring to
your recent order putting a portion of
the armies of the United States under
the direction of the Department of
Justice, for use in this and other
Southern States, would respectfully re-
mir d you that the people of this State.
whom we have the honor to represent,
have, after two years of struggle
against the power of what they con-
slder an odiOus usurpation, been re-
mltted by your action and by the nom
action of Congress to the ballot as the
only means of relief from their diff
culties: The approaching election
has, therefore, more than ordinary
significance. The chances are against
the Conservative masses, although
they have an unquestionable majority,
since the machinery of the election is
in the hands of the acting Governor
a machinery carefully arranged by
himself and his coadjutors for the ex-
press purpose of defeating the popu-
lar will. The Conservative people,
however, believe that they would be
able to overcome even these advan-
tages by thorough organization and
the greatest vigilance. You can i'm
agine with what surprise this commu-
nifty received the intelligence that you
had placed the troops to be sent among
us at the disposal of the Attorney


General of the United States for the
purpose of assisting the Marshal of
this District, S. 3. Packard, in carry
ing on prosecutions against our peo-
/ IrlIn mt %1a 1~1,
disrespect, and impelled by sense of
public duty, we would remind you
that in the opinion of the people of
this State, and we believe of the coun-
try at large, whether that opinion be
we'll or i'll founded, the present gov
ernment of Louisiana owes its blight
ening experience in a large measure
to the continuance and active support
of the Attorney General himself, and
that this Marshal to whose control the
troops are really to be remitted was
one of the active participants in the
judicial and political maneuvers by
which tie usurpation was called into
existence; that he has been ever since
! the friend and supporter of the acting
Governor; that ho was the President
f the last Republican Convention in
this State, whose nominees for Con-
gress and other important positions
are now before the people; that he is
at this time, as he has been for many
years, the President of the State Cen
trail Committee of the Republican par
| ty of Louisiana, and is therefore
pledged as bitter partisan against
the rights of the Conservative people.
With the Federal troops under the
orders of the President of the State
/ of hi
party. it is manifest that fair election
is improbable. We may thus be foiled
again in our efforts for relief, If we
understand the sentiments Of our peo-
pie correctly, they have no objection
to your sending troops to Louisiana,
provided they come to secure good
order and fair exercise of franchise
by both white and black, especially as
| the present State government, not hav-
ing been chosen by the people, and
being, therefore, without their affection
or confidence, has shown itself utterly
unable to administer the affairs Of the
State and preserve order. But we
earnestly protest against your placing
troops in Louisiana upon the eve of
such an election as is now approach
ing, under the control of civil officers,


both of whom are thoroughly identified


with the usurpation, and one Of whom


is actually the President of the State


Central Committee of the political
/ party sustaining the usurpation. To
your candor we appeal, and ask


whether this is just. If You will re-
move the present Marshal of this Dis


trict, and appoint some one not ident-


fled with either party, but enjoying


the confidence of both-and such men


may be easily found-we will not OBJ


ject to the coming of troops to Louis


lana for the purpose of maintaining


the peace and securing fair election.


The class of people whom we repre-


sert have nothing to gain by disorder,


er Il your duty under the law to en-


ploy troops here, it seems to us that


justice would require that they should
not be placed in any way, directly or


Indirectly, under the control of a par


tizan Marshal, who is an active sup


porter of the usurpation, and the
| acknowledged leader of one of the
parties of this contest.


r. H. MARR


Chairman Committee of Seventy.


In conclusion the address says
"Our tale of misery is complete
Nothing remains but submission, re-
: lieved only by the dim, distant hope
, that the sober, second thought OF this
great people will consider calmly oul
conduct, and devise in their wisdom
3 some method of relief for their I'M
) happy countrymen.


Miss Catherine E. Beecher, sister o
! Henry Ward Beecher, wrote a long