Year: 1875

nized ss Governor of Louisiana until the end of
the term Of Office fixed by the Constitution OF
| that State


The majority and minority reports


were ordered printed. As the result OF


the colloquy between members as to


which was the majority report and which


the minority report, it may be stated
that all the members of the committee
| report against the action of the Return
ing Board; that Messfs Foster. Phelps,
Potter and Marshall unite in the major
| ity report that there was no general in
| timidation in the State, but free and
| fair election, which resulted in favor OF
| the Conservatives, who were deprived OF
the result by the wrongful action of the


Returning Board: that Messrs. Hoar,
Wheeler and Frye unite in minority re-


port, and that Foster assents with HOar,
Wheeler and Frye to compromise rec


ognising Kellogg as Governor, and Civ


ing the majority In the House to the Con-


servative delegates.


The report signed by Messrs. Hoar,
Wheeler and Frye is summarized under


eleven heads, which are briefly as follows:
| First-That there exists in the White Mems
party purpose to take possession. by force or


fraud, OF the State Government, without regard to
the question who may have numerical majority at
| any fair election;
Second-That, in the execution Of this purpose
they will not hesitate to use any Instrumental
| ties which they think designed to accomplish
! their end. whether the same be murder, fraud,


civil war or coercion of laborers by their employ
crs.
TAird-While there are many white men of
mcaerate means who do not themselves use or


approve these unlswfu Means such men na desire IRE
powerless under the leadership Of their more IN.
fluential associates.


F0urth-Three causes have made 1t easy for the
white men to so unite: The fact that the Admin
istration party in Louisiana is made up almost


altogether of negro votes, with few white votes,


largely from other States the fact that there mas
been maladmipi.tratiOn by Republican officials:
the belief By large number OF the white people
that they have been twice defrsuded Of the re-


suits of the successful election.


course Of the white people themselves has tended
to bring them about The simple and peaceful


remedies of obedience to law and decent treat,
ment of opponents would, II they had pursued
them. have proven effective long ago.
Sirth-Whilc we believe Gov. Kellogg received
q majority Of votes in 1872 and while we believe
there was violence and fraud in many of the par


ishes in 1874, the illegal order of Judge Durell
and the illegal conduct of the Returning Board
in attempting to cure one wrong by another nave
furnished substantial basis for complaints.


Seuenth-There has been much dishonesty and
corruption in louisiana For these the Republi-


officials under Warmoth's rule are largely re-
sponsible, although many of their opponents have





Esghih-The effect of all this has been to put an
end to the authority of law throughout large por-


tion of Louisiana to deprive the negro of freedom
and suffrage and to destroy the safeguards pro


vided by law to secure fairness in elections. This
state Of things overthrows republican govern


ment in Louisiana and seriously menaces the
whole country.


NinM-A new election under national authority


is desired by neither side.


TenM-Congress should exercise lts consttu-
tiOnal powers. We think William Pitt Kellogg was
the choice of the majority Of the voters OF 1872,
and should be recognized.


Elecenth-These remedies are but superficial.
Efficient educational aid would have done much
to prevent the evil and may do much to effect the
cure. The public sentiment of the rest of the
country without distinction of party may do
much to remove, as 1t has already unfortunately
done much to aggravate, the evils of Louisiana.
The people should be made to understand that
the authority lodged in the National Government
to preserve republican form of government and
to protect the rights of all citizens Will be kindly
but fearlessly and steadily exercised, and that no
party in this country will accept the alliance of
men who seeking power by such methods as
we have been compelled to describe. Unless this
can be done the overthrow of the free institutions
of the whole United States will not long survive
the destruction of those in the South.