Year: 1873

4 aASut ~ VIC IoSI CICSAiOu. w Z 0hi h


without fear of contradiction, that the


foregoing statement exhibits, on the


part of the United States Court, the


most unparalleled and baseless usurpa.


tion of jurisdiction and authority of


which the annals of jurisprudence
afford any example. The action of the
Returning Board, recognized and vested
with all its powers by this Court. has
been eqnally unprecedented. Without
any official returns before them, without
any ficial data on which alone their


action could have been rightfully


based, they have presumed to proclaim


the results of the election. The dec.


laration by them Of the votes cast in
the different parishes is as purely fan
ciful as is no election whatever had


been held. They have arbitrarily re-
duced and increased the votes on one


side or tho other IN different parishes to


suit their purposes. In Several parishes
while returning, or even adding to the
votes cast for their candidates, they
have sinply annhilated or stricken out
entitely the votes cast for their oppo-
nents. In other parishes they have
exactly reversed the returns, giving


to their candidates the majority which
had really been returned for their
opponents. They have not pretended
tc furnish the public with ary state.
ment Of the basis Oh which they pro-
ceeded, or theory on which they acted.
/ Their whole conduct is without reasona-
bic explanation We submit to the
people Of the United States that such
proceedings reach point at which the


whole theory of popular Government
is reversed and overthrown. The


means by which such results have
been reached are enough 10 startle the
public mind but the results themselves
are not less appalling. Aside from
general affairs of State, We find the
Legislature of the State delivered over
INTO the hands Of men wLo were not
not elected, and who were utterly
unfit for positions of such responsible
ity. As originally composed at its
organization, it comprised sixty eight
persons of color, mos. of them totally
uneducated, with very small minority
of whites. Since that time they have
members whose seats were uncontested
they have unseated members returned
elected by their own Board, and seated
their defeated opponents on the simple
ground that the former had not appeared
to claim their seats. The result is,
that originally bad as the Legislature
was, it makes itself worse day by day, !
and the prospect is that soon the Con
servative element of the State will have
no repres entation whatever, To those
who fatter themselves with the hops
that Mr.. Kellogg would not willingly |
abet any schemes of outrageous mis-
government, j. is cow apparant that,
even supposOg this to be true, the
power of restraining has passed entire
ly beyond his control. and that, should |
he attempt to thwart the schemes of
this Legislature, his own impeachment
would be probable event of bis fu-
ture.


In conclusion We would state that |
We have attempted to perform the duty
of our..mission in the purest non part,
san spirit that we have not sought to
furnish capital to any political party,
or to excite popular clamor in the in
terest of any faction. We have laid
our case before the President and his
Attorney General, and we willingly
testify that we have been courteously
received and patiently listened to
While they have refused the specific
measures of relief for which we applied,
they have gwen reasons for such
refusal in no manner implying their
indisposition to see justice done. They
have referred US to Congress, aud
we feel assured that We shall have
his cooperation in any measures OF
relief which Congless may adopt after
a just investigation. The people of
Louisiana, ignoring party and con.
scious of an honorable effort to place in
Office men of tried probity, seek Justice
not generosity. They ask for calm,
impartial examination of the recent