Year: 1875

struments by unprincipled leaders-all these things were almost inevitable. We ind them existing to an extent which has almost overthrown Republican govern ment in one State, and if not checked are dangerous menace to the peace of the whole country. - ,'

 The minority then give a rigorous sketch of the bitterness and lawlessness of the dominant whites, eliminating in such acts of violence as the Colfax and Coushatta massacres. They regard the White Leange as military organization formed with a view to a violent revolu- ton. Without expressing any opinion regarding the legality of the interference of Gen. De Trobiand in the organization ot the legislature, last January, they believe it prevented bloodshed, and frustrated an attempt of the Conservatives to obtain control of the legislature by illegal usur. patton. We give below the closing DOT tion of this able and important report:

 We should be extremely glad if any method we could devise or suggest would correct the wrong that we think has been done in organizing the House of Repre- sentatives. But this must be accomplish ed, if at all, by the connected action of those persons in Louisiana, of both par ties, who sincerely desire peace and order and do not wish their State to suffer to advance the schemes of designing polite ians. We do not overlook the causes which tend to excite deep feelings of dis content in the whole native population of Louisiana. There has been great malad- ministration, public funds have been vast ed, public credit impaired, and taxation IS heavy. These facts, combined with the general prostration of business through the country, and with the diversion of business from New Orleans by reason of the construction of railroads northerly from Texas, tend to create gloom and dis content. But the ballot, not violence or assassination, is the peaceful remedy for SO much of her evils as is due to the State Administration. Every national admin stration, nearly every State and city ad- ministration, have. been charged by it's opponent with like faults. We have not been able to investigate all the charges which have been made against the State Administration, although we have receiv- ed both documentary and oral evidence on the subject. So far as has appeared to us, Gov. Kellogg is chargeable with no dishonesty, and has set himself as faith fully as he could to remedy the great evil bequeathed to him by his predecessor.

 Charges of corruption are made by the Conservatives against Republican officials without the slightest discrimination. They assume that the acceptance of office is a badge of fraud. No matter how high the position hitherto occupied socially, how spotless the reputation, the moment of ac- ceptance of office witnesses an entire re- verse. The gentleman suddenly becomes a blackguard, the honest man thief. Foul or five cases of dedication were clearly shown to be mistakes during our session. That there was great wrong and corrup- tion, that much bad legislation was enact ed, that grievous monopolies were created during Gov. Warmoth's term of office, is undeniable. That the Democrats purchas ed him at the earliest possible moment for the purpose of converting to their owr use his powers of corruption, his skill and cunning in manipulating the machinery o1 election, was asserted by some witnesses of their own; that there has been a decid. ed improvement under Gov. Kellogg all admit.

 It is said that large numbers of the white people of Louisiana believe that Coy. Kellogg is nsurper, and acting on that belief are prepared and able to drive him from power if not prevented by the National Government. This may be true But it is equally true that as large num- bers of the voters of Louisiana believe Kellogg and his associates to have been lawfully elected, and that if McEnery were established in power he would be g usurper, the difference between the two parties being that the latter do not pro. pose to settle questions of law by blood. shed. It is further said that this is 6 question which concerns the people o1 Louisiana alone, and that they should be left to fight out the question among them selves. But this is an erroneous view both of the rights and duties of the peo. pie of the United States under the Consti- tuition. They have an interest in the question whether Senators and Repre- sentatives thrust into their seats by illegal means should sit in Congress to make laws for them; and whether electors gain ing their office in like manner shall turn the scale in the choice of g President o1 the United State. The President and Congress are bound to recognize, and if need be to support, the true Government of Louisiana against all usurpers, and the American people will abandon their rights and finch from the performance of their duties when they have questions to be set tied either by the mob or the assassin.

 We are of opinion that the union of nearly all the blacks in one political party and nearly all the whites in another is a fact deeply to be deplored. Party spirit bears evil fruit in abundance when ani mosities of race and class do not mingle with it. But we cannot doubt that, wheth- CT the white Republican leaders have strength to foster this dissension on the color line or not, it would long since have disappeared if the leaders of the white people of Louisiana had not hammered and welded together the masses of the colored population by system of conduct calculated to excite in the highest degree their fears for their freedom or theirpolit- ical and social rights.

 The people who would persuade us, and to some degree persuade themselves, that they are willing to give the negro all his rights under the Constitution, seem to lose all their understanding of what iust- ice and equality really mean when the ne- gro is concerned. They think, and very justly, that it is great evil to mass all the colored votes on one side. I never occurs to them that it is an equal evil to mass all the white votes on the other. On the contrary, their animosity is specially directed against those whites who act with negroes. They have little reprobation for those leaders who advise the whites to band together in an agreement not to em- ploy negro laborers who vote the Radical ticket, or for the planters who follow the advice. The life of no man would be safe. as one of their witnesses very frankly ad- mitted, who, when it was time to gather the cotton crop, should advise negroes to refuse to work for planters who are not Republicans. The white who kills negro goes unpunished. A fearful vengeance oyertakes the negro who snaps cap at a white man. In parish after parish. the whites turn out public officers whom they dislike, by force, and no punishment fol- lows. The assembling of body of ne- groes at the command of the Sheriff, to maintain his lawful authority, is followed |