Year: 1873

1870, lends tho least countenancC
to the assertion of jurisdiction in
such cause, or the high handed
orders that appear in it. The peace
and dignity of tho State have been
prostratod by successful effort to
overturn the administration of the
State, under the combined opera
tions Of the army of tho United
States and the Circuit Court of the
United States, and an usurping
and unconstitutional adminstra-
tion has been placed in its stead.


The progress of this insurrection
has been rapid and successful. The
duties of Governor of the State arc
now performed by person
calling himself Acting Governor
Under the constitution of Louisiana
the offices of Governor and Lieu
tenant Governor are filed by the
people at an election.


In case ola vacancy in these Off
ces for any cause, another officer
is designated by the laws to supply
the place.


This acting officer is either tho
presiding officer of the Senate, or,
in one contingency, tho speaker of
the House of Representatives.


The pescnt Acting Governor is
not Senator or member of the
House of Representatives, and was
not when he assumed to act as
Governor, and has not been since
the 4th day of November last. The
condition indispensable to capaci-
ty to act as Governor does not ex-
list. He is q mere usurper--an in
strument selected to accomplish tho
revolution commenced by judiciary
process and enforced by armed
soldiers.


The Legislature operating with
this usurping Governor comes to.
gether without legal evidence of
any authority, and have common
ced operations by abolishing courts
that arc filed by men elected by
the people in November by over
whelming majorities, and in the
place OF these courts new court is
provided, whose Judge and Clerk
are to be nominated by this Ac-
ting Governor and his Senate at
command.


1t is not surprising that a wide
spread sentiment OF indignation,
disgust and detestation prevails at
these extraordinary proceedings.
They are without parallel in the
annals of the United States. They
betoken q spirit of malice and of
nischief.-a determination to pros
trate all the bulwarks of law and
of social order, under the guise and
cover of judiciary action, to secure
ends purely selfish and personal.
They manifest o contempt for the
institutions Of the country, the
peace of society, the guarantees of
life, liberty and of property that
has created alarm and insecurity.


The undersigned have been filed
with amazement and apprehension
that the guilty authors of the meas
ures can have the least encourage
ment or support from the President
or the Congress of the United
States. We, as citizens of the State
of Louisiana. and as having no
party associations or combinations
to disturb our judgment, and i'm
pressed with the conviction that
the evils under which the State has
suffered from misgovernment will
be aggravated by these fragrant
violations Of law and right, for
ends personal, do respectfully ask
that in this exigency the Associate
Justice of the United States as.
signed to this judicial circuit, and
the Judge of the Circuit Court OF
the United States for this circuit,
may take charge of the judicial ad-
ministration of the Circuit Court
that tho employment of the army OF
the United States in the civil adj
ministration of this State be dis
continued until the peace of the
State shall be disturbed and, fl
nally, that the President and The
Congress refrain from giving en-
couragement, countenancc or au-
therity, to any new government OF
officer until their titles to act be
validly ascertained and deter,
mined.


The following is the Committee