Year: 1875

gle moment was now the case in Louis


lana. He desired TO know whether, a


the first false step in fOisting illegaI


government upon the people Of Louis
lana, all liberty and all law in that State


was to perish? He wantei 10 know who


1t was that called into use the army oi


the United States 10 organize the legisla-
/ tuTe OF Louisiana? He did not want
this matter decided by clamOr or umuIt.
I There would be q tlmultuOu5 spirit lD
New York, Ohio or Michigan, il either
! OF those States were suffering from the
I same cause.


Senator COnkJing read from various
| precedents to show that the custom had
been to request the President, II uot In
compatible with the public interest to
inform the senate, etc.


Senator Morton favored the amend


ment Of Senator COnkling. He said tine


senator from Ohio Thurman urged the


resolution as If it were in the nature


OF q mandate, when the very language


OF the resolution was: "The President


OF the United States ia hereby request


ed" etc. III the senate was to have in


formation on this subject let if have the


whole story, and this could be done by


amending the resolution so as to have


the President furnish any information


he has in regard to the evidence of an


armed organization in Louisiana hostile


to the government Of the United States.
What the President had done for the
preservation of the public peace had
been done in view Of the fact that


murder had been rampant in Louisiana,
IN view of the fact that these very men
who surrounded the legislature were
covered with blood, and ready to COM
NIT fresh murders.


Senator Howe supported the amend
ment OF the senator from New York.


Senator Logan said that when cOlOred
men were murdered in Louisiana, no
voice was raised on the Democratic side
OF this chamber to challenge the wrong
pegpetrated. He charged that these
murders were committed by Dem Ocrats.
De Logan was as much in favor of
having this information before the senate
as anyone here, but ne desired to warn
his friends on the other side OF the cham
Der that they must make their friends
stop their murders. Ii they did not,
they would be made to stop, and the
armies OF the United States would be
used to stop them. Those who stood by
these murderers were no better than
hhOSC " LO Tie CTlLuEs.


Here there was a slight demOnstSa-
tiOn toward applause in the gallery, but
1t was promptly checked by the Vice
President.


Senator Bogy said he was not an
apolOgist for murder and disturbance,
but he did not see how the people of
Louisiana could submit quietly to all
the outrages heaped upon them. TAp-
plsuse in gallery, which was promptly
checked by the presiding officer.


Senator EdmOnds said that the people
of this country would not see
thousands and tens Of thousands Of
citizens made victims OF assassination
merely because they wished to assert
their constitutional rights, An honest
and an injured man, in any State, should
have the right to call upon this govern
ment for protection. He then read a
telegram from General Sherman, and
said that the testimony Of that officer
was entitled to weight. Continuing his
he said he had always been
taught that protection Of human life
and liberty was the chief duty Of the
government.


Senator Thurman said il the President
Of the United States were to overthrow
tomorrow any southern state govern
ment be would be defended by the same
cry OF kuklux, White League, murder, |
etc. That would not do. The time had |
passed when plain violation of the con-
law could be thus excused. |
The dominant party tried that on last
fall when it set up the southern outrage |
mill, with the encouragement as its !
chief miller, but the people Of The |
country rejected the product of that,miil. |
1t was he duty Of congress to harmon
ize the people Of the whole country, !
and not to produce sectional strife by |
constantly preaching that the people of
one section are assassins and murdereIs. |
What warrant had the senator from |
Vermont Edmunds] for charging tnst |
the people Of Louisiana were assassins |
and murderers? Because some lives |
were lost there? Did that fact make the |
people of the whole State assassins?


Senator Morton said he welcomed this |
but he wanted it enlarged 30 |
that the whole truth could be told. 1t |
would afford all opportunity to CONTRA
dict the ten thousand lies from LOuisi- |
ana. What evidence was there that the |
carried the election there, |
except the word Of the White LeaguersS
Pending the discussion, the senate adj
lourned