Year: 1875

State TO arms, assemble and drive out
| the usurpers, as he designated the


officers of the State The White
| Leaguers. armed and ready for the
| conflict, promptly responded On the
same day the Governor made formal
| requisition to me, In pursuance of the
| act of 1895. and section 4, article 4 of
the constitution, to aid In suppressIng
domestic violence On the next day l
issued my proclamation, commanding
| the insurgents to disperse within five


days from the date thereof, but before
the proclamation was published IN
New Orleans the organization had


armed, and the usurping government


had taken forcible possession of the
State House and temporarily subyerted
the government. Twenty or more


people were killed. including a num-


Der of the police of the city The
| streets of the city we're stained with
blood. All that was desired in the
way of excitement had been accom-


plished, and in view of the steps taken
to repress it, the revolution was ap-
parently, though it is believed not
| reilly abandoned. and the cry of


usurpation and tyranny in Louisiana


was resumed with redoubled energ.f.


The troops had been sent to the State


under the reqisition of the Governor.
and as disturbances seemed imminent


they were allowed to remain there TO
render the executive such aid as


might become necessary to enforce he


laws of the State and repress the con


tinual trouble which seemed inevitable


the moment Federal support should


be withdrawn. Prior to and with a


view to the late election in Louisiana.


white men associated themselves to-


gether in armed bodies called White


Leagues. and at the same time threats


were made in the journals OF the State


that the election should be carried
against the Republicans at all hazards,


which very naturally greatly alarmed


the colored voters. By section s of


the act of February % 1871, it is made


the duty of United States Marshals
and their deputies. at polls where


votes are cast for Representatives in
Congress. to keep order and prevent
any violations of the so-called enforce


ment acts and other offenses against


the laws of the United States, and up


on requisition of the Marshal Of


Louisiana, and in view Of the armed


organizations and portentous circum


stances, l caused detachments of
troops to be stationed in various To-


calities in the State to aid him in the


performance of his official duties in
the enforcement of the State laws.


That there was intimidation of Repuh


lican voters at the election notwith-
standing this precautlon, admits of
no doubt. The following are specf-
mems of the means used on the 14th of
October. Eighty persons signed and


nm hliShod tho followino


I'VE, the undersigned, merchants Of
the city of Shreveport. in obedience
to a request of the merchants of
Shreveport, agree to use every en-
deavor to get our employees TO vote the
peoples ticket at the ensuing election
and in the event Of their refusal SO to
do. or in any case they vote the Radi-
cal ticket, to refuse to employ them
at the expiration Of their term of
service.


On the same day another large body
of persons published the following:


I'VE, the undersigned merchants of
the city of Shreveport, recognizing the
great Importance of securing good and
honest government to the State, do
agree and pledge ourselves not to ad-
vance any supplies or money to any
planter the coming year. who will give
employment or rent lands to laborers
who vote the Radical ticket in the
coming election.


l have no information of the pro-
ceedings of the Returning Board for
said election which may not be found
in its report, which has been publish
ed, but it is matter Of public infor-
nation that great part of the time
taken to canvass the vote was consul
med by the arguments of lawyers, se.
eral of whom represented each party
before the board. I have 40 evidence
that the proceedings of this board
were not in accordance with the law
under which they acted. Whether Ia
excluding from their count certain re-
turns they were right or wrong is
question that depends upon the evi
dence they had before them Bu. it is
power, if they choose to exercise if, ef
deciding that matter. and prima face
the persons when they return as elect.
ed are entitled to the Offices for which
they were candidates.


Respecting the alleged interference
of the military with the organization
of the LEGISLATURE of Louisiana on the
4th inst, l have no knowledge or in
formatio on which has not been received
by me since that time, and published.
My first information was from the pa
pers of the morning of the 9th of Jan
uary did not know that any such
thing was anticipated, and no orders
and no suggestions were ever given to
any military officer in that State upon
that subject prior to the oceurre nee. [
am well aware that any military inter
ference by the officers or troops of the
United States with the organization Of
State Legislature. or any Of It's pro-
ceedines, or with any civil department
of the government is repugnant TO our
ideas Of government. L can conceive
of no case not involving rebellion or
insurrection where such interference
by the authority of the General Gov
ernment ought to be permitted or can
be justified But there are circum-
stances connected with the legislative
imbroglio in Louisiana which seem to
exempt the military from any inten-
tional wrong in that matter, knowing
that they had been placed in Louisi-
ana to prevent domestic violence and
to aid in suppressing disorder. The
officers and troops of the United States
may well have supposed that it was
their duty to act when called upon by
the Governor for that purpose. Each
branch of legislative assembly is the
Judge of the election and qualification
of Its own members; but if mob, or a
body OF unauthorized persons, seize
and hold the legislative hall in tu-
multuous and riotous manner, and so
prevent any organization by those
legally returned as elected, it might