Year: 1872




The citizens of Louisiana charged with the
duty of appealing to President Grant, in the
name Of the State, against the use of federal
power to aid in the overthrow of the regular
State government, having failed in their effort,
have issued an address to the American people,
which will be found in the HERALD to-
day. It is q temperate and dignifed docu-
ment, setting forth without coloring almost
without comment-the facts in the unfortunate
controversy, and abstaining from any reaec-
tions on the conduct or motives of the United
States authorities other than those which are
inseparable from the plain, unvarnished story
of their acts. The committee preface their
statement with disclaimer of any personal
or party interest whatever in the existing con-
test between the rival State governments,
and charge that the reports to the con- /,
trary have been maliciously spread by those
who fear the investigation into the case
courted by the people of Louisiana. So
far from being in any degree in the
service of Governor Warmoth, they show
that they have persistently denounced his
policy during the last four years, and have
been the steady opponents Of all the partisan
and corrupt legislation in which he has had
the support and cooperation Of Lieutenant
Governor Pinchback and others who are now
his enemies. The committee positively deny
any knowledge of o conspiracy to defeat the
will of the people as expressed in the recent
election, and do not believe that such con-
spiracy ever had an existence On the con-
trary their present action is impelled by the
conviction that the persons now usurping
authority in the State through the aid Of fede-
raj bayonets were not elected by tho people
and have no legal claim to Office. The COM
mittee have not however, asked or expected
the federal administration to accept their word
on this point, but have only solicited at it's
hands full and impartial investigation Of the
facts, in order that it may base upon them on
intelligent Judgment of its own. Having thus
cleared themselves satisfactorily from the in
situations put forth by partisan organs as to
the selfshness Of their motives in visiting
Washington, the committee proceed to reca-
pitulate in a clear, concise manner the events
that have occurred in New Orleans since the
election and to show where the responsibility
and criminality rest.


The story is already familiar to the readers
of the HERALD, but it is told so dispassion-
ately and judicially by the committee that it
is worth brief recapitulation here. In the
late election the republican candidates for
Governor and Lieutenant Governor were both
ofice-holders in connection with the federal
administrations the one as Senator Of the
United States and the other rs the Collector of
the Port of Shreveport This fact should be
borne in mind, for it seems to explain and
certainly renders more Objectionable the
subsequent unwarrantable action Of federal
Court in reversing the result Of the election
and placing the republican candidates in
Office through the power of federal bayonets.
The election was q peaceful one; not dis
turbance took place at single poll, and the
vote was unusually large. Every requirement
Of the State laws was complied with, SO far as
the election officers were concerned. The
returns were regularly made to the
Board of State Canvassers, which con-
sisted Of the Governor, the Lieutenant
Governor and two others who were
named in the original law-Messrs. Lynch
and Anderson. At the time the acting Secre-
tary of State was Mr. Heron who had been
appointed by Governor Warmoth in place of
Secretary Bovee, removed some months pre-
viously; but his title to the Office was con-
tested by Bovee and the suit was then still
undecided in the State Courts. Secretary
of State Heron and Mr.. Anderson had
both become disqualified from further
4 tha ~
consequence of having been candidates
for Office in the election, the law and the con-
stitution of the State being both explicit on
that point. The Board, consequently, con-
sisted of Governor Warmoth, Secretary Of
State Heron and Mr.. Lynch, the other two
places being vacant The trouble commenced
at this point. Charges had been made
against Secretary of State Heron which, if
we'll founded, would have warranted
his removal from Office, and at this
moment, according to the statement of the
committee, it was discovered that o conspiracy
existed between Heron and Lynch to falsify
the returns, and, as majority Of the Board, to
declare the minority candidates, Kellogg and
Antoine, together with republican majority
of the legislative bodies, elected To substan-
tate this suspicion it was found that
Secretary of State Heron had, a
few days previously, secretly procured
duplicate of the seal of State to be engraved,
and it was concluded that this could OILY be
for the purpose Of carrying out the object Of
the alleged conspiracy Whether this rumor
was well or i'll founded, Governor Warmoth
| p a.


removed the Secretary Of State on
the charges already made against
him and appointed Colonel Wharton
to the Office. The new Secretary of State
Immediately took his seat in the Canvassing
Board, which was organized with Secretary of