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Address Of Louisiana Democrats And Conservatives

Address Of Louisiana Democrats And Conservatives image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
September
Year
1874
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

New Orleans, September ö. - The Democratie and Conservativa State Central Committee of Louisiana have isflued the following addross: Xi:v Okleans, Sopt . S . 187 L To the I'eople of the Union : For nearly two years tho people of Louisiana have pers;stjntly applied for relief to the judicial, executive and legislativa departnients of the General Government. The Supreme Court, on account of its limited jurisdiction, found itself witliout power to remedy the wrong perpetrated by the Federal district judge of Louisiana. The exeeutive remitted thein to Congress as the proper tribunal, bnt Congres, overwhelmingly Kepublican in botn branches, while recognizing the grievance oomplained of, signalized itself by a masterly inactivity, tho real purpose of which was to leavo the Kellogg usurpation in power. The only nieang left to Louisiana to redeem herself froiu thia usurpation is by participating in an election held under the very auspicas of tho usurper himself, arrued with special enactments of his spurious Legislature to secure his reterition in power, and with other and appropriate acta to be signed and promulgated by himself accoriing to circumstances. Already has he Bubstantially violated bis aolemn promise not to sign the election law, by signing and promulgating a. redistricting law, which, in his hands, is a more potent instrument for political inischief. In tho nieantiuoe the people are ground down by taxation tor unholy purposes. Property ünding no purchasers at tax sales is by the wholesale adjudicated to the State, and upon the subsidence of a desolating and wide-spread overflow, the municipal authorities havo been swelling up the local taxes, and yet there ia no attempt at revolntion in Louisiana. Not satisfiied with driving th'e people to movo for redress in this vicious circle, the usurper and his eoadjutors, falsifying the facts in inventiug a war of races, and magnifying to uulimited numbers the murders and atrocities, have conspired to bring about Federal interference in local alt'aira under pretext of protecting the rights of citizens, but for the known purpose of intimidation in the coming election. The very acts of violence which occurred in the several parishes had been deliberately instigated by themselves, their object being, as asserted by one of their own nuuiber, to forge lightniug in Louisiana that there might be thunder iu the North. They have, however, succeeded in impressing upon the President the belief that unless speedily checked, matters must become worse, until lite and property there will receive no protection fiom the local authorities. The President remits all proceedings for the protection of the South to the law departuicnts of the Government, to be directed by the Attorney General, in accordance with th provisions of the enforcement acts, and he orders the troops in readiness for that purpose. The people of Louisiana do not object to United States troops being stationed in their midst. These troops may as well be here as in any other State, for Louisiana is a component part of the Union. Tho Federal judiciary may and does, as heretofore, continue to administer rigidly' the enforcement acts of Congress. No complaint on this score has been or can be made against Louisiana by the most fastidious civil rights partisans. But the people of Louisiana do protest against the judicial persecución in store for them, and against the oppressive abuse of Federal troops, not to assist in executing the enforcement acts, but really to overawe the people in the coming elcctions. Troops at the bidding of the United Marshal, who is the chairman of the Republican State Central Committee, and assisted by the United States District Attorney, the pillar of the Louisiana Kepublican party, forebode the wanton and arbitrary arrest of political adversaries by tho hundred, under orders issued by Petty, United States Commissioner, werking in party traces. The impending persecution, clothed with the garb of judicial proceedinga, is barely concealed under the exultant tone of the following dispatch froni the United States District Attornev of Louisiana, an offieer of the Law Department : Washington, September 3, 1874. To Gov. V. P. Kellogg : Just from Long Branch. The Goverimient will,enforce order m the State. Steps will be uroinptlv taken to crush the new rebellion. V (Signed) J. R. BECKWITH, Attorney General. Gen. Williams' circular of instructions to his subordinates, to proceed with all possible energy and dispatch to detect, ■ exposé, arrest and punish the perpetrators of these crimes, will be executed with a vengeance during the politcal campaign, but no attention need be paid to his recommendation to the effect that no inter tVrence whatever is hereby intendvil with any political or party action, not in violation of law, nor will ranch stress be laid on his statement about aiïording protection to all classes of citizens, white and colored, since it is a matter of i.otoriety that the Supreme Court interprets the enforcement acts as passed exclusively for the protection of colored citizens. Bsides the people opposedto the Kellogg usurpation have never questioned the right of the colored voters to register and vote, to nomínate their candidates, and install them whenever elected, and they have repeatedly and expressly pledged themselves to maintain these rights inviolate. As to the local disturban ces which have occurred, they did not spring from any spirit of hostility to the colored people, but were the unavoidable outbreaks arising from a state of tyranny and oppression. In this emergency the people of Louisiana appeal to their fellow-citizens of the Union for a hearing, they ask the judgment of an enlightened public opinión. They assert their fidelity to tho nation, but they spurn an odious usurpation, gnawing at the vitáis of the State. They respect and cheerfully give obdience to the General Government, but they discrimínate between the wkII delined aetion of that government and tho fraudulent perversión of Federal functions by subordínate officers. Conscious of the rectitude of their purposes and of the justice of their course, they are enegetically eulisted in the work of their political redemption, and cannot be deterred from ' reclaiming their heritage. (Signed) K. H. MANN, President. A. VOORIIIES, Vice President. W. J. BUDENDÜKF, E. O. DILLS, Secretaries.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus