I."MHANA. 



601 



made before the election to drive from 

 Hyulltliat voted the l.'u-lieai ticket are 

 i out. Combinations among the whiten 

 ; and recruiting by e\er\ i'..|-iu of pressure, 

 ill negroes who voted the Kudieal ticket 

 > refused work or leases. All the whites not 

 ig to the combination are to bo ostracized. 

 more than 600 families, including at least 

 'u|>lo of all ages and sexes, are wanderers. 

 ithuut iiR'ims to go elsewhere, powerless to Una 

 her homes where they are, and on the verge of 

 arvation in mid-winter. Theft and other crimes 

 ay result, and it is feared that the bitter feeling 

 .: uuiu resulting from the sense of injustice received 

 iu into one of revenge. These harmless peo- 

 j-lo will gradually drill together, and the white peo- 

 re not slow, as the past has shown, to set afloat 

 amatory rumors of intentions of organized vio- 

 K-iico on the part of the negro, and where the re- 

 volver and mob-law are the common resort in such 

 cases, as they usually have been here, disorders more 

 -s extensive arc sure to result if some prevent- 

 ive is not found for such a state of things. 



P. II. SIIEKIDAN, Lieutonant-General. 



As soon ns the events of the 4th of January 

 in New Orleans became known, the subject 

 was brought to the attention of Congress. On 

 the 5th of January, Senator Thurman intro- 

 duced the following resolution into the Senate : 



Resolred, That the President of the United States 

 is hereby requested to inform the Senate whether 

 any portion of the army of the United States, or any 

 otbcer, officers, soldier or soldiers of such army did 

 in any manner interfere or intermeddle with, control 

 or seek to control the organization of the General As- 

 sembly of the State of Louisiana, or either branch 

 thereof, on the 4th instant ; and especially whether 

 any person or persons claiming seats in either branch 

 <>t said Legislature have been deprived thereof, or 

 prevented from taking the same, by any such milita- 

 ry force, officer or soldier ; and, if such has been the 

 case, then that the President inform the Senate by 

 what authority such military intervention and inter- 

 ference have taken place. 



The matter was also taken up in the House, 

 where General Butler introduced a bill pro- 

 viding for a new State election to be held in 

 Louisiana in May, under the direction of Con- 

 gress. The condition of affairs in Louisiana 

 was earnestly discussed in both Houses of Con- 

 f. r ivs>, but up to February no definite action 

 had been taken. 



The Senate resolution, calling upon the Presi- 

 dent for information, was passed on the 8th of 

 January, and on the 18th the President sub- 

 mitted a special message to the Senate accom- 

 panied with the official documents bearing 

 upon the subject. In this paper the President 

 reviews the condition of affairs in Louisiana 

 from the time immediately preceding the elec- 

 tion of 1872 ; gives an account of the disorders 

 and violence in the State, and the means used 

 to intimidate Republican voters which had 

 been reported to the Federal Government, and 

 shows what demands had been made for Fed- 

 eral aid, and what action had been taken by the 

 General Government pursuant thereto. The 

 President further reminded Congress that ho 

 had long ago urged that body to take action in 

 the premises, and repeated that recommen- 

 dation in the present message, adding that un- 

 til Congress relieved him from the responsi- 



bility entirely, or gave him specific directions, 

 he would 1'eel it to be his duty to adhere to 

 the course which lie Imd already pursued. 

 (This message of the President iu given in fall 

 in I'CBUO DOCUMENTS.) 



The documents accompanying the message 

 were voluminous, and included many of those 

 which have already been given in this article. 

 The first was a letter from Governor Kellogg, 

 dated August 19tb, giving a brief statement 

 of the condition of affairs in Louisiana, and 

 concluding as follows : 



I respectfully and earnestly suggest that if the 

 United states troops were returned to their posts in 

 this State such a course would have a most salutary 

 effect, and would prevent much bloodshed and 

 probably a formal call upon the President and a re- 

 newed agitation of the Louisiana Question, which 

 otherwise a quiet, fair election next November would 

 forever set at rest, and fully vindicate your just pol- 

 icy toward us. 



On the 30th of August, Marshal Packard 

 telegraphed Attorney-General Williams a re- 

 quest to the Secretary of War to order a suf- 

 ficient force immediately to aid in the dis- 

 charge of his duties as required by law. The 

 registration was about to begin. Large bodies 

 of armed and mounted white men had ap- 

 peared. Through fear of them the blacks 

 would be unable to register or vote in case of 

 a conflict, which Marshal Packard regarded as 

 imminent. 



On August 20th Governor Kellogg informed 

 Attorney-General Williams of a gross outrage 

 which had just been perpetrated at Coushatta. 

 The presence of troops would go far to pre-- 

 vent violence and bloodshed. He said there 

 was " an openly-avowed policy of exterminat- 

 ing Republicans." Information was sent to 

 Attorney-General Williams by Marshal Pack- 

 ard and District-Attorney Beckwith, dated 

 September 10th and 13tb, of the proceedings 

 of the White League, and urging the necessity 

 for troops to prevent murder, etc. On the 

 14th Governor Kellogg made a requisition on 

 the President to take measures to put down 

 the domestic violence and insurrection then 

 prevailing. Numerous telegrams were sent to 

 the Attorney-General by Marshal Packard and 

 others, asserting that armed mobs were re- 

 ported all over New Orleans, and that Leaguers 

 were much more formidable than was sup- 

 posed. 



The Mayor of St. Francisville telegraphed, 

 September 19th, to the Attorney-General: 



The timely arrival of Federal troops has saved the 

 lives of unoffending Republicans. We look con- 

 fidently to the loyal North for the support which 

 they have so generously extended the weak, and 

 hope the protection of the Government will continue 

 until the elections are over. Life is dear to us, and 

 we cannot risk an article so precious when sur- 

 rounded by murderous White-Leaguers. 



Mr. Packard, on November 1st, requested a 

 post to be established at Natchitocnes, and 

 that General Emory bo ordered to place a 

 company of troops there. On October 12th 

 S. B. Packard, chairman of the State Central 



