734 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



be taken by Congress as to leave mv duties perfectly 

 clear in dealing with the affairs of Louisiana, giving 

 assurance at the same time that whatever may be 

 done by that body in the premises will be executed 

 according to the spirit and letter of the law, without 

 fear or favor. 



I herewith transmit documents containing more 

 specific information as to tbe subject-matter of the 

 resolution. U. S. GRANT. 



EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 13, 1375. 



The documents accompanying the message 

 are voluminous. The first is a letter from 

 Governor Kellogg, dated August 19, 1874, ad- 

 dressed to President Grant at Long Branch, 

 in which Governor Kellogg regrets to have to 

 trouble him again about Louisiana affairs, but 

 the exceptional circumstances, and the impor- 

 tance of the issues involved, render it necessary 

 he should make a brief statement of the situa- 

 tion, which he proceeds to do, premising that 

 Louisiana is now the last State in the South- 

 west, except Mississippi, that remains true to 

 the Republican party. He concludes by say- 

 ing: 



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 prob- 

 ably a formal call upon the President and a renewed 

 agitation of the Louisiana question, which otherwise 

 a quiet, fair election next November would forever 

 set at rest, and fully vindicate your just policy toward 

 us. 



Marshal Packard, on August 30, 1874, tele- 

 graphed Attorney-General Williams a request 

 to the Secretary of War to order a sufficient 

 force immediately to aid in the discharge of his 

 duties as required by law. The registration 

 was about to begin. Large bodies of armed 

 and mounted white men had appeared. 

 Through fear of them the blacks would be un- 

 able to register or vote in case of a conllict, 

 which Marshal Packard regarded as imminent. 



On August 30th, 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 prevent 

 violence and bloodshed. He said there was 

 "an openly-avowed policy of exterminating 

 Eepublicans." Information was sent to Attor- 

 ney-General Williams by Marshal Packard and 

 District- Attorney Beckwith, dated September 

 10th and 13th, 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, assert- 

 ing that armed mobs were reported all over 

 New Orleans, and that Leaguers were much 

 more formidable than was supposed, etc. 



The Mayor of St. Francisville telegraphed, 

 September 19th, to the Attorney-General : 



The timely arrival of Federal troops has saved the 

 lives of unoffending Eepublicans. We look confi- 

 dently 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 wo cannot 

 risk an artiole so precious when surrounded by mur- 

 derous "White-Leaguers. 



Mr. Packard, on November 1st, requested a 

 post to be established at Natchitoches, and that 

 General Emory be ordered to place a company 

 of troops there. On October 19th, S. B. Pack- 

 ard, chairman of the State Central Committee, 

 and Governor Kellogg, Messrs. Durell, Casey, 

 Sypher, and Morey, addressed a telegram to 

 Attorney-General Williams, saying : 



We have authentic information that systematic vio- 

 lence and intimidation will be practised toward Re- 

 publican voters on the day of election at three or four 

 points in this State, and we earnestly request that 

 General Emory be instructed to send troops to Frank- 

 lin, St. Mary's Parish, Napoleonville. Assumption 

 Parish, Moreauville, Avoyalles Parish. Governor 

 Kellogg will furnish transportation to those points 

 without cost to the Government. 



On December 9th, Governor Kellogg tele- 

 graphed President Grant : 



Information reaches me that the White League pur- 

 pose making an attack upon the State-House, espe- 

 cially that portion occupied by the Treasurer of thu 

 State. The organization is very numerous and weft 

 armed, and the State forces now available are not suf- 

 ficient to resist successfully any movement they may 

 make. With a view of preventing such an attempt, 

 and the bloodshed which would oe likelv to result 

 .should an insurgent body gain possession of the State- 

 House in dispersing them, I respectfully request that 

 a detachment of United States troops be stationed in 

 that portion of the St. Louis Hotel which is not used 

 for any of the State offices, where they will be readily 

 available to prevent any such insurrectionary move- 

 ment as that contemplated. 



Ex-Governor Wells, president of the State 

 Returning Board, telegraphed the President 

 December 10th : 



The members of the board are being publicly and 

 privately threatened with violence, and an attack upon 

 the State-House, which is likely to result in blood- 

 shed, is also threatened. By request of the board, I 

 respectfully ask that a detachment of troops be sta- 

 tioned in the State-House so that the deliberations 

 and final action of the board may be free from intimi- 

 dation and violence. 



The United States Commissioner for Shreve- 

 port, A. B. Levisa, gives a full statement of the 

 condition of affairs in Northern Louisiana, refer- 

 ring to an alleged scheme to expel from the 

 country the Republican leaders, and then to 

 frighten the negroes into acquiescence with 

 their wishes; and charging that the whites 

 were driving the freedmen from their homes, 

 naked and penniless, to endure the severities 

 of the winter as best they might. The negroes 

 were cheated of their rights, and had no re- 

 dress with the mixed juries of the local courts. 



The following was communicated confiden- 

 tially to General Sheridan : 



WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., ) 

 December 24, 1874. f 

 To General P. H. SHERIDAN, Chicago, III. 



GENERAL : The President sent for me this morning, 

 and desires me to say to you that he wishes you to 

 visit the States of Louisiana and Mississippi, and 

 especially New Orleans, La., and Vicksburg and 

 Jackson, Miss., and ascertain for yourself, and for his 



