Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1875 — The Effect of the Withdrawal of Troops from Louisiana. [ARTICLE]

The Effect of the Withdrawal of Troops from Louisiana.

The professed Democratic panacea for Louisiana ills is the withdrawal of Sheridan and the Federal troops. It is argued that the application of this remedy will effect a speedy cure, but not such a deliverance as comes from an observance of law or the prevalence of good order. Relief of a revolutionary character is the only kind that is sought If Sheridan and his soldiers are withdrawn the way will be open for another 14th of September coup, and the Leaguers openly proclaim their power and their purpose to overthrow Kellogg and install McEnery within twenty-four hours after the protection of loyal bayonets and menacing gunboats is removed. Even with the United States land and naval forces within succoring distance the League chieftains have only been able to curb their impetuous followers by reading to them dispatches from League commanders in the North outranking those in New Orleans. Thurman and Qordon from their seats in the United States Senate, when an attack upon the troops by the Leaguers was feared at the time of the meeting of the Legislature, telegraphed to ‘Wlltz and McEnery: “ Don’t resist the troops; submit to arrest even if need be.” It is reported that Potter, of the Foster sub-committee, who was in New Orleans at the time, representing the Democracy of the North as well as of the South upon the spot, was everywhere present, urging quiet and appealing to the bandit leaded not to Are a shot. These orders from those who are engaged in marshaling Democratic hosts for 1876 prevailed, and the Leaguers held their carbines at aim, but failed to pull a trigger. It is useless to deny that an outbreak was imminent, nor is it probable that the 2,000 United States troops could have withstood an attack from the 16,000 ex-rebel soldiers in the city- The presence of the gunboats and mea-of-war at anchor off New Orleans since the 14th of September has been a source of constant merriment to those whom they are designed to threaten, for it is believed by the Conservatives that under no circumstances would a shell be thrown into the city. The navy is considered to be for show ahd not for action. Bloodshed was avoided because the orders from Northern manipulators of the Southern political market prevailed, and the mine ready at any moment to be sprung in New Orleans remained ready for the match of the future.

But were “military interference” in the affairs of the " sovereign State of Louisiana” to cease what would be the result? . If this course were to be adopted pmffoQT orders nor from JJexnothe fcffuenee SpubHcseutiment in Louisiana could prevent a summary buster of the Kellogg officials, not only in New Orlearih, but throughout the State. The insurgent element is Qp strong and so well armed that a revolution would follow and perhaps a massacre. The Leaguers are nominally subject to leadership, but there are times when they skirmish without orders and in direct opposition to them, and such a period would occur if Kellogg were left unsupported. It would not be simply the State officials who would be superseded, but Republican officers in every parish would be compelled to resign, just as after the 14th of September insurrection. In many of the parishes the Republican majorities are very large, but the McEnery claimants, with toe White League to support them, would not be inclined to recognize toe rights of their opponents and a sweeping change would at once be effected. Kellogg might resist with the forces at his command the attacks of the League and the streets of New Orleans would in that event run with blood. Republicans in the strong colored parishes might refuse to give up their offices and a war of races might ensue whose horrors could be estimated only by the resistance offered by the respective factions. That the Leaguers, with their superior organization, would ultimately prevail there can be little doubt, but their victory would be revolution. Louisiana would have a Demooratic administration, but at what cost? After the 14th of September affair the Democrats were frank to admit that the driving out of Kellogg and the other State and parish officers by Penn and his supporters was a revolution. The act itself, without regard to the battle between the police and the Leaguers on the levee, was revolutionary. And so would any such overthrow of the Kellogg administration as is proposed be revolutionary, whether with or without bloodshed. Are the people of the country prepared to countenance this species of revolution, or any revolution in Louisiana, or in any other State ? Every court to whom the question of the legality of toe election in 1873 hats been submitted has decided in faVor of Kellogg and against McEnery; the President has explicitly recognized him, and Congress has implicitly done the same; and tons being de facto as well as dejure Governor, his overthrow could only be an act of revolution. ~ If the Democrats were to accomplish their purposes so clearly outlined, we should soon find Louisiana in the condition of Arkansas, given over wholly to the -disunion element, and with a new Constitution adopted, like that in the lastnamed State, expressly recognizing State sovereignty as superior to Federal sov-ereignty.—lnter-Ocean, Feb. 4.