Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1873 — The President’s Message Relative to Louisiana Affairs. [ARTICLE]

The President’s Message Relative to Louisiana Affairs.

_ W . ' ' To the Senate and House of Representatives: . Your attention is rospectfully invited .be condition of affalrsin the State of Louisiana. Grave complications have grown out of tbe election there on the 6th of November last, chiefly attributable, It Is believed, to an organized attempt on the part of those controlling the election officers and die returns to defeat, u that election, the will of the majority of the electors of the State. Different persona are claiming the executive offices, two bodies are claiming to be the Legislative Assembly of the State,and the confusion and uncertainty produced in this way falls with paralyzing effect upon all its interests. Controversy arose as soon as the election occurred, over its proceedings and results, but I declined to interfere until s suit involving this controversy to some extent was brought into tbe Circuit Court of the United States, under and by virtue of the act of May 81, 1870, entitled »an Act to enforce the right of citizens of the United States to vote in the several States of the Union, and for other purposes.” Finding that resistance was made to the judicial process ft that suit without any opportunity, and, in my judgment, without any right to review the judgment of the court upon jurisdictional or other qnestlons arising in the cue, I directed the United Statee Marshal to enforce such process, and to use, if necessary, troops for that purpose. In accordance with the thirteenth section of said act, which provides that “it shall be lawful for the President of the United States to employ such part of the land or naval forces of the United States, or of the militia, as shall be necessary to rid in the execution of judicial process under this act” Two bodies of persons claimed to he the Returning Board for the State, and the Circuit Court in jbst case decided that the one to which Lynch belonged, usually designated by his name, was the lawful Returning Board, and this decision has been repeatedly tUnded to by the District and Supreme Courts of the State. Having no opportunity or power to canvass the votes, and the exigencies of the case demanding an immediate decision,! conceived it to be my duty to recognize those persons as elected who received and held their credentials to office from what then appeared to me to he, and has sinee been decided by the Snpreme Court of the State to be, the legal Returning Board. Comformably to the decisions of this Board a full set-of State officers has been installed and a legislative assembly organized, constituting, if not a dtjurt, at least a d* facto government, which, since some time in December last, has had possession of the offices and been exercising the usual powers of government. But opposed to this has been another government claiming to control the affairs of the State, and which has to some extent been pro forma organized. The recent investigation of the said election has developed so many frauds and forgeries as to make it doubtful what candidates received a majority of the votes actually cast, and in view of these facts a variety of action has been proposed. I have no speciflc recommendation to make upon the subject, hut If there is any practical way of removing these difficulties by legislation, then I earnestly request that such action maybe taken at the present session of Congress. It sema advisable that I should state now what coarse I shall feel hound to pursue in reference to the matter, in the event of no action by Congress. At this time it will be my dnty, so far as*, it may he necessary for me to act, to adhere to that Government heretofore recognized by me. To judge of the election and qualification of Its members is the exclusive province of the Senate, as It is also the exclusive province of the House to judge of the election and qualifications of its members; but as to State offices filled and held under Stats laws, the declrien of the State jndicial trtbnnals.j It seems to me, 6ught to be respected. lam extremely anxious to avoid any appearance of nndne Interference in State affairs, and If Congress differs from me as to what onght to be done I respectfully urge its immediate decision to that effect Otherwise I shall feel obliged, as far as 1 can by the exercise of legitimate authority, to pat an end to the unhapy controversy which disturbs the peace and proetratee the business of Louisiana by the recognition and support of that government which is recognized end upheld by tbe courts of tbs State. U. 8. Grant. Bxxctmvz Mansion, Washington, Feb. 35,1813.