Uprising of the People House Report no. 261, 43 Cong., 2 Sess., p. 1026. Proclamation issued FOR two years you have borne with patience and fortitude The wrong has not been repaired. On the contrary, through the instrumentality of partisan judges you are debarred from all legal remedy. Day by day taxation has been increasing, with costs and penalties amounting to confiscation of your property; your substance squandered; your credit ruined, resulting in failure and bankruptcy of your most valued institutions. The right of suffrage is virtually taken from you by the enactment of skillfully-devised registration and election laws. The judicial branch of your government has been stricken down by the conversion of the legal posse comitatus of the sheriff to the usurper, for the purpose of defeating the decrees of the courts; his defiance of law leading him to use this very force for the arrest of the sheriff himself, while engaged in the execution of the process of the court. To these calamities may be added a corrupt and vicious legislature, concocting laws, in violation of the constitution, for the purpose of guarding and perpetrating their usurped authority a metropolitan police paid by the city, under the control of the usurper, quartered upon you to overawe and keep you in subjection. Every public right has been denied you, and, as if to goad you to desperation, private arms are seized and individuals. arrested. To such extremities are you driven that manhood revolts at further submission. Constrained from a sense of duty, as the legally-elected lieutenant-governor of the State, (acting governor in the absence of Governor McEnery) I do hereby issue this my proclamation, calling upon the militia of the State, embracing all persons between the ages of e green and forty-five years, without regard to color or previous condition, to arm and assemble under their respective officers, for the purpose of driving the usurpers from power. Given under my hand and seal the 14th day of September, 1874 D. B. PENN, Lieutenant-Governor. The Battle in New Orleans Hove Report us. 351. if Cong. 2 Bras. pp. 803-876, 831, 1026. (1) The White Leare furnished the milita (2) The account of the fight is from the Promise of September 15. In the fight Badger and Longstreet commanded the negro Metropolitans and Ogden and Beban commanded the White League militia. [1] General Order No. 1. (September 14, 15, 1874] EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, STATE OF LOUISIANA, New Orleans, September 14, 1874. I. Gen. Frederick N. Ogden is hereby appointed provisional general of the Louisiana State Militia, and will at once assume command and organize the militia into companies, regiments, and battalions. 2. General Ogden will report the names of his staff, regimental, and company officers to this department forthwith to be commissioned. By command of ——— D. B. PENN, Lieutenant-Governor, Acting Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Louisiana State Militia. [2] At a quarter past four, [September 14] Badger, with his men and guns, marched forward on the levee. The other body of police prepared to support him; but, being fired on when near Common street, they returned to their old quarters, near the custom-house. The Badger army kept on until they had almost reached Gravier street, and ensconced themselves behind some bales of hay. Company E of the Crescent City White League, and Protector White League of the second district, which were sta tioned on the extreme right of the line, advanced along the levee, moving behind a large pile of hay, resting there. They kept up a constant fire on the metropolitans, as did also Company A, Crescent City White League, stationed on Poydras street. This fire was very telling, almost every shot bringing down a metropolitan. The latter, however, continued their fire, both small arms and mitrailleuse. The two advancing companies continued on their march until they had reached the head of Canal street, on the wharf proper, thus flanking the enemy. Here their fire was so galling that the metropolitans became somewhat demoralized, turned their cannon on them, and commenced firing toward the river. The fire of the citizens then became terrific, and the metropolitans became greatly demoralized. . . At about 7 o'clock the citizens were in complete possession of the city, save the Saint Louis Hotel [the Capitol], occupied by about a dozen peelers and a gang of negroes, and the third precinct station occupied by the remnant of the metropolitan brigade, now only about two hundred in number, and rapidly decreasing by desertions and resignations. Among the resignations we may mention that of Captain McCann. The city-hall, the telegraph offices, the streets, were all held by the citizens, and with Lieutenant-Governor Penn acting as governor. As might have been expected, after the decisive victories of yesterday and the consequent demoralization of the Kellogg forces, the "finish" this morning was a very brief and unexciting affair. About half past 8 o'clock the State-house was occupied by the citizens' forces, and by 9 o'clock the third precinct station and Kellogg armory, the last of the radical government, was, after a sharp little assault, captured and appropriated. So ends the Kellogg regime. Big, inflated, insolent, and overbearing, it collapsed at one touch of honest indignation and gallant onslaught. Its boasted armament dissolved before the furious rush of our citizens; its sneering, thieving, unscrupulous : chieftains hid like moles, and its mercenaries fled like stampeded cattle. A dozen gallant lives, worth more than all the sneaking carpet-baggers and ruffian soldiery that ever squatted on a State's carcass, have been sacrificed on the altar of liberty; the blood of gentlemen and patriots has dyed the stones of our thoroughfares, and the shock is over. The Kellogg dynasty has passed into a black and bitter memory, and Louisiana throughout its borders to-day is free. Appeal to the President (1) Annual Cyclopedia, 1874, p. 481. (2) Richardson, Messages and Papers, vol. vii, p. 276. [September 14, 15, 1874] [1] New Orleans, September 14th, 1874. To U. S. GRANT, President of the United States: Hopeless of all other relief, the people of this State have taken up arms to maintain the legal authority of the persons elected by them to the government of the State against the usurpers, who have heaped upon them innumerable insults, burdens, and wrong. In so doing they are supported by the great body of the intelligent and honest people of the State. They declare their unswerving loyalty and respect for the United States Government and its officers. They war only against the usurpers, plunderers, and enemies of the people. They affirm their entire ability to maintain peace, and protect the life, liberty, and equal rights of all classes of citizens. The property and officials of the United States it shall be our special aim to defend against all assaults, and to treat with the profoundest respect and loyalty. We only ask of you to withhold any aid or protection from our enemies and the enemies of republican rights, and of the peace and liberties of the people. D. B. PENN, Lieutenant-Governor and Acting Governor. [2] Whereas it has been satisfactorily represented to me that turbulent and disorderly persons have combined together with force and arms to overthrow the State government of Louisiana and to resist the laws and constituted authorities of said State; . . Now, therefore, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States, do hereby make proclamation, and command said turbulent and disorderly persons to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes within five days from this date, and hereafter to submit themselves to the laws and constituted authorities of said State; and I invoke the aid and cooperation of all good citizens thereof to uphold law and preserve the public peace. The Revolution Fails Annual Cyclopedia, 1874, p. 482. President Grant sent troops and GENERAL BROOKE: As the lawful and acting Governor of JOHN MCENERY. |