ticket at the
ensuing election, and in the event of their refusal so to do, or in
case they vote the Radical ticket, to refuse to employ them at the
expiration of their present contracts.

On the same day another large body of persons published in the same
place a paper in which they used the following language:

We, the undersigned, merchants of the city of Shreveport, alive to the
great importance of securing good and honest government to the State,
do agree and pledge ourselves not to advance any supplies or money to
any planter the coming year who will give employment or rent lands to
laborers who vote the Radical ticket in the coming election.

I have no information of the proceedings of the returning board for said
election which may not be found in its report, which has been published;
but it is a matter of public information that a great part of the time
taken to canvass the votes was consumed by the arguments of lawyers,
several of whom represented each party before the board. I have no
evidence that the proceedings of this board were not in accordance with
the law under which they acted. Whether in excluding from their count
certain returns they were right or wrong is a question that depends upon
the evidence they had before them; but it is very clear that the law
gives them the power, if they choose to exercise it, of deciding that
way, and, _prima facie_, the persons whom they return as elected are
entitled to the offices for which they were candidates.

Respecting the alleged interference by the military with the
organization of the legislature of Louisiana on the 4th instant,
I have no knowledge or information which has not been received by
me since that time and published. My first information was from the
papers of the morning of the 5th of January. I did not know that any
such thing was anticipated, and no orders nor suggestions were ever
given to any military officer in that State upon that subject prior
to the occurrence. I am well aware that any military interference by
the officers or troops of the United States with the organization of
the State legislature or any of its proceedings, or with any civil
department of the Government, is repugnant to our ideas of government.
I can conceive of no case, not involving rebellion or insurrection,
where such interference by authority of the General Government ought to
be permitted or can be justified. But there are circumstances conne