The Portland daily press., 1867-03-13
II II Il p ESS.
Wednesday Morning, March l3, 1867.


Il used to be said of Old that whom the
gods would destroy they first make mad. - Ii
this he true to-day then certainly the higher
powers must have dccreed the total destruc-
ton. OF the Southern political headers, for it
IS PLAN that they have gone stark, staring
mad with arrogance, folly and spite. sug1
gestive illustration of the temper they mani
fest may be found in the recent action Oh .' h
louisa la Legislature. That body has now pc
fore it a proposition to declare It's own uhcoh- .
stitutionalty as at present organized, and the
ineGiciency of all its acts. It has passed. over
the veto of Gov Wells, a bill providing for the
election of delegates to Convention to form
a State Constitution, the voting power TO he
in the hands only of the "qlialified voters of
the State" thus excluding entirely the en-.
tranehised freedmen. The deliberate and
avowed purpose Of this bill is to defy the acts
of Congress, to set a: naught the military an
thority prescribed by national law. and to
make up an issue on which to try Their
strength against the national government. In
proof that this and nothing but this is what
they mean we subjom The following from the
New Orleans Creecent: ,.a.
For several days the bill has been pending
and, during these several days, the members no
doubt, deiberated freely among themselves the
important question before them as to It's ex Pc
diency. The legislation adopted by Congress
was OF a character to demand mature rehectoh
before the adoption OF a measure winch many
persons supposed might bring the state INTO
copfliet with the Federal Government A de-
cent respect for public opinion required that
time for such reflection should be taken. But
a decent respect for public opinion likewise re-
ouired that after due consideration, the hill
should be passed Perhaps the very threat of
conflict to grow out of it confirmed the already
determined sentiment in its favor, because
such a conflict could not be the kind OF collision
dangerous to the peace and order Of the State:
but simply Judicial issue Which will hasten
the decision OF the questions involved in the
unconstitutional legislation of Congress. The
objection urged by the opponents of the meas
ure, that the United States military author
tiles will not suffer it to be carried into effect
is invalid in every respect. Even if we were
very sure that there would be such military
intervention, it would not become us to shrink
from the exercise of our constitutional rights in
advance OF the unconstitutional interference
with which we are threatened. Such course
would oe an abandonment OF our position--a
concession to the pretenson of supreme au-
thofity over the States, set UP by the Radicals,
and the first step toward an acceptance of the
programme of Radical reconstruction ostensi-
bly, contemplated by the Congressional act"
A man who in the excess OF his mpotent
spite dashes his head against stone wall is
hardly likely TO be applauded for his wisdom
but-he is a shining example of good sense IN
comparison with this Louisiana Legislature
or the newspapers Which sustain its action The
harm he may do is limited to the knocking out
of his own brains; for them to persist in the
course on which they have entered is to pre-
cipitate a conflict which will not only result
in their own destruction but involve in new
bloodshed and in deeper ruin not theei
own State only but perhaps large portion
the South. A contemporary of the Cresce,
always friendly to the class it supports, thu
offers to that paper word ofserious warning
If there were any chance of advantage iron
the judicial issue ON which the Crescent dwells
the act might admit Of pallation. But ther,
is no such chance Assuming that a case fol
an appeal to the Supreme Court may be made
up, that cannot save the State from the opera
ton of the new law. Before decision can by
any possibility be rendered. the present Legis
latWe OF Louisiana will be swept out of exist
ence; the qualification for voters which j
recognizes VIII be set aside; many of the mel
who, by this Convention Bill, determine VIII,
shall be voters, will be themselves disfranchs
edi aud instead OF Cne projected Convention u
the interest of rebels another Convention viii
be held, with delegates elected iii part by ne
gro votes. These results will assuredlyl bs
brought about-by military intervention, i
necessary. ~ p" i' -'"i'" "'
1t is to be hoped that these hot-headet
madmen may yet take counsel of reason ant
common sense, and abate something Of thei
presumption. The temper of the countr.
will not patiently tolerate renewal of tn
bloody scenes of last summer An attemp
on the part of these RECONSTRUCTED rebels t.
revive the reign of terror by which they wer
then enabled to compass a temporary triumph
will be met On the part of the military author
titles with stern and unfiinching exercise o
the power in ITS hands, and thatpower is over
whelmingly competent to deal with the mat
ter as il deserves. .7a..4.f