The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-05-01


The following letter from a distin
guished citizen Of Louisiana, whom
the New Orleans Crescent describes
as the Nestor of the Bar of that
State, deserves the highest considera
ton at the hands of the Southern
people. In reference to his political
antecedents, that journal says that
"Mr. Roselius is well known as the
earliest and firmest friend of the Union
at the commencement of the secession
agitation" 1t is, therefore not to be
said by cavillers, in disparagement of
his counsels, that they are the views
of 'ssecessionist," or Of military
leader inexperienced in public affairs"
He is neither A. G.. Brown on the one
hand, nor Gen. Longstreet on the 9th
er, but veteran Conservative of the
Clay Wing school, accepting the situa-
ton as it exists, and standing with the
others ON the broad platform of the
National Reconstruction party:
New ORLEANS, April 8, 1867.
Gentlemen-In reply to your kind letter of
the Goth ult., requesting me and Others to
state our views of the course to be pursued
by the people of Louisiana in the present
anomalous condition of our State govern
ment, would respectfully submit:
l. That not the shadow of doubt can be
entertained by any intelligent and honest
mind of the utter unconstitutionality of the
law of Congress, called the Military Bill
and that the Supreme Court of the United
States will so decide whenever the question
is brought before it in a judicial form is
equally clear. Nor is there any difficulty in
bringing the question before that Court by
q writ of error.
g From the temper of the majority of the
present Congress, it is not likely that the leg
islative branch of the Government will pay
any more regard to the exposition of the
Constitution on this subject by the Supreme
Court than they have done to the unanswer
able argument of the President in his veto
message.
3. Under this unfortunate condition of
things the embarrassing and difficult cues.
tion arises, what is to be done to get rid OF
the stern military government to which we
are now subjected and to re-establish once
more in its place the benign dominion OF the
Constitution and the laws of the land.
There is no other method of accomplish
ing this desirable end than that pointed out
by Congress, to whose physical power we
must submit with the best grace we can.
And the sooner this is done the better.
In the meantime we have the consolation
of knowing that the Commanding General
who has been assigned to this District is
distinguished not only for his achievements
in the field, but also for his desire and de-
termination of protecting our rights SO far
as the law and orders under which he acts
will permit him to do. Nor should We for
get that the deplorable political situation in
which we find ourselves placed is, in ameas-
ure, the result of the attempt to overthrow
the Government of the United States 1t is
true that two wrongs can never make
right but it is an invariable law, both in
the material as well as in the moral world,
that every wrong action produces reaction
of the same kind, in the opposite direction.
am, gentlemen, your obedient Servant,
G. RosELIUs.
Messrs. Clapp, Bros. & Co., R. H. Mari, R.
Goodwin, and others