Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-01
A CARPET-BAG GOVERNOR BEG
GINS. TO ARDICATE

CLING TO ABDICATE.
1t appears that Warmoth, the carpets
bag Governor of Louisiana, really sought
to abdicate his Office when his admins
tration produced its legitimate conse-
quences in raising storm which he
found himself utterly unable to control.
The New Orleans Picay1tne of the 29th
ult. states that he confessed to General
Rousseau his total inability to administer
the government, and that he wanted to
surrender all the Executive functions into
the hands of the military, on the distinct
ground that the civil authorities in the
parishes of Orleans, st. Bernard and JEFF
ferson, are unable to preserve order and
protect the lives and property of the peo-
pie" He did not ask the military aid in
favor of civil authority, through the
Chief Magistrate; but asked to be dis
charged of all responsibility whatever
and proposed that the SAerifis and police
officers Of the State and city organizations
report directly to Gen. Rousseau. The
PicayrWc says:
"Gen. Rousseau knew the limits Of his |
powers too well to accept the abdication
in his favor the Governor felt constrained
to offer. Military authority must act in
subOrdination to and in concert with civil
authority. 1t cannot be made supreme,
by the surrender Of "a Governor F; nor can
Governors. who find their duties under
laws and constitutions too heavy for their
capacity, transfer them to the heads Of
military departments, and treat as multi
ties the constitutions to which, such as
they are, they owe all the official crea-
ton they possess. The reconstruction
laws have at least had the effect of max
ing Louisiana a State in the Union, which
Gov. WarmOth's friends are bound TO
respect, as SUCH He cannot in a
paroxism Of vexatiOn at his difficulties,
reconvert her into a military province ;
as he discovered, when the General, to
whom he made the tender, declined it.
He was one Of the most Jealous partisans
Of the Radical party which has brought
this discord into the State, and sought
with great effort the place he holds, as
head Of the reconstructed State. In the
first great trial of his strength and that Of
his policy as one Of real construction, he
cOnfesses to a total failure, and turns in
all directions for outside help, with which
to avoid the consequences, which were
fOretold as inevitable"
The PicuylBe correctly states the
cause Of the troubles in that State as fol-
lows:
"The root of all this difficulty is here
plain. The government Of the State Is
not in the hands of the intelligent, law
abiding people, who have fixed interest
in its prosperity, nor even Of the num-
bers who have a comprehension Of the
duties and functions OF good government.
Il has been wrested from them and be-
slowed upon an ignorant mass, who in
terpret their powers into 4 license for
lawlcssness, which runs into insubordi'
nation, riots, and not untrequently into
hidcous crimes, ike those in Jefferson
and St. Bernard. Power has been placed
where it does not rightfully belong, and
where it cannot be wisely or safely eX-
crcised ; and SO long as this continues
there will not be peace"
The condition OF Louisiana, as por-
trayed by the Picay8ne, does not DIFF
fer from that Of the other Southern
States. The governments oftheso States
have passed into the hands of men in
whom sthe property holders and law
abiding people have no confidence. These
men have come into the South inflated
with the idea that they are competent to
govern States, and with an inordinate
ambition TO try the work, forced them
selves into positions for which they have
no fitness whatever. They have shown
tins in the attempts they have made TO
administer tie laws their Legislatures
have enacted Tor them. The Picay3Uc
aptlv remarks that it IS a waste of time to
argue that there is n great deal in the
position which arises from ignorance or
passion or preiudiccs and that, these be-
ing removed, the steps towards harmony
would be few, short and clear. These
points involve all the questions in argu"
ment in the controversy, and while they
are angrily discussed, the disorders in
crease. It is well that at least one Of
these carpet baggers has discovered his
uuiitness for the position to which he has
been elected. Perhaps something good
will grow out Of this confession of War.