The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-05-09
The Admission of Louisiana.

A telegraphic dispatch announces thai
a bill has been introduced into Congress
providing for the admission Of Louisiana
into the Union, on the adoption of the
Fourteenth Amendment to tie Consti
tuition. AS one sees, the Radicals dc
not lose time, when their f~avoritc plan OF
reconstruction is the subject. They dc
not wait for the official returns of the
elections. A dispatch from their trust.y
followers here, is sufficient to provoke
them to take the initiative.
There is neel for such precipitation on
their part, as we have already explained.
for there is in the Legislation Of recon
struction, a deficiency which needs tc
be supplied, Or rather an imperfect circle
which has need Of being corrected in or
der that the new civil Government reor.
gained by the vote which ratified tn,
Constitution, should be able to enter re-
gularly upon its functions.
In virtue of these laws OF reconstruct
ton, the new Constitution, although IA
titled by the electors, will not be valid
unless approved by Congress, and until
Congress shall. have admitted represent
~tativrs from the State. Then the Gov
ernmrnt elected to put in operation this
Constitution. Governor, Legislature, etc
will not have legal existence until after
This decision OF Congress- But follow
Ing another provision Of the laws Of re-
construction, Louisiana cannot be adj
mltted except under the condition ex-
pressed. that her Legislature shall have
ratified the 18th Constitutional amend
ment How can a Legislature which
has no legal existence, until the State
has been admitted, assemble, sit, and
vote on the amendment? TO be able to
sit 1t is necessary to be %convoked, and
convoked it cannot be by the present
Governor. To surmount this difficulty,
new Legislation is necessary. 1t is pro-
bable that the bill which has just been
presented in Congress authorizing the
civil government lately elected to enter
on its functions Immediately, and dcclar-
ing Louisiana admitted to representation
i'll Congress, has a condition expressed
that the Legislature at its first session
will ratify this amendment to the Con
stitution. We do not yet know the other
provisions of the bill, and cannot, there
fore, judge OF its effects. But it is to be
presumed that this Indecent haste of the
Radicals to present a bill on this subject
:,., rl T. " H.
rents in Louisiana have carried the State.
But they may be deceived on several
points. 1t is true that the Constitution
has been ratified by Il majority of from
II, 600 to $4,000 votes !; that Narmoth
and the other Radical candidates ar.
elected, but among the four Representa-
tives to Congress it is probable that two
Democrats have boon electtd-Messrs.
Mann aud King-and this result will
not be very acceptable to Congress. On
the other hand, the Radical majority III
the State Legislature will be very small,
and there i<nothing yet to guarantee that
the Radicals will succeed in elccting
their candidates to the Sc late at Wash
inston. From another point Of view the
Radicals perhaps will not be eager to
admit Louisiana to all her rights. They
have believed that the Conservatives
wouli be 81 far heaten they couid.upyoS..
only an insignificant resistance at this
last election. The result has proved
that it they had been better organized
the Democrats would have carried Lou
%isiana.
The influence of carpct-bargers is on
the wane. 1t will not be impossible in
the Presidential election for Louisiana to
give six electoral woes in favor of the
Conservative candidate. This eonsidcra-
ton will cause the Congressional ma
jority to reflect. 1t is said that the in
defatigable Warmoth frightened by the
clamors OF these amiable candidates who
have been elected, threaten him with
abandonment, unless he places them in
possession Of the spoils, and that he has
decided to leave for Washington to de-
mand Of Congress 70 annul the election
so far as the municipal Offices of lie city
of New Orleans are concerned. This
pretensior would seem monst,ous if pre-
vious proceedings of Congress did not
authorize it. Every election which brings
gain to the cause OF Radicalism is good
and valid, although one might heap up
mountains of proof to establish that it
has been held in violation of all the laws
in spite of all the rights and by the aid
of lies and frauds of every character.
All elections on the contrary which as
vic'ory to the Democrats are doubt
full, and illegal, and ought to be annulled
on the simple assertion of the party.
have, had the proof OF it in the ad-
mission or rejection Of Senators and Re-
representatives. to Congress, and there
would be nothing extraordinary if the
rule were applied to the election in
Louisiana, and if they were not to ratify
in whole or in part the general elections
of the State, by annulling the municipal
election of New Orleans. The Radicals
would invoke in favor of such annulmeut
arguments that they have fought
against before the election when they
believed themselves sure of success. A
Radical does not know how to be asham-
ed and thinks that to give himself the
lie is a proof OF his skill. We shall learn
in a few days the decision Of Congfass
on the election in this State. But this
bill, like that introduced to suit the case
Of Alabama, will remain in suspense un-
til after the termination ofthe Impeach
ment trial. If Mr.. johnson shall be de-
posed, the Radicals will not have any
apprehensious Of their measures being
by his successor and they will
triumpLantly carry forward their plan
Of Reconstructiom It will devolye upon
he new President, in pursuance of that
plan. to emove such ottl-e Commanders
tho Southe,n Military Districts as are