The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-03-29

at Ne" l'iN sH
'" FEDERAL AFFAIRS.
r,o disposition of the Federal ad-
.i!'.,ari,'n to unnecessary, unwise t
MUS Unconstitutional interference with
anu n,,,spits and rights of the citizen
a s"J with the stase governments con-
anu ans and is a great evil. BY the pro,
,, led disfranchisement of q portion az
i l,'. e,,eo,,ie Of the South. and by other
inc 81 the full and final restoration to
mem, # uolitical rights, of the contfo
tne. INV avn affairs, and of the free |
Of o ins If their representatives, is stu,
cho. 'ar,;san ends, delayed and obstruct-
Jul p" the prejudice of good govern
GU ,nd of the general welfare.
~" INTERFERENCE IN ELECTIONS.
Goo the adjournment of the LeGis-
the Federal government has as
ia' "aJ 70 interfere directly, by Its Off
sap' and oymed forces, with elections
esi this State. The pretext was lear
y, '''3 tha right of suffrage would; in
s s,, wav. be denied 10 the class OF
narsops npon whom it had been con-
piarfad bythe fifteenth amend tnent to
.Le Constitution of the United States.
1.,s, mele preteXt; Tor our state
1osislatnre, at its last session. prompt
L. sltr,ed our election laws to conform
with fiat amendment, so soon rs 1t WAS
IaeIored adopted. Moreover. this class
" vn,ers had exercised their new hight
freely and without the least moiesta-
t;on. at orr State election, which TOOK
place in May last
Congress, nevertheless, enacted a
law for The ustemsihle purpose of super
,,isiug the election of Cnn2tessmrn
only: and the President was author
lied TO employ the army and navy
TO enforce certain of its provisions:
Under color OF this act, the President
and ether United States otiicitls claim
ed the right to supervise the entire
election, not only for representative,
in Congress, but for State and loca'
officers. In the city Of New fork
special preparations were made to en-
fierce this claim. A large number o.
United States deputy marSllals aht
supervisors were appointed, many o
whom were men of we'll known dis
reputable character, and some OF whom
had been convicted criminals clas
of douaerous men never before chosen
by any ruling authority, IN any com
munity, as conservatols at tue peace
They were instructed, under advice u
the Attorney General OF the Unite
States. to Submit to DO interference
from any quarter, under State q
municipal authority. Orders were l.
sued which authorized them, i'll til
discretion ofseach one ot them, to u,
rest tthe polls citizens claiming til
ricI,t TO vote, rs we as the tsrest y
WIN were CHI. rged by law VII custod
OF tie b. loi boxes. These arrests , Ell
TO he effected without process OF law
issued upon formal complaints. III
peaceful crntlnctof the election and I'll
rood order of the city were thus nlhti
to dcnend on the discretion "t ties
hastily selected, inexperienced, an
undisciplined meif some "ftiicm hath
natrd to felonious violations of law
and all of them unused ta the exefcis
of delicate and important trusts
power, all having been appointed
one ntlii,ical interest and havinga con
mon partisan purpose tosahsttve. III
policp and civil authorities of the q,
and State, whose duty it is TO i'teser>
order, were ignored, under instruction
from Washington, as completely as
the people of the State were III rehe
lion against the government OF II
United States. 1t was Il bald attem
on the part of the Federal sovethine
to assume absolute control of the Sta
and local elections in order to i'ccoi
plish partisan ends; and officials. no
judicial and executive, seemed dete
mined to prosecute it witiiont amy !
gard to the rights either of the loo
officers or OF the people.
The law Of Congress under which
was acting required the Fedefai Jntl
to appoint one-l hall al the whole I'M
ber of supervisors from each p"ii'l'
marty; vet he deliberately refused
appoint any of the political orsanii
ton which he well knew represent
the great majority of voters IL the CT
Every popular right was ostentatio't
denied, as if the purpose WAS t" trfit
and excite the people and to prove
tumult, which might result i'll break
up the election and deprlvlhg the C
of its vote.
The President well knew that
neople intended no forcihle resista'
to ti. law. Their determination '
to meet it, simply and exclusively,
the force of public opinion. 1t ~
have Seen apparent to every NINA
the interest of the great majority IN
city was to have II quiet and orde
election. 1t could be the interest u
of the minority to promote an
break. The President knew also
even if disorder, OF any degree, sho
ensue, the whole civil and police POI
of the State, sustained by its Matte
Guard Ga military organization of
own citizens, composed of men OF
classes and all political parties,
maintained hv the State to do setV
as OCCASION may demand, for the =
or the United Slares. and which
never yet failed III its duty to eth
was both ready and able to press
order, and to protect all officers OF
law in the execution of judicial pro
aud the discharge of official duty.
Notwithstanding all This, by
Presidents orders, United States tr'
were brought from distant posts
auartered in the city of New York,
ships of war were anchored III It's
bor. 1t was certainly not unreason
to expect that the first drop otcitl2
blood shed in the city of New for'
Federal troops, inlime OF peace, nj
lead to terrible results, involving Z
l.,Sn ,,f life aud inc;ilculnl,ln leStruC