The Opelousas courier., 1872-12-28
The Political Situation I'm E.osa
fsiana.
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.



From the Journal Of Commerce Sthl
The President is reported to be disgusted
with the Louisiana brawls. We think that
his disgust Will be very generally shared by al
decent people. Neither of the political par
ties IN Louisiana is worthy of respect. Car
pet-baggers are at the bottom of both of them
and corruption in the Federal and State off
ces alike seems to be universal 1t is not
worth the trouble to study up the intricacies
OF the questions at issue between Warmoth's s
party and the Custom House gang; but per
fectly safe to assume that each is some where
or other in the wrong. AS to the capture of
the State-House by United State troops, that
is one of those Federal operation to which the
South has now become accustomed. and which
men of the Warm0th species have done all in
their power to invite. Carpet-baggers like
himself were the first to demand the inter
vention of the Federal arm in local sauabbles
throughout the South. The law under which
it Is done it regular carpet-bag law. There is
grim humor, therefore, in giving Warmoth
dose of it, though it is a joke that may easily
be carried too far. We hope that under no
circumstances will the people of New Orleans
take part in or tolerate any uprising or pub
lie disturbance in consequence of the action
of the Federal authorities. It may gall them
to see that the General Government has again
possessed the State-House and driven out or
overawed the local powers. This, it is true, is
another step towards centralization, and is
very irritating to think Of But we believe
that the best way OF lighting such a tendency
is not to take up arms against it, but to elect
such good state officers. and to make such a
good home government, that the United
States can find no rational excuse for inter
fering. The action of the federal officers
against such miserable rulers as Louisiana has
provided for herself does not afford broad
basis for Indignation. One thing President
Grant should do at once He should interfere
in Louisiana affairs in another way than
through the military: he should remove the
notorious Custon-House gang in New Or
leans, and replace it with men who will not
scandalize the Government. That done, the
Administration could. with more propriety,
apply the correcting rod to Warmoth and com
pany.
From the Neac York Tribune. sth1
The main fact which will attract attention,
however, IS the hold which q United States
Court has got on the State Government. OBJ
serve that nobody pretends that the socalled
Fusion candidates did not receive a majority
of all the votes cast it is only claimed that
the Republican candidates would have been
elected if there had been fair election and
it is claimed that the election was not fair !;
that the canvass is Illegal; and that, therefore
the Republican nominees were elected. On
this slender basis the Custom-House party
have upset the State machinery, with the aid
of the United States Court, aud have procur-
ed the success of their candidates who we're
defeated at the late election.
There seems to be no explanation or defense
of "armeths substitution of Returning
Board, organized under new, after he had
commenced proceedings under an old law.
To take up and sign that law because it suit
ed his present purposes, after he had begun the
work of canvassing the vote under existing sta
tutes. looks very much like an unworthy trick.
Nor can there he any objection to the course
of tho c.n orai in GacliniDp IN iuttr-
fere in the decisions Gf the [. s. Courts in
Louisiana. That officer Is not authorized to
review the proceedings of the courts =; the on
lF recourse of the non-suited PARTIES is to the
United States Supreme Court. And right
here comes in the great hardship of their case
To put a Governor, Legislature and State orii-
GERS into a State- House by n simple decree
from the bench, aud then caolg inform the
officers who claim To have beeu elected that
they must go to the Supreme Court for their
rights, seems like ii moekery. Yet this is just
what has been done i'll Louisiana. We all
know how hopeless is a cause which once gers
into that maeistrom of lawsuit-the United
States Supreme Court; and while this slow
eddy Is sucking down the Louisiana ease. a
possibly fraudulent Governor would take his
seat, organize a Legislature which would car
ry q seinbiance of Government, elect a
L nlted States SeIIetor, and do all the irrever-
sible acts of a regular and legitimate Govern
ment. This is nlonstruus; but it is a con-
of law.
From the Netr York Times Dee, sth Grants
organ.1
1t is difficult to exaggerate the evils which
this man Warmot11 whose career is now near
it's close, has brought Oh the unfortunate State
he has so long ruled. Louisiana under him
has not only been plundered, but it has been
Life and property, have been
rendered insecure in many parts of the State,
and particularly so id the capital, where his
Influence has been most felt.
The Judiciary has been made both weak and
corrupt by the character of the men he has
been the means of introducing to the bench,
while the machinery for executing the laws
has been perverted by him to the basest uses.
He has praeticed on a large scale the iniqui-
ties of Tammany, and the wrong and injury
he has inflicted have been the worse because
holders of the State. Owing to causes origi-
mated or aggravated by him, the resources of
the State have been greatly reduced. while he
has controlled the elections in q peculiarly
and monstrous manner.
Though the closing scenes of Warmoths rule
there Is every reason to anticipate better
fortune for Louisiana in the immediate future.
From the Chicago Tribune Dee, 9Th.
In the attempt to get rid of Warmoth. it
was hoped that Louisiana and the country
would get rid of an anserupnlous and daring
adventner, but these recent transactions show
that the State. through its Federal Off
GERS, including the judiciary and its new car
per-bag Geverner, Kellogg, has fallen into
other hands no less disreputable, and is con-
trolied by men every way as dishonest and
as any ether gang OF political
that infested the State.
D We are told that ga butcher at
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