New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-18
PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

to the country, must forever stand as the
act of his life. 1t is as remark
able for its want of logical consistency as
it is deficient in knowledge of what is gen
orally supposed to be the law in such
cases.
On Tuesday, an application was made to
the President, in one Of the modes pre-
scribed by the constitution, for protection
from threatened domestic violence. This
application was made by the Governor, at
the request Of the Legislature. But the
Attorney General replies, by interposing
the objection that there is a contest as to
the legality Of the election of the Lleuten-
ant Governor, and also as to the existence
Of the lower branch of the Legislature.
He therefore finds that we are IN proper
condition for domestic violence, and refuses
the request. If the affirmative OF the doubt
full propositions were true-that Is, II the
Lieutenant Governors election IS illegal,
and the status of the House not what the
Governor claims it to be, it would prove
conclusively that the Legislature can not
be convened. In such case, the demand
of the Governor for protection Is sufficient.
And the administration has incurred a grave
responsibility in its refusal to comply with
the constitutional demand Of State for
the assistance guaranteed to it by the or
ganic law. All the consequences growing
out of this refusal will be chargeable to the
President, and he may not hope to escape
the responsibility.
It is vet fresh in our minds that a most
wicked and murderous assault was made
upon a convention in the Mechanics Insti-
tate in 1866. At that time, as now, con-
ficting reports were sent to Washington as
to the status of the men assembled. Presl-
dent Johnson committed the blunder of
believing the false reports, and refused to
order the troops here to protect the men,
bers of the convention from massacre He
has never recovered from the effects of that
fatal mistake, and he never will. For this
act, among others, he WAS impeached be-
fore the bar of the Senate, and George H.
Williams, of Oregon, voted for his convic-
ton. We find, therefore, Attorney Cen
eral Williams advising one President to
follow the course which Senator Williams
voted to punish another for pursuing.
Because he has received dispatches
from two or more persons, each claiming
to be Speaker of the House, he denies the
State of Louisiana the right to protection
from domestic violence. Because the
right of the Lieutenant Governor to his
office is questioned by those who partici-
pated in the election, the Attorney General
of the United States RENTS whole city
to the mercies Of mob, so far as he can
do so by denying its citizens the protec-
ton of the government. He is not asked
to look into and decide upon the claims OF
the officers of either house of the General
Assembly, for his opinion one way or
another can have no weight. He was
simply asked by resolution Of the State
Legislature, as certified by the Governor,
to comply with a duty devolved upon him
by the constitution. And he replies by
repeating the political gossip that has
been sent on to him at Washington by
the turbulent men who have been the
authors of the strife that now atfiicts
New Orleans. According to the logic Of
the Attorney General, no protection can
be afforded Il State so long as there can
be found in its limits any unauthorized
private person to question the right OF any
officer of either house to his place. For
if he can decide between two contestants
for the Speakership, or say that a presld-
ing officer elected at a meeting OF full
Senate is not entitled to his Office. he may
run the whole gauntlet from the chairmen
down to the messengers of both houses
If he find that all the elections have been
to him, he will OF course
order the troops to move; but SO long as
one of the little pages sends on telegraphic
dispatches that another boy has got his
place, not soldier shall stir.
If anything were wanting in addition to
Governor Warmoth's request to show that
the federal troops should assist the local
authorities in preserving the peace, it is
afforded by Mr. Williams dispatch. With
a question in his mind as to whether Mr..
Brewster or Mr.. Carter is the legally
elected Speaker, and very strongly i'm
piled doubt whether the Senate has been
at all during this session, con-
lition of affairs is shown that requires
remedy. Such important questions can
not be raised in a State without producing
and if the adherents of two
nearly divided houses Of the General AS
sembly are arrayed in hostility on one side
or the other, a case is presented where 1t
would be eminently proper for the general
government to step in and keep the noisy
and vicious quiet and harmless while the
members settle their differences by voting
upon the questions in dispute. The Gov
ernor has an ample force to do this; but
we wish to avoid the very situation con-
templated by the federal constitution. We
do not wish to set one body OF citizens
against another The presence of General
Emory's troops would be all sufficient
They would not be resisted by either party
in any case. 1t would not be necessary for
them to fire a gun.
If the Attorney General had predicated
nc ,.af,,ca1 70 afford aid to the State M