Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-17


anarchy, with a probability of complica-
tions still more chaotic unless Attorney
General Williams compromise is adopted.
South Carolina, last on the list, is exempt
from violence, but not from shame. A
Legislature, one-balf the members of which
cannot read, nor one-third write, sends to
the United States Senate a person whose
qualifications were his long purse and
knowledge of the weaker side of human
nature. a few hours after he finds him
self arraigned in the courts for bribery.
These events, shameful TO free institutions.
and disgraceftl to all concerned, have
sprung from causes which are now happily
fading away. The political Adventures
who swarmed like locusts upon the South
ern communities at the close of the war
! have fulfilled their mission. and the day
| for their federation is past. For years they
| were sustained by the National Govern
ment and the voice of the North, because
they were the conservators of the peace and
the protectors of the negro. These duties
are no longer necessary"
This is confession that was hardly to be
expected from journal supporting Grant.
In The case Of Louisiana, the legal State
government was oyerthrowp through "a
partisan decision by seuile judge" and
Grant supports and upholds this usurpation.
The facts ia regard to Louisiana are thus
stated by contemporary:
/. The people elected the Democratic and
Liberal ticket by 1900 msjority.
2. The legal State CaDVassers were not
allowed to declare the result, being prohib-
| H., srsr cd Of
Judge.
3. A board Of men who we're not legal
CSnvassers threw out number of parishes
or counlies-just enough to give the Grant
party the ascendency.
Grant made haste TO recognise the usurp-
ing and revolutionary parties who were
thus oyerturning the legal State Govern.
ment, simply because it was supposed they
were more In accord with bis administra-
ton. The Press stated it "wolld not have
the President espouse either side in these
factional quarrels," but advised him to lis
ten to "the story of intelligent men, the
honest members of these communities, !"
and to accept their promises "in preference
to the falsehoods and appeals Of plumber
ers, whose only title to consideration is a
pretense Of Republcsnism." How was
this advice treated? When an appeal was
made to him to hear representatives of the
majority of the people Of Louisiana. with
the view of laying the facts of the case be-
fore him In their true light, they were an
swered in this curt, not TO So, unciyil man
ner:
"WAsHINGToN, Dec. 13, Hon. John Nc
Emery, New Orleans, Louisiana: Your Wis
it with hundred citIzsns will be unaVai-
ing so far as the President is concerned.
His decision is made and will not be
changed, and the sooner it is acfdiesced 10,
the sooner good order and peace will be re-
stored. GEORGE S. WILLIAMS,
Attorney General"
That is the way DR.. Grant treats the
people of The South. They have no rights
which be is bound TO respect, where those
rights run counter to his purposes.
A few days ago we quoted from the Press
of The It'll inst. the following paragraph:
Gas Shakespeare says, the story o! the
CLIQUE of politicians calling themselves Re
publicans who are at Washington trying TO
induce the President to interfere in the AL
ALBANIA Legislative quarrel in their behalf Is
TOO thin and bare 10 hide Offences The
truth is had there been no Senatorial cleo
ton in Alabama this winter there would
have been no quarrel over the organization
of the Legislature"
Now we find the Press Of the 18Th, only
six days later, advising the acceptance OF
AttoTuey General Williams compromise,
W which the legal Legislature of Alabama,
organised n the manner prescribed by the
C0nstitus.1a of the State, is required to
dissolve into its original elements, and take
iis chances for a reorganization with the
revolutionary element which sought to or.
canize an opposition Legislature consolidat-
cd with it. This compromise-for it has
been accepted by the legal Legislature
f1ists into that body three or four men as
members who did not receive a majority Of
the votes cast in the county they assume
to represent. The certificates we're given to
the candidates who did receive a msjorlty
Of the votes, but under this compromise
they are ignored. But as to the justice Of
The demand Of the Graut admins ration,
that the officers of the legal Legislature Of
Alabama shall resign, and after receiving
the boilers, shall sgain go through the pro
cess of organizing. The Montgomery I'D.
| z H. 1 al
sit is now with much satisfaction that
we call The attention of our readers and
fellow-citizsns generally, to the highly i'm
portant fact that the plan Of adjustment
proposed by the Washington Cabinet fully
admits in its conditions and terms, the le-
gality of the Legislature at the Capitol
This is not done, of course, in distinct Ian
guage-perhaps If was not so designed at 81
but it was certainly done 10 effect, and
Mr.. Williams establishes for as a case OF
legal impregnablity. The plan seats as
members elect of the General Assembly all
persons with certificates of election, cana
no others the Barbour county members
and Senator coming in with the supple
mental certificates issued by Ragland, the
Radical Secretary of State. There are nc
others with certificates of this kind to ba
seated. But without the Barbour members
and Senator, there was aquorum composed
of members with certificates now recog-
{ Missed prima facIe by the Attorney General,
ia both branches of the Legislature, at the
time Mr.. Lewis refused 20 acknowledge
the body, and recognized the Courthouse
rabble. There we're tfty-four members il
/ the House and nineteen in the Senate, and
leaving out the Barbour membeTs,a quorum
still appeared in both houses"
This statement shows that the Grant a.
ministration has been guilty of a gross out
rage upon the rights of the people of Ala
bama, in the effort to give the control Of tht
, Legislature of that State Unto the hands o
, ''clique Of politicians calling themselve!
, | Republicans" The course of the Gran
, administration toward Alabama is mere
child's play, the trick of small politicians
without spark Of craftsmanship in it, auc
, is therefore shame to the natiO1A
OF the shame in South Cagoliha, it i