New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-30
ST. LOUIS DEMOCRAT ON UsURPATION

ST. LOUIS DEMOCRAT ON UsURPATION
The st. Louis Democrat, a Republican
organ Of the Missouri tangled politics,
characterizes the action of Governor War
moth, IN converting the General Assembly
in extra session, when it became apparent
that the Democrats and Wilderness Repub-
licans had conspied to overthrow the State
government, as
A shameless coup d etat of a bold, bad
| man, cOnvening his own partisans as d legis-
lative body, in the few hours interim be-
tween a regular adjournment of the regular
legislative body and its reasscmbling On the
next day.
Perhaps the Democrat would have been
been better satisfied if the Governor had
followed the precedent of Governor Clai-
borne, who imprisoned the Legislature in
1915, in consequence of a disagreement
between him and them. There would
| then be chance to cry out tyranny and
usurpation. 1t will be difficult to persuade
the American people that it was unlawful
for the Governor to remit the questions
that agitated the public mind during the
early part of the session to the Legislature,
the representatives of the people, whose
peculiar duty it was to decide them. When
it is known that the trouble all sprung out
OF contest for the organization of the
two houses, the people will naturally in
quire how it could be settled in any other
way than it Was, or by any authority
save that of the members. The majority
of the Senators had chosen Mr. Pinchback
President, and the majority of the House
had indicated that Mr.. Carter was not an
acceptable person for their Speaker. And
as the minorities feared to make the issue
in the Legislative halls. they resorted to
strategy. Owing to the death of two
Senators, less than majority was able to
break the quorum, which they did by EN-
barking on board the revenue cutter Will
derness and going out of reach of the
rgeants-at-arms. As it was not feasible
to dispose of the refractory members of
the House in the same manner, resort was
had to strategy of another sort -Four
members We're induced to make affidavits
before United States commissioner charg-
ing eighteen of their colleagues with Of
fenses under the enforcement act of Con-
gress. This led to their arrest and the
temporary disposal of nearly all the mem-
bers of the majority During this en-
forced absence the minority met, having
members, making tifty-one in all. three
less than a quorum, and at once proceeded |
to ratty the election of Carter as Speaker,
and to unseat members hostile to their |
schemes and admit contestants who prom |
ised cooperation as the price of their adj
mission. Seven members who had served |
seated, and six others, four Of whom were
Democrats, We're put in their places. A
vote to adjourn then prevailed.
Being less than majority of the House
the adjournment was the only legal act
they could perform. And as the House
was really adjourned, the proper check
could not be applied to these revolu-
ionary proceedings until the next day.
Under these circumstances, and at the
request of the members, the Governor
the Legislature in special session.
This act has been approved by both
houses. They were the only tribunal that
,ould decide upon the matter, either to
approve or disapprove. This prompt ac-
ion of the executive resulted in full
organization of both houses, and relieved
he Legislature from a dead lock.
We are content in this State to let the
ecord stand as it is. The Governor is
alone to the Legislature for
lis acts; and with a full knowledge of the
history of all the transactions and the re-
ults, his action has been formally aD-
proved.
This cry of usurpation reminds us of
he attacks made upon Mr.. Lincoln in
SCI, when he took prompt means to
heck the conspiracy to overthrow the
United States government At first he
vas denounced all through the South as
yrant and usurper, but when Congress
and ratified all his official acts,
nd adopted measures more stringent than
yer he had recommended there WAS
of diversion, and the rebels
their hatred to it. Finally the
people took the matter up, and approved
he course of both Mr.. Lincoln and Con-
,ress, and there are men in both sections
# the Union who have not forgiven the
Republican party of the North to this day
or this approval. With such an example
before them, Governor Warmoth, the
General Assembly and the Republican
,arty of this State can afford TO await the
er(lict of ma nkind.
ENTIRELY TOO THIN
Two or three moderately respectable,