New Orleans Republican., 1872-06-15
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0FFIClsL JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
Press Comments ON the Force Bill.

rryw1sE, UNNECESSARY AND NExPEDIEET.
From the Boston Advertiser, Administrator
We regret exceedingly that the Senate
has seen fit to adopt the course it has pur-
gued. In the first place we object to the
coercion Of the House Of Representatives.
IT has distinctly refused to pass this law.
The Senate presents before ii the alteTna-
tive of reversing its action or of impeding
the government by the failure Of necessary
appropriations, or of subjecting the cOun-
try to the expense Of an extra session. And
even if the House refuses to yield now, the
Senate still holds the whip over it, and by
its action, if not in words, gives it notice
that the bin must be passed. 1t is wrong
and usurpation. We object again be-
cause the act is unnecessary. There
are other laws which can be used
10 prevent intimidation Of voters. and
to preserve purity Of elections. There is no
reason to believe that there will be any de-
nial of political rights to any class of the
peOpie IN the coming contest, and until the
need of such law has been shown far more
conelusively than it has yet been done, it
will not be called for. We object, once
more, because it is inexpedient. 1t may be
that in some parts of the South it will be
looked upon as renewed evidence that the
Republican party is determined to protect
the cOlOred race. So it is, undoubtedly.
But there are many more people in the
North and West who think il about time
that this kind Of legislation should cease.
We cannot keep the Southern States for
ever in a state of tutelage. This bill, it is
true, applies to all the States. In this part
of the country, then, there is a very strong
and well-grounded objection to the presence
of federal officers at State elections. We
object to it most Of all because it is danger
Gus and wrong. The purpose Of the bill is
TO transfer to the general government the
police business of local elections, a
matter that always has been man
aged by the States and the districts. If
they are not competent to manage it still,
they are not fit to govern themselves in
other respects. The instrument which is in
process Of manufacture is a two-edged
sword. We may be sure it will injuTe the
makers before either edge has become dull.
There seems to be an idea that it is the duty
of Congress to pass this bill, as pledged by
a resolution of the Philadelphia convention.
The convention resolved that the amend
ments to the constitution SHOULD be carried
out according to their spirit by appropriate
legislation" This, we insist has been done;
but if anything remains to be done, in the
view Of any man, this is not appropriate
legislation" It is unwise and unnecessary.
We need above all things in the coming
canvass to be free from all suspicion of
using unfair means to carry the election.
Whatever the facts may be, the opposition
can use the battle cry Of federal interfer-
ence" much too effectively to make the
passage Of this law, in any sense, good
policy.
AN OUTRAGEOUS ATTEMPT TO PROMOTE CEN
TRALIZATIOS.
lFrom the New York Evening Post, anti-Greeley.l
The Senate Of the United States has once
more shown to what depths an honorable
and conservative branch of the government
can be carried in the hands Of an unscrupu-
lOus partisan ring. The amendment to an
appropriation bill was offered in plain viO-
lation of the rule lately laid down by this
very set of men to govern their action.
Now no one disputes that the intention, as
well as the letter of this amendment, was
entirely beyond the province of an apprO-
priation bill. The leaders in the affair ac-
knowledged this, and also that they intend
ed to force the obnoxious measure upon
the coordinate branch of Congress by
means of a trick, when they appointed a
conference committee to consider this sub
iect in advance Of the action of the House.
So outrageous is this attempt to promote
centraliza ton, and to imperil local self
government, that even Mr.. Kelley, Of Penn
sylvania, whose love for the Republican
party is apt 10 cover a multitude of SINS
protests against it most emphatiealy.
From the New York Commercial Advertiser, Ad
mnistratiOn.l
The House of Representatives met at an
unusually early hour this morning, and
after a stormy discussion resolved to recon-
init the conference report on the force bill
The vote on recommital was ninety-nine
yeas to seventy-nine nays. This continued
complication at the heel of the session sig
nally illustrates the inconsequential and
laundering methods of the present Con-
gress That body has done very little eX-
cept to muddle the questions brought be-
fore it, and when it has been stirred to
the performance of actual work, its action
has been incomplete and unsatisfactory.
The best course il can now pursue is to put |
the force bill under the table. That meas
ure has been a bone of contention from |
the start. and the sooner it is killed the |
better. If an assembly bill had been |
passed in the proper manner and at the |
proper time, there would have been no ne |
cessity for force bills or other threaten |
ing demonstrations. Congress has acted |
as un wisely in reference to Southern affairs |
as in regard to the greater interests con- |
tided to its care, and its continued delays, |
and errors will render its |
memory exceedingly unsavOrY. The worst |
effect of its performances is, that the ad- |
mnistration is held responsible by the un- |
thinking for the blunders which Congress |
could not be made to see-but theb lame will |
soon be placed on the shoulders where it |
belongs. The people will have a chance |
next fall to elect better Congress, capable |
of working with the administration instead |
of opposing it.