New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-09
communicated
THE CARTER CUSTOMHOUSE
FACTION.
THEIR ILLEGAL PROCEEDINGS
REVIEWED.
An Appeal to the Popular Sense
new ORLEANS. January 3. 1872.

! EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
| | have witnessed the riotouS displays of
the last week, concerning which 50 much
| has been said, with feelings OF deep regret
and foreboding apprehensions. | am salts
fed that errors are imputable to both par
ties composing the Legislature, and that
both would act wisely in ignoring much OF
| what they have DONE and in recommending
| the business of the present session. 1t ap-
| pears to Inv humble understanding that
| personal ambitious ends have prompted the
| adoption OF desperate means, and that the
| public interest has been made secondary
| consideration.
| Whoever. before this body met, heard
| OF such a thing as unseating members Of a
| legislative body who had been tor half their
term affiliated with and fully recognized
az members thereof without their presence,
| or an opportunity given them to be present!
| Still more, whoever heard Of having mem
| beers arrested and forcibIy taken away from
their seats in the very teeth OF the cOnsti-
tuition. merely that the members might act
in their absence in the matter Of their ex-
pulsion'
The ruse is too palpable to deceive any
impartial mind. know it is not called ex-
pulsion, but it amounts to nothing less. Mr..
Souer. for instance, is unseated, to Use an
acceptable term and no one seated. Now.
why was this done ! We know that some
one was elected, and that it was the duty of
his Judges to know who that was. Other
wise. they should have allowed him to re-
tain the seat they had already given him.
The only evidence they could have had that
he was not entitled to his seat was the proof
that some other gentleman had been elected.
They seem to have had no such proof, and
their action in the matter, viewed from this
stand, is wrong.
But it was said there was another ground
for their conduct, which was that he was
registrar of voters in the parish of
Avoyelles, and that as such he was not
eligible. There may be force in this, but if
there he. why was not Speaker Carter I'M
seated for the same reason! Other in
stances are noticeable, but | refrain from
mentioning them. Here. again. the motive
Is visible to every one, and requires no eX-
posture. 1t is no part of my present purpose
70 20 over all that has occurred. but permit
me TO PROFOUND a few questions suggested
by the attitude OF Mr. Carriers faction
II it be a Legislature, where is its Senate,
its Lieutenant Governor. its Secretary OF
State and its Governor Without all of these,
how can it do any act, however formal,
which any sensible Judge would administer
as "a law
Can il make appropriations for the cur
rent expenses OF the State government!
Would the Auditor and Treasure be under
any legal obligations to obey its mandates
any further than they will be to heed the
buncolnbe speeches and rounded resolutions
that may spring from the meeting to
he held on Lafayette square to-day
WOu.d the Governor be under any
obligations to approve their acts! And il he
were to approve, would the Secretary Of
State be bound to record. authenticate
and promulgate them? And let us
suppose that all these obstacles
could i've overcome. see what flood
the courts. Can any right thinking patriot
view al these dilcmlnas and their uutore-
seen and incalcUlable consequences with
appreciation For one. freely confess |
eau not. and therefore | disapprove Of the
acts ana attitude Of the Carter faction. If
they have majority of the Legislature on
Royal street, they would have it at the
legislative hall and if they have not, it is
plain they nave no right TO call themselves
Il Legislature. If the Governor has lone
any wrong. there are laws to reach him.
and would have them legally enforced. II
he has authority for his acts in the premises,
then the conduct of the Garter party is
factiou, # not revolutionary. In the first
category the people should uphold the
supremacy of the law. for bad govern
ment Is vastly preferable to none at all
In the second, they should certainly with
hold all support, as any other course may
lead TO TIE worst of calamities. They have
very just cause to complain of many of our
State laws as being tyrannous aud ruin
oualy oppressive But let Us not forget
that they would never have been in our
statutes if the Legislators Nh Carriers fac
ton with all the others had not enacted
them. The Governor has no power to make
laws, and if the representatives. in the Legis
.dtulc will pass such as are odious the pco-
pie should keep the odium where it belongs. |
The Governor may he guilty OF official dcre- !
fiction, but he should be brought to the bar OF
the Senate to answer under the law. and not |
10 the bar Of public opinion, except through |
tie hailot-boX. In his efforts to enforce the |
laws. whether they be good or bad, he |
should be sustained By every lawablding !
citizen. ONr peace and security are to be |
found within the palrs Of the law, not in
tumuIt. riot and anarchy.
OCCASIONAL.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, |
SIATI-0NE FAITHFUL MEMBERS |