New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-25
WHAT Is 10 BE INVESTIGATED

An inquest which contented itself with
probing the wound, observing the marks
upon the skin, detecting the Inflammation,
and deciding that death resulted from all
or any of these incidents, without reporting
word as to how the wound was given,
would not meet the demands of the public.
Much less would such an inquisition satisfy
the ends of the law if it departed from an
investigation of the homicide into an ex-
animation of the testamentary disposition
which the deceased had made of his effects.
So, when the investigating committee
arrives in New Orleans, its inquiries will
either have to be made so as to satisfy
Congress in matter that concerns Con-
gress, or it will commit as great an error
as the coroner would do who might set
out with his jury Of inquest to discover the
executor rather than the murderer of a
deceased person.
The object of the investigation is to
furnish Congress, through a report made
by committee of it's own members, with
an official statement Of the troubles that
have occurred in Louisiana, and the causes
that led thereto. The information thus
obtained will probably embrace all the
events that have transpired in this State
during the last ten months and these
events will be classified into matters of
which Congress can legitimately take
cognizance, and those over which it can
exercise no control whatever. For in
stance, what has been done by federal
officer may be disavowed and rebuked,
while what has been done by the Legisla-
ture in the progress Of its own organiza-
ton will have to be accepted as matters
pertaining exclusively to the State. As
Representative Shellabarger correctly re-
marked, Congress can inquire into the
election of the Lieutenant Governor by
the Senate and that Of the Speaker of the
House Of Representatives for its informa-
way or the other upon such information,
since these two acts are matters solely to
be directed and controlled by the Legisla-
ture itself And for the reason that Con-
gress was powerless to act in the premises,
and because such an investigation would
reflect somewhat upon the State, Mr..
Shellabarger dissented from authorizing
the committee to tnke any steps looking to
an inquiry into the conduct of the public
officers of the State of Louisiana.
But there is another branch of the in
QUESTION that can and ought to be pushed
to the fullest extent, as Messrs Garfield
and Shellabarger both remarked, and
that is as to the part which the national
authorities have taken in the matter Of
disturbing the political relations of the
State of Louisiana And this is the very
point to which the attention Of the COM
mittee will be directed, for it involves the
integrity of the local not less than it in
wolves the neutrality Of the general gov
eminent in matters pertaining exclusively
to the interests of every separate COM
munity. For, if the people are to be in
fiuenced from Washington as to their
home affairs, the chances are that much
odious legislation will be saddled upon
the national authorities that would never
be enacted if left to agents directly re-
sponsible to the community itself
The agents of the federal government
have abused their trusts in this State, and
they have done so to the scandal of the
power that appointed them. This is a
matter that Congress is interested in
and its committee should, and no
doubt will, seek to ferret out and publish
as unworthy every officer who has de-
parted from his official duties to create
dissension and discord in the community
be was sent to benefit and protect.
The committee will meet with denial
Of our assertion, and its members will be
directed to inquiries that Congress can
have no interest in investigating; but We
rely upon its good sense to determine that
if the officers of the general government
have kept aloof from the disorders in
Louisiana, their conduct will be cleared
If the reproach that now attaches to it, by
. complete inquiry into the suspicious
that originated the charge
against them. And, on the other hand, if
hey have been guilty of doing what We
affirm. that they have done, !
hen the committee will be enabled to re-
,ort to Congress something which will
nable that body to protect the State Of
louisiana, and all her sister States, from
ny such improper, abusive interference
hereafter.