New-York tribune., 1872-12-09
A REvIEw OF THE SITUATION.

TIE STATE GOVERNMENT VIRTUALLY OVER
THROWN BY UNITED STATES TROoPS-IlI-
UNIPH OF TIE CUsTOH-HOUsE FACTION
JUDGE DURELLs ENrRAOEDINARG AsSUMP-
TION OF POWER--THE REAL CAUSE OF TIE
DIFFICULTIES.
frROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or TIE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.-lluch excitement was
caused In political circles here yesterday by the news
that Judge Durce Of the United States District Court
OF Louisiana had empowered Marshal Packard to seize
upon the state Capitol building and hold 1t with Federal
noldiery and that he had onjoned Gov. Warnoth aud
his Returning Board from canyassing any OF the returns
Of the election I is apparent thar, If this action
of the Judge and the military authorities s sustained by
the President M will have the result Of giving the Gus
tom house party tue control OF the election returns aud
will enable them TO figure out result that must eject Ke
logg Governor giving them majority In the Legislature
and all the Congressman. The trouble in Louisiana np-
pears TO spring chiefly the fact that neither party
have any confidence in the honesty OF the other The
Liberals and Democrats, In whose interest Gov.
Warmoth ac confident that they carried tho eec-
tion and that the CustomhOuse party, as the Repub
cans are called will frauduenty count in their nomi-
nees II allowed TO canvass the The Repubi-
cans have an equally bad opinion OF Warmoth and his
associates and have perhaps equally strong belief
that they won the victory ut the polls, rather that
they would have won IL had there been fair regstra-
ton Each partyInay be right In believing that the
other cannot be trusted to the votes There Ia
unquesionably such greed for office and such lack
of scrupes among theiprominent politicians Of the state
that few would let their conscenees stand In the way OF
obtaining power. The struggle between Gov. Warmoth
and tho Custom-h0use leaders, aud the position each
now occupies are probably understood by few people
outside OF louisiana. The following is brief statement
OF the principal In the history OF the contest
The old election laws passed soon after reconstruction
gave 10 the Governor enormous power lie was author
lied to appoint all the election officers; the re
turns were 70 be made from each preeiuct to
the registrars at the county seat, who were
to transmit them to Board Of State Canyassers,
consisting OF the Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
Secretary OF State and two Senators. Under tns law
most OF the Registrars were sent out from
the cgisature without getting any votes These ana
other frauds raised clanor Tor change IN the law
Last Winter new law was passed greatly restricting
the Governors power to control an election The can
OF five members elected by the Senate. Gov. warmoth
neither signed vetoed this ball, but allowed II 10 re-
main upon his table. The election held under the
old law and the returns made 10 the old Board or
this Board all the members were Ineligible 10 serve by
except Gov. Warmoth Secretary OF State Heron and
Senator James Lynch. Heron End Lynch belonged 10
Boz Board ~ and Judge
As thus ORGANIZED the Board would have been ioar TO
Secretary OF State and thus, according to his
Interpretation Of the law, disqualified him from acting
ms place and with the new Secretary to recog
nize Longsteet and Lynch aud went on TO n he Board
tons. Thus two Returning Boards were In operation.
Hcrron. disputing the night OF the Governor TO re-
toIa-house Board. The .,Custom-house men went
10 both the State and Federal for niunctions
against waTmoths Board In the Eighth judicial Dis
lict Judge Dbble granted the injunction, whereupon
the Governor issued commission 10 Eltnore declared
him elected IN Dibbles place, and installed him with
squad OF police ejectiDg Dbbe. The injunction asked
for In the United states District Court WAS temporarily
granted by Judge Dure who issued AN order restrain
ing The Governor from cavassng the vote or cvnnis
sOning any OF the officers eeot referring for hi antbor
y 10 the 2]d section Of the Enforcement ac The next
move OF the Governor 10 take up the new law passed
Vast Winter and sign II, which he did on the
10Th ult. lie then claimed that the new law
until the Senate lad elected Returning Board, and he
at called the Legislature together In extra session
But twOtbirds Of the Senate had been chosen at the
late election there could be quorum unless new men,
bers declared elected by authority and were
duly commissioned This Warmoth assumed the power
10 II the Federal authorities had not nterfered the
Senate would have met; tho Senators declared
sssas1 Il VsEuoth would have taken their seats n