Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-02-01
The Judgment of tho Law.

The highest legal authority in the
State has decided the question as to
which was the proper board to re-,
port upon the result of the last
election. This il the arbitrator the
people have selected to settle their
controversies, and now it is the (3u.
| ty Of the law abiding citizens to sub
init their differences Of opinion, since
the power to which they appealed
has rendered a decision. IL was i'm
possible for the court to come to any
other judgment than the one which
it has delivered, for the proceedings.
connected with the attempt to make
Mr.. Jack Wharton a member of the
board, while admitting the authority
of General Heron to act, wero Of
such an inconsistent character a. to
strike the most ordinary mind with
doubt as to the sincerity of the
effort. -
The effect of the judgment of the
Supreme Count is to quiet and con-
firm the action of Judge Durell, for
the only vulnerable point in the pro-
ceedings before the United States
District Court was as to the right
of the federal judiciary to decide an
to the legitimacy of any particular
agency of the State of Louisiana. 1t,
is true Judge Dursll was fortified
in his decision in favor of the
Hawkins, LOngstreet and Heron
board by the Judgment of the
Eighth District Court, but this was
not the ultimate decision that was
needed and in Congress it was con-
tended by the Democrats, that he
strained his authority in acting in q
local political contest, without hay
ing the assent of the local authorities,
to his conclusions Of law and fact.
This objection is now disposed of,
for the judgment of the Eighth
District Court and the rulings of
Ju0ge Durell as to theprOperreturn.
ing board have been affirmed by the
judicial authority that all the people
have consented to accept as conclu-
sive. ,,s..-.
In the next place, the decision.
ratifies every act that the legal re-
turning board has performed, and
subjects those who have been ac..
grieved to the necessity of cOntestinp
for any right which they NAV SIM. I.
pose themselves to have lost before
the proper tribunals. 1t emphati. =
cally establishes the government
represented BY Mr.. kellogg, and re.
mits Colonel McEnery, if he has any
grievance in the matter, to a repu.
lar contest. 1t establishes the Leg.
islature in session ut Mechanics In.
stitute, and directs those who have
rights that the returning board dis.
regarded or overlooked to enter
their appeal before that body for
Justice Every Office,l holding n
commission by virture' Of the action
OF the Hawkins, Longstreet and
Heron board, is confirmed in his
place and made secure as by n judi.
cial degree. This is an Immense al. 2
vantage to the public, since it at
once enables the citizen to deter
mine who is the real and who is the
pretended officer. %
The gentlcnmeM who pretend to
set up a government at Odd Eel
lows Hall are by this Judgment de.
prived of any semblance or color of
authority, since the source from
which they assume to derive their,
appointments is pronounced to have
been utterly incapable of utterinr
commission. The paper creden. /,
tial that Mr.. Moncure presents as
the evidence OF his agency is worth.
less, because the men who signed Il
had no more right to issue such pel. !.
lets than any other two lobbyists !
that were to be picked up about the.
apartments of Governor Warmoth
while he was using his ability in
keeping negroes away from the polls.
Ii, then, Mr.. Moncure is q laws bid.
ing citizen, he will at once submit
his pretensions to the destruction
which the Supreme Court has pro- g
nounced against them, and he will
advise his friends that their, duty
requires of them to bow in obediauce /
TO the legitimate authority OF the
State. The sanction and protec.
ton of the. law are thrown about,
MIR. kellogg's administration, the,
protection Of the federal government
10 apparent, and the attempt to re-
slst or dissolve this power grows
weaker day by day. Whatever
doubt the country at large may have
had will be set at rest, and our gen.
eral interest requires that the peo-
pie OF Louisiana should all unite in
oDedlence to a common government
In order that the blessings of am.