New-York tribune., 1873-05-16
RL4NK CHARGES.

The Associated IreSS senU us ueNS hOni
Louisiana yesterday to the effect that Col. De
Blanc and seven other citizens had been ar
rested by the United States Marshal on
charge of " intimidatingn certain colored men,
"and ON other charges which were left blank,"
and were about to be sent to New-Orleans
under escort of United States troops. 1t Is
not quite certain from the dispatch as we have
cited it that the charges upon which 1t Is pro-
posed to try these men are to be arranged
after they are safe in custody one hundred
miles away from the scene of their supposed
offenses; but unfortunately there is nothing IN
the recent history of Louisiana government to
render such proceeding very improbable. Ihat
the arrests should be made first and the charges
afterward is not o more monstrous perverslon
of Justice than the action of the New-Oreans
court which paved the way for all these
troubles; and if United States soldiers are
to be employed in constable's duties at all,
blank charges are just as good for them as
any others. The charge of intimidation" has
probably been preferred in order to give the
arrests show of legality by bringing them
under the operation of the Enforcement Act
of 1871 but it is notorious that DE Blanc and
his associates are not seized for any offense
which the Enforcement Act was intended to
cover, nor for any Offense at all against the
laws of the United States. There is no proba-
bility that they can be held by the United
States Commissioner on this charge; but Mr..
Kellogg probably intends, after getting them
into his power, to make vigorous use OF the
charges which are cleft blank"
The whole business is an illustration of the
disereditable and evasive manner in which the
Louisiana difficulty has been treated both by
Gen. Grant and Mr.. Kellogg. The chief Federal
officers at New Orleans, Casey and Packard.
entered into conspiracy with Kellogg to
reverse the result of the election, by means OF
illegal and preposterous orders from Judge
Durell. The Presidents friends in Congress
investigated the case and reported that these
orders were "most reprehensible, erroneous in
"point of law, and wholly void for want OF
Jurisdiction" If the orders were void the
officers installed by them were usurpers. New
ertheless the President chose to disregard the
Developments of the Senate Committee,
and to sustain Mr.. Kellogg. Having made
that choice he deliberately took the response
bility of forcing the people of Louisiana to
recognize Kellogg as the lawful Governor,
and obey all his appOintees. Why does he
now hesitate, and pretend that he is only
executing the Enforcement Lawf Why does
Kellogg hesitate to call upon the President to
redeem his pledgesi If we are to have
usurpation in Louisiana, let it be prompt and
decisive. 1t need not be complicated with
anarchy. The attitude Of the people is plain
enough at last in spite of the misrepresenta-
A. II rha
body, do not concern themselves with the
contest at all; they are peaceable and pru-
dent when they are let alone. The great ma
iority of the whites refuse to acknowledge
Kellogg even indirectly; refuse to recognize
local officers of his appointment; refuse to
obey his Metropolitans, or to respect his
courts. They stand in armed but passive
resistance, Waiting for the United States
troops to disperse them. The Federal author
ity they willingly recognize and obey; but
they will not obey Kellogg until the President
forces them to do so. Then they will have
made up their record; and will have placed
themselves in position to secure whatever
relief the courts, or political G aims and agita-
ton in the future may offer.
OF course it would be madness and wicked
ness to resist where resistance must be hope
less, and it would be equally mad and wicked
on the part of the Administration to prolong
a condition of disorder which it has made up
its mind to remedy by the use of the bayonet.
Since Grant has resolved to suppress every
symptom of rebellion against his usurping
Governor, let him do his work boldly and put
an end to it. Otherwise the people of Louisi-
ana will reduce the State to social chaos,
and not get their rights either.