New-York tribune., 1873-05-24
SENATOR CARPENTERS SPEECH AND THE
PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION

| Senator Carpenter has long been conspicuous
"a one of the stanchest and ablest OF the
President,s friends; he has done many things
of late which show him to be likewise one of
the most honest. On questions of public policy
we have often found ourselves at variance with
him but none can be reader than we are to
recognize that frank independence with which
he sometimes raises himself above the petty
considerations of partisanship. In his address
the other evening to the people of New
Orleans we find so much to approve that we
are not disposed to find fault with its mistakes
and shortcomings. He took pracucai view
of the situation, not Disgusting its difficulties
not Understanding the wrongs to which the
people of Louisiana are required to submit,
but telling his hearers what they ought to do
to restore the prosperity of the unhappy
State. The whites must learn to ac-
ouiesce cheerfully in the changed So
cial conditions Of the South; the blacks
must learn self-reliance and manliness and
both parties must "let politics alone and at
tend to their business 1t is a sad commen-
tary upon the decentralization of public affairs
that Senator of the United States should find it
necessary to advise people to "let politics
alone - but Mr.. Carpenter is right That
Durell's contact was outrageous" says the
Senator, al have not q doubt. But Gen.
Grant must support him under the law un-
{" til Congress settles the matter. You must
keep the peace until this outrageous conduct
of Durell's is set aside 1t is not Kellogg that
governs the State; it is not Grant, but the
claw; and to it you must submit" Of course
Mr.. Carpenter speaks without due reflection
when he says that Gen Grant must support the
usurpation "under the law 1t is not the
law which rules in Louisiana; it is the Presi-
dent and his troops They mean to rule as
long as Congress will let them, and opposition
will only provoke useless shedding of blood.
The best thing therefore, the people of Lou
isiana can do is to "let politics alone" and
turn their attention to their trades and COM
mercial enterprises. There is no place for pol
iticians under a despotism.
1t is q pity the President does not under
stand the situation as well as his friend the
Senator. In his proclamation commanding the
opponents of Gov. Kellogg to disperse he
declares that "it has been duly certified by
" the proper local authorities, and judicially
determined by the inferior and superior
courts of Louisiana, that Kellogg and his
associates are entitled to hold their offices
respectively and execute and discharge the
functions thereof" and he assumes therefore
that it is his duty to support them. These
statements are entirely erroneous and the
most forcibe refutatioD Of them we have ever
seen is contained in Senator Carpenters re-
port from the Louisiana Investigating Com
mittee. 1t is there shown that the election
of the Kellogg government never was "certi-
" fed by the proper local authorities" and
never was "judicially determined" by the
Louisiana courts. 1t was certified by
Board which had no legal authorization, and no
returns before it. "There is nothing" said
Mr. Carpenter, "in all the comedy of blunders
"and frauds under consideration, more inde-
fensble than the pretended canvass of this
Board. The following are some Of the objec-
[" tions to the validity of their proceedings: /.
"The Board had been abolished by the act of
Nov. 20. 2. The Board was under valid and
"existing injunctiOns, restraining it from acting
{" at all 8. Conceding that the Board was in
existence and had full authority to canvass
s the returns, it had no returns to canvass
And he added: "The proceedings Of Judge
"Durell and the support given to him by
United States troops resulted in establishing
the authority de fdcto of Kellogg and his
associates in State offices and of the per-
" SONS declared by the Lynch Board to be
elected to the Legislature. We have already
I" seen that the proceedings of that Board
cannot be sustained without disregarding all
" the principles of law applicable to the sub
eject and ignoring the distinction between
good faith and fraud"
O. fnr tIa Atok IL a{,n
Of the Kellogg administration was certified
"by the proper local authorities.n Senator
Carpenters report likewise demOhshes the
assertion that it was "judicially determined
"by the inferior and superior courts of the
Estate" Mr.. Carpenter indeed seems to have
refuted the proclamation beforehand, as COM
pletely,as if he had known what it was to
| contains To the argument that the decision
of the State court bad confirmed Mr. Kellogg's
title, the answer is, he says: I. The court had
| no Testimony before it showing the character
of the proceedings by the Lynch Board, which
have since been proved void through fraud.
2. The court had no jurisdiction, and its
judgment was therefore absolutely null. And
as If anticipating the plea Of the President,
that he is bound to execute unjust and in
valid decrees, the report continues: "For the
United States TO interfere in State cleo
a. ton, and by the employment of troops set
Cup Governor and Legislature without a.
"shadow Of right, and then TO refuse redress
of the wrong upon the ground that to grant
"relief would be interfering with the rights
"of the State, is a proposition difficult to
cutter with grave countenance"
Nevertheless the President will doubtless per-
severe in his cOnrse indeed he has gone too far TO