The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-07
The Louisiana Case.

The tone Of the entire press Of the North
| the New York Times always excepted-in
regard to the outrageous treatment to
/ which the people Of Louisiana have been
subjected at the hands OF the Federal au-
thorities, is cheering, and indicates healthy
| awakening Of popular indignation. We
give some extracts, chiefly from Administra-
tion journals, which will serve to show our
readers the drift OF Northern public opinion
Tile New York Independent-a politico-
religious paper-which has been a thick
and,thin supporter Of Radicalism In every
thing, says:
s.We are not alarmists, and certainly not
hostile to the President; yet the principles IN
yolyed Ia this Louisiana dispute 60 to the
very lie of our system Of government. They
raise an issue in respect 10 which we cannot
be Indifferent. II the results Of State cleo
lions can be determined In the way In which
thew were determined In Louisiana, and II the
executive power OF the President may be In
yoked to sustain these results, then, indeed,
we have reached the end of State Govern
ments. They exist only by sufferance. The
very provision of the Constitution which was
intended for their protection In an extreme
case. becomes the instrument of their de-
structlon. We can have no sympathy with,
and lend no support to, such fatal centrall-
zation as this implies"
Ard the Golden Age (Theodore Tilton)
expresses the same ideas In equally forcible
words:
"The policy pursued by the administration
toward Louisiana is not only in violation OF
the Constitution and marked departure
from the traditions and spirit of the Govern
ment In Its dealing with the States; 1t Is
dangerous one. II the President can make
and unmalie State Government In Lou.
islana, what shall hinder his making gov
ernmeat for, Missouri or New York? If these
recent usurpations In New Orleans are sane
toned by Congress, and allowed to 60 unre-
buked by the people, what shall hinder slml-
lar and even greater usurpatlons in any and
every Bta,e in the Unlonf Admltthe right Oh
the Federal authorities to unmake aud make
State Governments at will, and the republic is
virtually at an end. Doubtless President
Grant did not propose at the first to Interfere
with the legitimate authorities and local al
fairs OF Louisiana. But the spirit OF his ad-
ministration Is military, and he insensioy To-
cllnes to arbitrary methods and acts. he Ia
more of q commander-in-chlet than Preai-
dent. and forgets that the nation is not I'm
army, of which the States are merely corps
and detachments.r I'd
The Herald, which gave powerful aid to
the reelection OF Grant, and promised us
world OF good things from his second term,
thus comments on the Casey Packard tale,
put forth by Heron
"The weakness Of Mr. Herron's case shows
the outrageous usurpation OF Judge Durells
court. Under the cover OF q law which con-
fers upon this court special jurisdiction to give
relief to person who, being candidate for
sny office except elector for President or
Vice. President. member or delegate In Con-
| sgress, or member of the State Legislature
is defeated in the election and deprived OF his
office in consequence of the denial OF the right
to vote of any citizen 'on account of race,
color. or previous condition of servitude,'
Judge Durell interposed 10 prevent the regular
State Returning Board from declaring the re-
suit of the election, to give pretended legal
ity To the existence of the bogus Heron
Board, and to place in office such members OF
the State Legislature as Heron and bis asso-
olates, without single official return to guide
them, chose TO declare duly elected. To &C.
compllsh this fragrant usurpation Judge Du-
rell. with the cooperation Of a partisan United
States marshal, surrounded the Statehouse
with cannon and Federal bayonets; held armed
possession of the halls of legislation, seized
unon the State armory, disarmed the State
militia, and thus assisted in the displacement
Of the Governor of the State, the breaking up
of independent State courtsr the suppression OF
a free press, and all the other outrages which
have followed In the wake OF Federal Inter-
ference. 1t is these felonious assaults upon
the constitutional rights OF state-these IN
dlcations that the liberties Of the people may
be held at the mercy OF any partisan Federal
court, backed up by Federal bayonets-that
have startled and alarmed the people. Apart
from this they care nothing about the squab-
bles of the Louisiana scalswags and carpet
bsgg,rs, and would be only too glad If their
fight could have termination similar 70 that
which resulted from the battle OF the hlstori-
cal rata of KIikenny"