New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-23
THE LOUISIANA CASE IN THE SENATE.


litical questions. appears to have nearly
died out The more sanguine Of the in
telligent gentlemen who were left at the
capital to concoct encouraging dispatches
begin ia lose confidence as they see the
foreshadowing of the policy that is to be
adopted and adhered to. Even the WASH
ing:oD correspondent: o: the P.coyt'!. who
i. specially paid to make good case for
the IcEnery UsUrDaticn. fails 70 derive
any consolation from the debate IN the
Senate on the sixteenth. He complains
that Messrs. Morton, Edmonds and Car
penter confined their remarks altogether
to the legal aspects Of the question, ana
ignored the social and political :onse-
quences. 1t has before been reported
here that Senator Carpenter maintained
that Judge Durells decision was strictly
in accordance with the enforcement act,
and. unfortunately for the position
of the opposition, the majority of
the Senate seemed TO concur in
the views of the Senator from WiscOn-
sin. Mr.. Thurman, INDUCED in some
platitudes about "the constitution and
the laws, but as lie evidently ignored the
amendments and the reconstruction laws,
as D emocratic statesmen habitually do, he
failed to command that attention which
his great abilities, when exercised in
good cause, invariably elicit. The
friends of the Louisiana fusionists, there
fore, begin to lose hope. They see that
their covert attempt to overrun the re-
construction laws in this State has been
made party question by their sympa-
thizers in the North and accepted as such
by the Republicans.
The Senate Committee on Privileges
| and Elections are already engaged in the
investigation necessary to settle The ques.
ton between Messrs. Ray AMI McMillen:
and as purely legal reasons, rathe. than
social or poiitica! considerations are
to be adopted as guide. the
fuSionists have gloomy prospec: Of
success in the attempt to overturn
our State government. The executive
and judicial departments Of the govern.
ment have already had the case under con-
sideration. and have made decisions
founded upon the evidence before them:
and there is every reason to believe that
the legislative department will follow on
the same side as soon as q ease within its
jurisdiction is presented.
It does not help the case to assert
without foundation. probably, that
President Grant il dissatisfied with his
own action, and would take different
course were the thing to be done again.
nor that Senators and Representatives will
be influenced in their decision by partisan
bias; for this comedies the main question,
that the tusionists are without official sup
por. at Washington, and weakly en-
deayors to assign reasons foreign to the
purpose for the defeat. 1t is as cheering
to US as it is disheartening to the fusion.
ISIS to be able to foresee that the Louisiana
Republicans have the countenance and |
support of the President. the Congress,
and the federal courts. These high au.
thorities are not responsible to the de.
feated itigants in this State for their
reasons. and the assignment o: improper
motives can have no other effect than to
add to the character FOX unt.uthfulness
which the authors now have,
We Cook occasion not very Tong ago 10
explain the principles which would gov.
cry. in this case. 1t i. regarded !. Wash.
ington and by She leading Republicans at
the North as something more than a mere
scramble 70: official positions here. The
great principles of the Republican party,
as embodied in the recent amendments,
the secons:rUction laws and the enforce.
ment act. are now on trial before the very
tribunal tina: gave them the force of legal
enactmoats. 1t IS truly party question.
Before the laws were passed the Repub-
licans demanded that the principles con.
tanned in them should become the rule of
the nation, which demand the Democrats
and noisiiy opposed. Since
the acts were passed the Republicans in.
sist upon their enforcement. while the OPP.
position plead every defense. technical
and otherwise. that fertile brains can suge
.est, and even 90 SO far as to Brutality
SANDER and abuse judges who give them
he plain and obvious Interpretation.
This seusc.eas attack upon the laws and
;he ministers o: the iaw has RALLIED. the
whole party to their supper: a, one man.
The party .ssuc offered by the opposition
S promptly accepted. and the Republicans
nj Democrats are as distinctly divided !
lpon that as they were in tie salI upon the
question.
Taking this view of the case some weeks
go, we considered the contest virtually
decided 1t remains yet for the verdict to
oe officially announced, as it doubtless
viii be at an early day. in accepting the
OF Nix. Ray 40 Se.atOS from !
louisiana. .
~ NJ