Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-24
LOUISIANA.

The following remarks were made to Nh
Hale in TIE House Of Representatives, on the
resolution in relation to Louisiana. on the
18th.
For the last few years the infamy and dis
grace of certain southern State governments
have been constantly on the increase. There
have been corrupt electors and corrupt cleo
tons there have been corrupt legislators and
and corrupting legislation; there have been
double Legislatures, double Governors, double
Representatives in this House, and double
Senators year by year in many States. There
have been bad men in these States who have
bought power by wholesale bribery, and have
enriched themselves at the expense of the
people by peculation or open handed robbery.
Corruption and anarchy have occupied and
possessed these unfortunate States.
felt the force of all this when it was
charged in the canvass before the late cleo
ton. II was made constantly, and venture
10 say by no gentleman with more force than
by the gentleman from Indiana Mr.. Kerr
who now objects 10 interference in these
States, or, at least, in Louisiana. | never
doubted the facts the people were impressed
with them. But there were things of higher
import before the people, and so the Republic
can party did not go to the wall because of
the corrupt carpet-bag governments. The
whole was greater than the half. What should
be the fate Of the whole nation was OF more
Importance to the people than the fate of Lou
isiana, or Alabama, or Arkansas.
Besides this, the uncrring instinct of the
people told them that for many excuses of
the South the Republican party was not re-
spOnsible, was not accountable. Many of
these disturbing manifestations fell in the nat
ural course of things following the commissions
+l,n p,t
different rule applies. The Republican party
has been given new lease of power. Its
President has been reelected by majority
greater than ever before given for any Presi-
dent, with an overwhelming sustaining force
in Congress.
/ believe that hercafter-and we on this side
Of the House shall do well to take the convic-
ton home to ourselves-the Republican party
will be held responsible if anarchy and cor
rupton run further riot in the South for years
to come as they have been in years past /
for one want strenuous and fundamental ac-
ton in this matter. | do not want any more
committees to report here big volumes of tes-
timony, as the gentleman from Massachusetts,
Mr.. Butler has said. Let us go to the bot
tom of this thing. Let us put in actual force
and operation what has only been talked about
heretofore, that provision of the Constitution
making it the duty of the General Government
to guaranty a republican form of government
to each State. They have it not in Louisiana
they have no real form of government. An
archy is formless. There is no citizen in
Louisiana who to-day knows whom he should
obey, in the Legislature or in the gubernato-
rial chair That Louisiana has laws and a
constitution is not enough. She is entitled to
a living governing force that shall execute as
well as obey those laws.
In my opinion it is time, and hope all Re-
publicans will appreciate this, that we take
this matter with a strong hand. And the last