The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-01-18
The Louisiana TnalnLp

great deal Of fuss is made by certain folks
and journals about the Louisiana muddle. This
is not strange. 1t is a disagreeable proceeding.
II is discreditable to the State and operates in
juriously against business. 1t cannot fail to be
mischievous to the best interestof the community.
1t is little strange that so much fuss should
be made by some people and newspapers derog-
atory to the United States laws the United States
Courts and the action taken by President Grants
administration. Just the same sort of noise, only
more Of it, was and yet continues 10 be made con-
corning the punishment Of heinfamous Ku-Klux
Klans and their barbarous practices. Much more
clamorous talk of the same character was herald
ed around the nation concerning the extension
of the elective franchise to colored men. Much
the same sort of bosh has been continually dis
tributed by the same class of people about every
benefcent advancement made by the Republic
can party for the extension of the rights of man
and the amelioration of the condition of our fell
low-citizens The complaint is not new one. 1t
is the same music ground out Of the same organ
The only difference is it is called by different
name and purports to come from another quar-
ter. We have given its history before. We
took the statements of the address OF the COM
mittee that waited upon the President.
A difficulty originated between contending fac
tons as to the appointment of election-return
canvassers and the true state OF facts concerning
which of two sets OF candidates were elected
This electon-it seems from all we can gather
depended upon the returns these canvassers
Oh a. b - H. .,nfno
which they made their returns. Thus squab-
BILE ensued. Both parties rushed into the courts,
and each enjoined the other from proceeding. By
this means the United States Court forbade the
Yarmouth party from proceeding. This court
then passed an order directing the United States
Marshal to take charge of Mechanics Institute
and allow no one to enter who was not entitled
to do The hall was filed and legislature
organized. The Post Master of New Orleans
was made Speaker of the Lover House and Pinch
back was PresideHt of the Senate. The latter,
by virtue of his position was Lieutenant Cover
nor of the State, and in the absence of Cover
nor he vast Governor. Thus equipped, Pinch
back assumed the position Of Governor. At
this stage of the proceedings President Grant was
called upon and recognized Pinchback as Gov
ernor of the State. For this the President has
been condemned by all Greeley and some Repub-
lican organs. We must remember that this is a
matter of rare occurrence. 1t is not something
that happens every day. A President has to use
his own judgment and do the best be can in the
premises. He is man and is not exempt from
making mistakes.
Those who make the most ado about the trou-
BILE would not have the President decide who is
and who is not Governor of Louisiana. They
would consider this as arbitrary use of power as
the exercise of bis imperial will by the Gar of
Russia. He has not decided that Pinchback is
Governor of the State simply because he has re-
cogniZed him. Pinchback was in possession of
the State governmental matters not how, for
our purposes-when, he called upon President
Grant. If the latter had refused to recognize
him under those circumstances he would have as
sumed the functions of the judiciary in thus de-
Gliding that be was not governor. This is pow
er the President does not possess. He recogniz-
ed Pinchback under the circumstances detailed
above "to protect the State from disorder and
violence" Without deciding any thing-with-
out saying who is or who is not Governor of the
State-the President has referred the matter to
Congress.
The President is not responsible for the mud
die. He could not control or override the de-
cision and action of the United States Court. He
decided nothing in recognizing Pinchback. 1t
conferred no rights on any one and deprived no
one of any rights. 1t neither made nor unmade
a Governor. It would have been presumptuous
and ridiculous to have waited and listened to the
committee of one hundred. This would have be-
gotten a counter committee, and it would have
converted the Executive into board of arbitra-
ton to decide who was Goyernar, if the matter
had been pushed to a decision.
That the United States Court had jurisdiction
there can be no question. This is given by the
averment in the bill that numbers of citizens had
been deprived of their right TO vote because OF
'their race, color or previous condition of seryi-
tude." Then if this Court had jurisdiction and
Pinchback got possession of the State as Cover
nor by the exercise of that jurisdiction, aOhat
power but Congress can annul, set aside or over
ride this We answer, none. Congress is the
only power that has legitimate control and to
that the President has referred the whole matter
As TO whether the United States Court did
right or transcribed its power in issuing its order
we are not prepared to say. If Judge Durell is
guilty of gross, wilful and arbitrary use of his
position in fragrant violation of law, he should
be impeached by Congress, which body alone
haI iihe, egiireehsdy FOR frs hfejadgment Of the
Court is an appeal to the Supreme Court.