The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-04-09
Tho Louisiana "Legitimacy" of
Fraud and Violence.

Fraud and Violence.
1t is greatly to be lamented that the
peonle of the United States, in their
addiction to material interests, are
hardly more sensible to the usurpation
practiced on the rights of the States by
the Federal Government in time of
peace than they were when tile actual
shock Of arms, during our late civil
war, had silenced the voice of the laws
in so many parts of the land. Nothing
but that insensibility which springs
from the warning spirit of public free
dom can account for the apathy which
now holds the minds of the American
people in its thrall while the cause of
constitutional rights, of civil liberty,
and of private justice is remOrselessly
tlampled into the dust in the State of
Louisiana.
We do not at all exaggerate the ]e-
gal character and historical Significance
of the political events now occurring
in that unhappy State when we say
that they mark a total apostacy from
the traditions of popular government
and the rule of right. Since the day
when Sir Robert Filmer formerly in-
cuicated the duty of passive obedience
to the behests Of the reiguing sovereign
without regard to the rightfulness of
his mandates, the world has not been
call to witness any spectacle so dis
graceful as that presented by the sight
ola once free and sovereign State man
acIed aud gagged by the President of
the United States, that the thieves into
whose hands she has fallen may have
leave to proceed with as little hind
rance as possible in their work of dep
relation.
1t is confessed on every hand that
the Kellogg government of Louisiana
is pure, mere, sheer nsurpation, hav-
ing no foundation whatsoever in jus
tlce, in pablo right, or IN the forms of
law. 1t pretentis to no color of law
save that which it originally derived
from the iniquitous decree of a dunk
en- judge. who usurped; jurisdiction in
the premises that he might render false
Judgment in the interest of the corrupt
faction which sought the government
of the State from the hands of the ma
jority of the people. This statement
of facts in the case is Of pablo notorie-
ty. Its truth has been officially admit
ted by Republican committee Of the
Senate of the United States sitting in
inquest on these inlmOus transactions.
We suppose that if there be IN the
/ United States any Administration Sen
at"r distinguished among his Republi-
can comrades ia that body for his uD-
1 heSitati"g aud Thorough. going patti
sahsI,ip it is senator E,mnntls, of Yer
mont, ard yet even He shrank appall-
ell from he I,ideons injustice of the at
ti,ude ASSUMED by the Kellogg GOV
einment in Louisiana aud by the Adj
ADMINISTRATION III giving to That govern
meDt The conference of the Federal
authority and the support OF the Fed,
eral hayonets. Hence it WAS that the
following confession felt from Ills lips
ia Tue Stnate on the 9th Of February
last, during the debate OH HE status d
| LOtlSlIul
We have stepped in (and when / ,ay
'we' | mean Che 1unriionaies that tht
Constitution and the laws of the Unite(
States have provided for administering
Il certain KIND Of justice under ccrtail
limitations OF the CouStitutiun), ana as
the majority of the Committee have re-
ported, and l think satisfactory, WI
haze put government there mhich neither III,
returns nor the Constitution ofthat state nor
the latc Of that .Staie ALLOWED to exercise ia
poecers."
And it is This naked nsnrpation which
Pres itlent Grant, with the counivance
aud by the laches of the Eepuhical
majority ID the last Congress, is to-day
unfolding by the power of the sword
There was something chivallous and
romantic in the uuselGstl loyalty with
which The retaiDers of the old Stuart
dynasty ju England adhered to the leg.
itamate descendants of chat house aud
we must remember that it was because
} they were ''suckIed in creed outworu'
that they felt it a pious duty to con
tend for "the right divine of kings te
govern w.opg." When we recall ''tle
} boast of hera}dry and the pomp O
p"wer' which through "A long success.
sion of ages waited on the Bourbon rul.
ers Of France, we can at least find some
excuse for the political infatuatiur
which bound scholars like Chateaubri
and orators like Berreyer to the decay