The Opelousas courier., 1874-01-24
The Texas Affair.
". 7. Sun, Jan. 1i.1

That the feeling of popular indignation
aroused by the outrages committed III Loui
slana III the revolutionary overthrow of the
legal Government in that State has at last
made itself felt in the " White House, is evnced
by the action of the President upon the Texas
complications. Indeed, Gen. Grant is re-
ported as saying, in reference to this matter
that he did not want to have another LOui
siana on his hands. And so. in response
to the appeal of Gov. Davis asking for United
States troops to prevent the newly elected
Legislature from proceeding to its proper
work, the President not only refused the use OF
troops but also gave the Governor some ex-
celent advice, suggesting that it would be
prudent well as right to yield to the YER
dict OF the people as expressed by their bal
lots.
We are glad to see that President Grant is
beginning to appreciate the fact that the people
have right to choose their own officers Ot
Government, and that it is prudent to respect
their will in this regard. From the time of
reconstruction until lately the people OF
Texas have been denied this privilege. In
Vestlgations conducted by Congressional com
mlttees in which the Administration party
have had a majority OF members have shown
| beyond all question that ee ction frauds of the
most enormous sort have been pcrpetrated
! habitualiy in that State, in tho interest OF
Administration candidates for office. That
| these outrages met the approval of the Presi-
dent Is to he inferred from tue facts that he
appointed W. L. Clark, Il notorious promoter
| OF such frauds to the most profitable Federal
office within his gift after the latter had been
Kicked out Of seat in Congress which he
traudulently usurpcd; and that he removed
United States officials in Texas who had ell
deavoredt to bring ballot-box suffers to JUS
tlce. But 1t seems now that President Grant
has received new light on this subject, and we
are pleased to record the fact.
At the last election in Texas the Conser-
fJrl of JE-os aIa ot..1IN
jority, together with a Legislature having
more than two-thirds of its members of the
same political complexion. At the same elec-
ton constitutional amendment was carried
terminating the existence of the present SUI
preme Court. The Judges of this court, not
rellshing the idea of being voted out of office
had a case made up which gave them an op,
portunity of passing upon the validity Of the
election which had resulted in the choice of a
new State Government and the adoption OF
the constitutional amendment affecting them
SO nearly; and this court decided the election
| to be null and void.
The ground upon which this decision was
made was wholly untenable. The Constitu
tion provides that all elections for State, dis
trict, and county officers shall be held at the
county seats of the several counties until
otherwise provided by law, and that the polls
shall be open four days, it being the evident
intent of this article to keep the polls open
for four days, so long as they were held at
county seats alone, in order to give voters
| time to reach them from all parts OF the sew
eral counties. But the last Legislature, ex-
ercising the power given it under the Const
tuition to provide otherwise by law for hold
ing elections, ordered the opening of polls al
numerous precincts and reduced the time fol
| voting to one day. This law was signed by
Gov. Davis, and was acquieSced in by all par
ties. A fair election was held, Davis was de
| feated by an overwhelming vote, and now the
Supreme Court, which had been voted out OF
existence, sets mp the pretence that the elec
ton was Illegal because the polls were not
kept open four days; and Davis, under shell
ter of this sophistical decision, undertakes to
prevent the organization Of the regularly
elected Legislature, and calls upon the Prcsi
dent for Federal troops to sustain him in his
rebellion against the true authorities of th-
State.
Fortunately President Grant has no brother
in-law in Texas to misead him. and as the
enormous Conservative majority in that State
demonstrates that the new government has
! the support of the people, he has acted judi
ciOusly in refusing to be accomplice in the
intended violation of popular rights. For
this he should have all the credit he deserves,
though it is not complimentary TO him to
speak OF his refusal to join in a gross outrage
as something unexpected, or even to admit
that he could have acted otherwise than he
has decided to.