The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-09-04
Federal Interference.

lF rom the New Orleans Picayunc, Aug. 29th.
Among yesterday afternoons dis.
patches was one from Washington be.
ginning as follows:
Washington, Aug. 28.-The Attorney
General has no doubt that if the distur-
Dances of which he has many reports
continue, the President will interfere
in the South.
The rest OF it, is mere speculation, and
we leave IT out of the question under dis
cusslOn. Touching Federal interference,
however, we happen to possess some in
formation which fully cOrroborates that
portion of the dispatch just quoted. A
prominent member of the bar yesterday
received a telegram from no less a per-
S0nage than Attorney General Field, in
winch that veteran counselor stated he
had called upon the President, been very
cordially received and, with reference
to political affairs in Louisiana, assured
n a the Government would take all
steps necessary for the preservation of
law and order ; to which effect the Secre-
tary of Wal had been instructed.
We observe the Bulletin of yesterday
evening entities its press dispatch {the
same as above quoted FROM Warning
to Kellogg The warning may be con-
tanned in the rest of the paragraph,
which we estimate as guesswOrk; but
he reported statement of the Attorney
General, agrees entirely with the tele-
gram sent by Col. Field, and if there be
any warning involved we rather fancy
1T applies to ourselves and not to Kel-
logg:
1t is not Ill the light Of a menace, how
ever, but as a matter of information,
that we are considering the question of
Federal interference. 1t seems nee
essary to include it in our calculations
as a very probable contingency, and to
treat it, not with any alarm or appre-
hensiOn, but with calm and sensible re-
Election. ....l.0 -
We have always believed and asserted,
and for that matter, still do so, that the
President will not permit the military
to be drawn into any little local sQuab-
bles, or used arbitrarily to Cypress and
our people at the polls. His
policy IN other States clearly indicates
this, and there is no visible reason WHY
Louisiana should be made an exception
to the rule. Neither do we consider
that thus far there has arisen any emer-
gency which would Justify a call for
troops or entltle such a call to respect
and compliance. The proposition in the
Press dispatch, as we'll as in
Attorney General Fields telegram, is
that the military will be employed to
protect individual rights and enforce |
law and order, and that, for such pur-
poses, Gov. Kellogg can obtain Govern
assistance whenever it may be re-
Such is the proposition, which we are
forced to regard as q correct and credi-
BILE one. We reproduce it here, not be-
we think it relevant to anything
which has transpired, or because we ap-
prehend a state of affairs to which it
may apply hereafter; but there has been
good deal of loose talk, and a great
many loose ideas and opinions with re-
to this subject, and we wish to
place our readers in possession of what
seems to be the true aspect Of the case.
The aims and purposes of the white
OF this State have been grossly
tctlOn IN the parishes (Which we deem
entirely proper and iustifiable) is being
judged by the false standard erected on
hose Misrepresentation. The question
S whether it would not be better, so
Ong as we have the prospect of a fair
and an escape from our pOliti-
al misfortunes through the established
Medium of the polls, to withhold all pre-
ext from the enemies at home and
lbrOad, and endure in patience what we
lope soon to permanently and etfectual-
Y u We have once before suggest
ID that in event Of unfairness Or wrong
n connection with our ballots it might
advisable, even imperative, to
consider specific remedies, but until that
contingency arises, will it not be better
o avoid the very semblance of intern