National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-17

against Federal soldlery. What this pro-
test DISCUSSES merits attention. The troops
will be an inconvenience to that party in
January, when the Legislature shall as
semble, no less, nay, even more than now
that they harbor the returning board from
violence. The Republicans have carried
the State ticket the constitutional amend
ments and a majority of each branch of
the Legislature, but the White League blood
is up and the New York Herald CORE
spondent at New Orleans announced on the
18th inst. that White League circles are
excited and threaten to lynch the board if
it officially declares such results
The ensuing day the Democratic leaders
suddenly concluded that the board was I'M
constitutional, since it would not be ser
vile, and fled protest TO that effect. The
discovery that ''the law conferred judicial
power the board could not possess" was
not dreamed of in 1872, when the Democ-
racy suffered Warmoth, even in violation
of law, to improVise three boards in one
month in the McEnery interest Governor
kellogg, however earnest to assure the De-
mocracy all the equities-and he gave it
clerks, registrars and commissioners of cleo
ton in equal proportion with those ofhisown
party despite the refusal of the Democracy
in 70 to suffer single Republican officer
of election-urged the board, alone COM
petent to supply vacancy in itself, to
agree upon the resignation Of one of its
five members, so as to receive in his stead
o special representative of the malcontents.
The five were elected by the State Senate
in its session of 'T2-'73, under the pro-
visions of the election law, which required,
moreover, that the board should be con-
stituted from all the political parties. General
Tom Anderson and Ex-Governor ]. AIadi-
son Wells, old citizens Of Louisiana, were
selected in behalf of the Democracy, and
because they will not cringe to the party
lash and consent to falsehood in the returns,
the Opposition have claimed to be with
out representation on the board To satisfy
its cavils, General Longstreet, Republican,
retired on Saturday from the board, and
John NJ. Sandige, a Bourbon Of Bourbons,
was elected in his stead. The ''unconsti-
| tutionaT' plea was at once forborne. More
over, the board consented that Demo-
cratic committee of three should be pres
ent during the entire canvass of the
| returns
The real Democratic objection is not
that the board will consent to fraud, but
that the White League is deferred by the
mere presence Of national troops from COM
pelling that consent.
What the board fails to concede now the
League wants to enforce in January, when
the Legislature conyenes- 1t means to
wrench by force the government it could
not secure by stealth in the ~ election.
To this enditmeans to improvise majority
as legislators select, charge the board with
fraud Just so far as it falls short of that fig
ure, and then topple over the Kellogg adj
ministration. For the Democrats to claim
majority in the lower House were bold
enough, but their plan to compose the SEN
ate, to which they have just elected but
eight members, is a marvel. They go back
10 that widowed myth, the McEnery
Legislature of 70, and find eleven Senators
holding over" This is modest way to
get quorum. But here they cease to be
in accord; personal interests clash. Nc
Emery is no longer hero to many of his
political Wallets. His especial rivals are
Penn, Lieutenant Governor, {" and Mayor
Wilt, who is a member-elect of the Gen
eral Assembly, and aspires to the Speaker
ship. McEnery wants the two Houses,
stuffed with the rubbish of ~ and IA, to
meet in joint session and declare himself
and Penn Governor and Lieutenant Gov
ernor. Penn thinks this is well as far as it
goes, but that it would be better if McEnery
should retire to that obscurity for which he
is gifted with such manifest aptitude. In
this view the senior "McEnery Senator Of
~" shares, but should Lieutenant Gov
ernor Antoine be impeached first and Gov
ernor Kellogg next that Senator might, in
his zeal to serve Louisiana, first as presi-
dent-elect of the Senate and then as acting
Governor, not scruple to shoot past Penn,
instead Of lingering at his heels. In the
lower House, however, Wilt wants to
climb 10 the Speakership as a perch whence
he may, should the Governor and Lieuten-
ant Governor be impeached simultaneously,
or the former first, leap overthe Lieutenant
Governorship into the Executive chair.
The greater confidence of his party in
the composition Of the lower House, rather
than the upper, to compass part Of this mis-
chief and his personal popularity, serves to
augur more for Wilt than for any of the
other Democratic plotters. The State Sen
ate stands twenty-eight Republicans to
eight Democrats, but if the Democrats of
the House preferred articles of impeach-
ment against kellogg and Antoine on the
last of March, they would by law be sus-
pended in the exercise of their functions,
and it being too late for Congress to inter-
fere the Speaker would act as Governor
until the assemblage of the next Congress,
which, by reason Of its Democratic SYM
pathies, would not order new election.
1t will be seen that McEnery, Penn and
Wilt are in each others way; are watch
ing each other with jealous eyes, and that
Wits game best promises success, if the
White League shall forcibly thrust nom
elect candidates into seats to which the
returning board cannot discover and will
not, Of course, pronounce their title. The
wolves seem in their covetous rivalries to
be about TO tear each other. If they have
not suficed their appetite for blood, it is
certainly to be hoped that loyal, peaceable
citizens may no longer be their victims.
Let them gnaw at each others Threats for
a while. Meanwhile the Federal troops
in Louisiana should remain sentries over
the public peace lest it be too soon again
mob's plaything. eve shall have much
to do in depressing the turbulent spirits in
our ranks, says Senator Whyte