National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-02
TIE LONLsLANA CASE.


THE LOUISIANA CASE
The topic that of all others should, upon
the asscmJlagc of Congress. arrest and
command its attention is that of Louisiana.
If the claim of the Democratic element
there, expressed in continuous disorders,
be a valid one, it should be SO pronounced.
But that that element shall maintain per
sislcnt denial Of the title of the de .factO
authorities TO administer the public inter
ests and array itself in armed defiance of
the Executive recognition Of those authori-
tics is n scandal that cannot he suffered
longer Something must be done forth
with BY adjourning a solution of the
problem Congress has incurreda far greater
measure of the very responsibility it sought
to escape. A sullen discomfort, that an
nounced itself in menace as it now an
nOunces itself by the rifle Cnsued the cleo
ton in Louisiana i'll 1872. The returns of
her canyassing board were gainsayed; the
dicta of her courts were scofed; the old in
surgcnt element dashed itself anew into
mutinous rage. Every tribunal to which
they appealed, every resource which each
party could equally address, was cajOled
and threatened, but without avail A mi
nority was not a majority, and could not
enforce its prctensions as such The Su-
preme Court OF the State having declared
for the Kellogg government, the President,
charged with distinct police function, felt
bound TO avert imminent domestic violence,
and to that end, to suffice himself with that
judicial finding. And had the insurgent
temper been less immoderatc, not a soldier
would have been needed to stand sentry
OveTthC public trusts until Congress should
decide with whom they ought TO be lodged.
Two years have elapsed, yet Congress,
despite Executive rccitals thereto of the
needs of Louisiana and of the Presidents
action, has forebOTne TO act. That Con-
gross has been persuaded that the Demo-
cratic claim is barren of merit seems be
yOnd question, for it would hardly have
permitted a political impOsture so long to
administer the precious interests of a great
Commonwealth. Its refusal to interrupt the
Executive recognition is a substantial
NtAiHNA4t " lNH JAAbllNN--l luCll NNulGeCCuCC
in the reasons that concluded so grave
body as the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
We insist, then, that Congress shall be-
come an affirmative sponsor, not only be-
cause il should ignore its solemn duty no
longer, but also because it would thereby
conserve the same peace which Grant con-
served by his intcrpositiOn, but which, de-
spite the presence of Federal soldicry, is
now more boldly mcnaccd than in 1872.
4 larg6clcmcnt, thoroughly disciplined as
companies and ready at short notice to conf
pose battaliOns and brigaGcs, has sworn TO
accomplish the uphcaval of the Republican
administration of Louisiana, TO maintain
its own laWlcss cDnstabulary, to seat in the
Legislature those whom its whim, not the
Returning Board, approves, TO meet na-
tionGl bayoncts with White League bay
OnCts. 1t points 10 the bloody idcs of Sep
tcmbcr as Il token alike of its temper and
Of its power Shall the Executive watch
man at the gales of Louisiana be smittcn
aside by this grim mObT This mOmentous
question should be answered before Jan
uary if Congress would not have the State
house q new ,hamblcS and Federal author
ity thing for jecrs. Let it declare, then.
what its reticCncc has thus far imported
that the Presidents recognition was war
rantcd not only by the cXigcncics of public
order, but by the manifest will of the ma
iority-aRd let It's sanction be definitely
stamped upon the local administration.
The White League is encouraged to its
present license because Congress has not
done this. Its ventures of mischief and
the hazards TO the State will multiply if
that delay IS TO continue indefinitely. The
sole basis OF the McEnery claim is a mass
of sO-called 'rciurns, improvised by War
moth election servants many CT whom are
to-day fugitiYcS0f justice from Louisiana,
canyasscd bya sham board, and now lodged
in bank vault in Baltimore, after having
undergone such frequent Democratic ma
nipUlatiOn as to confuse their own authors.
Such basis is q mammoth lie. But when
\ State presents a large Republican major
ity; when the evidence adduccd by Con-
grcssiOnal committees Of inquest 50 cstab-
fishes; when the lower House has received,
and on the basis of that majority seated
the members accredited by the Returning
Board; when the Senate filtered, less be-
cause of the title conferred by a Lcglsla-
ture returned by that board than because
of a personal exception to the man that eX-
hibited that title for admission, We conceive
that the two Houses should hesitate no
longer to declare in concert what they have
already done scyerally; and thus may
Congress not only discharge its duty
TO one Of the States that are its wards
and relieve the President of a most I'M
grateful but thus far arbitrary task, but
contribute courage and cheer to the only
element in Louisiana that is now denied
those unctions.