Litchfield enquirer., 1874-09-24
Reconstruction Reconstructed.

We rel0lCe 10 see tnat LOulSlaua 1S again at peace-that the revolution of last week, after demonstrating it's own strength and the weakness of the tyranny it overthrow, has yielded to the paramount authority of the national government without any irritating and hopeless strug- gle. And now recurs the unavoidable question, what is the further duty of Con- gress and the duty of the President in the premises2 We do not wish to over-state the case against the Kellogg government. We will simply copy the language of the New York Times, the leading Republican daily of New York:
 The Government of William Pitt Kel- logg in Louisiana is one which we have never been able to defend. The Durell decision which aided in establishing it was an outrage. The conduct of the Re- turning Board which declared 1t elected was dishonest. The taxation since 1872 has been arbitrary and oppressive. Leg islation has in hundreds of cases been 8 shameful farce. Districts have been rep resented by men who never saw them. The small revenue gleaned from the i'm. pOverished people has been diverted to improper uses. New Orleans is prostrate. The City Administration is penniless. Real estate in the metropolis is worth nothing in the present condition of affairs; no one will buy it. The prominent local and salaried employees alike are paid in scrip worth thirty cents on the dollar. Many streets are desolate. Whole pages of all the newspapers are filled with the names of delinquent taxpayers. Negroes and whites m some sections of the State ara in danger of starvation.
 An election for State and parish officers IS shortly to be held in Louisiana. The Kellogg government has recently secured the passage of an act giving the Govern or the power to appoint all registers of election throughout the State, and these registers are to have authority to strike names of voters from the lists. This law is doubly odious to the ultra Conserva- tives, both because they fear that 1t will give the present usurpers power of cor ruption, and because it will effectually se- cure the casting of a solid negro vote. They have determined to set up a white mans government, and therefore they feel convinced that they must prevent negroes from voting.
 The law referred to, which gives the Governor power to control elections was one which our readers may recollect came under discussion in the U. s. Senate during the last session. Mir. Carpenter, in urging new election under congressional auspices. argued that the statute under consideration destroyed the last chance of an honest election. There upon one of the Republican Senators de- nied that there was such law. He ad- mitted that bill had been passed by the legislature but claimed that it had failed to receive the Governors approval. Mir. Carpenter, in reply, showed that the con- stitution of Louisiana allowed governor to pocket bill and then approve, or not, as he chose. at a later time. He assumed that Kellogg was holding this bill back, intending if Congress failed to act on the Louisiana matter, to sign it and carry tho fall election, by fraud, under it. The re-. suit has proved the first half of Mir. Car penter's prediction. The atrocious bill was approved as soon as Congress was no longer to be feared, and, now, the next election returns are entirely under Kel- ioegs control. He has every opportunity, and should he be true to hls record and to the record, we are sorry to say, of Louisiana Republication, we know very well that fraud will be resorted to if nec- essary.
 We have, then, an atrocious tyranny that has ruined the business of New Or leans and which there is no chance oi overthrowing because there is no chance of fair election. On the other hand we have no confidence in the White League government. It might be less corrupt but it would not be one whit more tyran. ical than Black League government. The result has shown, in fact, that Recon struction IS failure in several Southern States. Thmre is no real republican gov. ernment in South Carolina any more than there is under Kellogg in Louisiana, Worse yet there is no prospect of good government in either of those states unde, the present regi1ae. Everything indicates continuation of misrule there until Con gress interferes, CT unta the election of C DcnsOcrGtic president sciN neake the sue cess ef sstch revOtutioas as oocmred {, LOHisiGnG, last sceek, possible. Nov which of these forms of reconstruction seconstructed would our Republican friends seriously prefer: just and fair ar rangement under national authority. .secur ing both races justice and equal rights and decent government, or the triumph of S series of revolutions under the auspices of White Leagues? Perhaps our Repub. hcaR friends imagine that they can con. finue to elect Congresses and Presidents aaRnrely in the future as they have done in the pasti We do not believe it possi. hls. ss'sess they remedy tse gross naiseoy. eranaent that 6 not0 yuissino several SOsthesn states. Sooner or later there @nl be such revulsion of Northern feel. dag against such injustice as will sweep 4he party that permits it out of power.