The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-10-08
Louislana and Congress.

1affs9Tffa rsszFsFH44 4ff-kssr stisF q
The validity of the Louisiana cleo
ton of 1872 was first tested i'll Com
gress at the eohntihg of the electoral
vote for President in February, 1873
when, there being two returns, the
vote ofEthe State was thrown out. In g
the House. (Dec. Is, 1922 Mr.. Cox
moved resolution calling upon the
President 10 state why he had inter-
fered in the affairs of Louisiana, bnt
his motion was negatived by 50 asafiit :
s63 vofes9 In the Senate, (Jqh. z. 1879 g.
an m JtiOn of Senator Morton, THE
Committee on Privileges and Elections
was directed to report on the validity
of the aarecent" election for electors, = d
aud was invested. withofull powers TO
to make ample inquiry About the
same time, after long debate, the
House appointed another Committee
to inquire into the election Hfor State "a
Officers and members of the Legisla-
.ture." While these Committees were
in session a message was sent to Con-
gress by Presfde ehto Grant, in whlehns
he stated that he had used the p0Wersua
granted him by the Enforcement act s.
in sustaining the Kellogg government,
but at the same time he observed that =
''recent Investigation into said election
had developed so many frauds anu
fSrgeries as to make it doubtful what {
candidates received a majority of the 2
votes actually cast.p The President
then urged Congress to deal with the
matter as well as it could. The ma
ioritv' of the Senate Committee made
(Feb 20) an elaborate report, under E-
stood to have been written by Senator
in which the whole subject
was disclosed, and several hundred
pages of evidence. that there were
frauds on both sides, and that new
election ought to be held. The report
this important admission:
Your Committee are, therefore, led =
to the conclusion that, if the election 'a
held in November, 1872, be not aethal- iai
" void for frauds committed therein, ,a
MeEnery and his associates in State
offices, and the persons certified as
nemhars of the Legislature by the ~'
DeEeriet Board ought to be recog-
lized as the legal government Of The
State.a Considering all fhe facts es- 5il
.ablished before your Committee
here seems no escape from the altern-
live that the McEnery Government
must be recognized by Congress or
Congr IS must provide for re-elec-
lion. sszs5 -s,4sfi,t4tt,s<3 a.s5Ee5. .ds 5stl-fi
The bill for carrying out the new
election recommended by the Com
nittee, was discussed (Feb. 90 and e
rejected by a vote OF 20 against 49, H
Senators Conkling and Clayton voting
with the majority. A motion was
made March j to reconsider this
Tote, but it was negatived by 20
against s28 votes.o This practically
snded the Louisiana case in Congrass. 81,
The Democrats opposed the new cleo
ion, both for the reason that it wouid
be an unlawful interference with the
lights of a. sovereign State, and be- 80
cause the McEnery Government had
0een fairly elected. The Republican
Senators were satisfied with Kellogg g
N power, shasking in the favor of the sz
Administration. Ifwe are to be sure. b
we are right before going ahead, per-,
laps those who clamor for force w ILL s
explain why the President expressed ID
doubts in his message of tho eleetion
which has been Kellogg s only excuse faa
foE remaining in power, and why a n.
Senate Committee and Is Senators, alb
but one Republican. favored a new
=. T5T6nne.