New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-19

to interfere. If the means at his disposal for
tho suppression of domestic violence were
insufficient, the Constitution and statutes OF
the United States point out the proper way
for obtaining the assistance OF the Federal
Executive. But it is not the business OF Con-
grcss to put down riots, and we are ut loss
to understand what good the Committee can
expect to accomplish by its trip to Mlssis-
sippi. Still less is there any occasion
for Judge Poland to busy himself in Arkan-
sas. The fcuds of last year were prac-
tically wiped out by the adoption OF new
Constitution and the installation OF new
Governor. and the people of the State acqul-
cisco in the result by majority so large that
they may almost be called unanimous. 1t is
now proposed by a defeated set of Little Rock
Adventures that Congress shall declare the
now Constitution null and void, and undo all
the work of the past eighteen months, ana
Judge Poland and his associates are delIberat-
ing whether they shall do ii! No precedent
for such action can be found in our history, nor,
we believe, in the history of any free people.
It is probably the Miscellaneous Outrage
subcommittee, with branches in Alabama,
South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, which
is expected to accomplish most Tor 'he party
Certainly this is the one which has the small
est prospect of facilitating any practical leg
islation. Its purposes are purely political. 1t
ia to find confirmation of the campaign stories
which poured out of the Attorney Generals
Office in such appalling torrents. 1t is to finish
the work which the Chattanooga Con-
vention abandoned in despair. and which
broke down the Hon. Charles Hays
and the Ncw-York Republic. AS Gov.
Kellogg puts it, the work of the Committee
is to be to justify Gen. Grants Adminstra-
ton. If there wero any chance that the re-
ports of this Committee would present true
picture of affairs in the Southern States, we
might watch its proceedings with the same
attention we bestow upon the letters of an
| impartial and accomplished correspondent.
But everybody knows the politicians are less
likely than any other class of men to discover
tho truth about political disorders. Their wit
nesses will be politicians, and they will have
such q strong personal bias towards either one
side or the other that we can only expect from
the Committee two contradictory reports
neither of which will command the confluence
of the country.
Is it possible that Congress can still remain
blind TO the lessons of the past two years,
after the emphatic commentary pronounced
upon them by the people on the 81 of Novcm-
ber7 The Republican party has mcddlcd with
the South too much. For every petty local
disorder it has sought cumbrouS and cx-
pcnsive remedy, and every act of interference
has merely aggravated the evil. 1t las stirred
up angry feelings; it has checked education,
industry, and commerce. ii has bedcvled the
finances; it has muddled politics; it has let
loose a horde Of unclean creatures who
riot in the legislatures and rayage whole
States. The melancholy result Of Its expert
ments have been among the most potent
causes of its overthrow. II the leaders OF the
party have not lost their heads, they will fol-
low a new plan. There is no use in trying to
Justify Gen. Grants administration" ; that Is
past help but if they will let the South alone
they may make some amends for the wrongs
they have dono, and regain some OF the re-
spect they have lost.