Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-05
GRANT AND LOUISIANA.
Gov. McEnery's Interview With the
Presldent-PeeuIiar Views OF the
Latter.

Gov. McEnery's Interview With IN
Presldent-PeeuIiar Views OF h
Latter.
From the New York Herald.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.-The Presi-
dent was visited this morning By Gov.
McEnery and Gen. w. l.. McMillen,
the Senator elect from Louisiana. They
had been reliably informed that only
few days ago the President favored a
new election and desired to learn
from him directly his present
| position ON that question, and also to
disabuse his mind as to certain repre-
sensations made to him that no consid-
cradle number of the people of that
| State desired q new election. They
were most c~ourteously received and ac-
corded a long interview. During the
conversation Acknowledgement VIII
liams was present, and took part in
it. The President admitted that the
people Of louisiana were oppressed
BY disorder and bad government, which
he claimed had been the rule since the
war; also that the returns of the last
election, which he characterized as an
organized fraud, had not been counted
by any returning board recognized by
the courts, and that the Lynch board
had been obliged to make their returns
from other than legal or official sources.
He justified his action in the case by
saying that he had simply followed the
decisions of the courts. He also ex-
pressed the opinion that Congress had
no more power to interfere with the
State government in Louisiana than
with that in New York. He thought
that the first thing for Congress to do
was to impeaeh the judge, who, it is
claimed, acted without jurisdiction in
overthrowing the State government of
Louisiana aud setting up another inits
stead, and, ifthe judgewer found guilty
then Congress might have power to ap-
ply a proper remedy. He was asked it
it be true, as charged, that the general
government, through its Judiciary, had
improperly interfered with the State
government of Louisiana, and thereby
had worked an injury to the people OF
the State and to the aus of free gov
eminent, and whether the political de-
partment of the government could not
correct the evil done without waiting to
punish the person guilty of the out
rage. He repeated his opinion that the
Judge should be tried first, from which
it would appear that the President Is
of opinion that stolen property ought
not to be restored until the thief Is
caught and punished. The Attorney
General admitted that Congress had
power to determine whether or not q
republican form of government existed
In any particular State, and If it found
that none such did exist then it would
be the constitutional duty of Congress
to provide the State with one. The
President and the Attorney General
were reminded of the fact that the
legal State government of Louisiana
had been overthrown by the unlawful
i~nterferenceof a Federal Judge, baked
by the United States army, and that
action by Congress now could scarcely
be considered as interference with a
State government chosen by the people
of the State, and regularly established
under its constitution and laws. Proof
was also rendered to show that 3 large
majority of Improperly owners OF that
State, as well as a respectable number
of the best Republicans, desired a new
election as the best solution of the poll
teal troubles of the State.