The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-25
Louisiana.
THE SOUTHERN STATES AND THE NATIONAL
OBLIGATIONS.
New York Herald, April 10.

New York Herald, Aprli H.
In view of recent events and Of the re-
markable attitude assumed by the South
with regard to the national obligations, the
case Of Louisiana seems to MS to have an
entirely different aspect from that it pre-
scented when viewed strictly as question
Of constitutional right and justice.
But a short time since we could see no
reason why strict constitutional justice
should not be rendered TO the oppressed
people Of Louisiana, and we spoke our
most earnest sympathies for people
afflicted by the terrible visitation of car
net bag government. Every measure that
seemed likely to relieve them, or that even
only went so far as to acknowledge that
they were wronged, had our support.
AS there was no resistance to federal law
in Louisiana, as the people all declared
themselves equally loyal and as the State
had formally accepted and ratified the
changes made in the National Constitution
by the war; and with the pledge of their
honor had given the only ossible guarantee
that they would accept in good faith the re-
suits Of the war and all the acts done in the
name of the nation as their acts-in view Of
all this it seemed to us that national inter
ference in the concerns OF that State, the
pretense of the General Government to dress
the balance of local politics for or against
Uue Vi duOtuSi party, "ho Oil ahiI"'y u Wv
greatest magnitude, and no more to be justi-
fed in the case of Louisiana than it might
be in the case of party dispute in our own
State. And we are still of opinion that the
interference was an outrage and crime, and
we believe its whole purpose was corrupt,
and that there never was an honest impulse
behind any step taken to secure it. But
since, by the act of public authorities who
have been false to their Oaths, a State that
should he the sovereign arbiter of its desti-
MES is now in a condition Of suspended pol
itical vitality, it may be wise to consider
what in the light Of new facts, we may fair
~ suppose would be the use made Of the JUS
tice the nation should render to Louisiana.
Does the South mean to give its support
morally and politically to the movement for
the reputation of the National debte If
so, il it not wise to have as few votes from
the South as possible in the United States
Senate or else Nheres And, instead of as
sistng Louisiana to a sound, social and
political condition, should we not rather
desire that States now fully represented
might, by such facts as are on foot i'm ATkan-
sas Justify the occupation of th r State
houses indefinitely by the National troops
We have already seen that the South
votes with unanimlty for imitation, and
that it explains this vote by the declara-
ton that it means to invalidate
the National currency and put our
debt, if possible, side by side with the debt
of the Confederate States. On the initiation
measures we see the West voting heavily
for them and the East heavily against them
but neither section is unanimous In the
West few perceive more clearly than the
mass of their associates the necessary effect
of such legislation, and in the East few are
misled but in the South the vote goes by a
common impulse, and we are told by South
ern men that the meaning of that impulse is
not friendly to the national honor.
No one can require the South to admire
the national debt. 1t represents money
spent in conquering the Southern States
that is the only point of view they can be
expected to state; and the main result of
the debt that they feel is an oppressive mis-
government, which must sooner or later pro
woke new revolt. But, in order that they
in order that they might have the form and
might not be governed as military satrapies-
the possibility of recovering all the rights of
Southern States accepted an |
amendment to the Constitution which de
clares that the validity of the public debt OF
the United States shall not be questioned |
Butt wonld appear that that obligation sits
very lightly on their consciences, and legs-
latiOn for Louisiana or other States NAV
wait until the country sees more clearly |
whether the South has any respect what
ever for its formal adherence to the four
,eenth amendment.