The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-16

opirions sake, known In the history OF the
government Honest, efficient, capable
officials have been removed to make places
for others whose only claim to recognition
consisted of the fact that they had, for
years, been "outs," that they had served
"their country" either by fighting in the
confederate ranks or by keeping up
wordy firing in the rear at home, and that
they were democrats. While charging the
president with ''nepotism," their own
democratic clerk has been guilty of the
same offense, IL offense It is. And now,
by strict party vote, they have refused to
declare that wounded Union soldiers, other
things being equal, should be preferred In
the distribution of offices. We know not
that we blame them for it-such declara-
ton would have been but condemnation
of their past course and an evidence that
they understood and accepted the logic OF
events, and this would not have been Bour-
bon democracy.
In the senate, too, although in mnori-
ty, the democracy are busy in making
"record," and in the work they are not to
be surpassed by their brethren of the house.
On Thursday of last week, William L. Nc
| Millen, who claimed to have been elected
United States senator from Louisiana by
the McEnery legislature, and whose ''cre-
dentials" were signed by McEnery as
governor" requested leave of the senate
to withdraw his Credentials" so that he
might do his part toward settling, or keep
ing settled, the old Louisiana difficulty.
la an open letter to "Governor" McEnery,
which was read in the senate, he explained
his reasons for taking this course at length.
| After stating that his claim to seat in
volved the competency of the body elect
| ing him, referring TO thela action of
| the congressional committee, the accep-
| lance of their plan of adjustment
by both parties in the legislature of
Louisiana, and the recognition of Will
liam Pitt Kellogg as governor, both by
congress and the state legislature, he says
that the issues having been substantially
determined, and the conservative people
I" of the state and the nation, through their
i" representatives, having recognized the
permanency of the existing state govern
/" ment, further contest can have no prac-
Z" tically beneficial result for the people of
+" the state, but might serve to aggravate
I" evils it would be power ess to relieve. y
And how was his request met The demo-
cratic senators, seeing, or thinking they
saw, future political capital in this Louisi-
ana matter, made objection TO the granting
of his request, and, on their objection, the
matter went over until Tuesday, when
leave was granted 70 withdraw the Gre
" dentials," erery democratic senator goting
| IN tile negatice, and thus to open the old
sore.
Senator Merrimon, of North Carolina,
who during reconstruction days resigned @
judgeship rather than obey military or
der, and received, at the earliest possible
moment, his reward by being promoted to
a seat in the senate, proposes to have O
hand in this "record" making business, and
so he has introduced two bills repeating
those parts of the revised statutes which
provide that no pensions shall be paid Ia
any persons, or the heirs, etc., of any de-
ceased person, who voluntarily aided,or en-.
gagged in the late rebellion, and forbidding
the payment of claims, existing prior to
| April 10, 1861, to any person who volun
tarily promoted or encouraged, or sustained
the late rebellion. Treason is no longer Il
be odious, rebellion is no crime, and nc
penalty shall be attached thereto. And sc
the ''record" making goes on apace. II
the democracy are willing to go before thu
country with it, and claim support by rea
son thereof, we presume no republican will
have the least possible objection thereto
We wonder not that Mr.. Lamar Of Missis
sppi deems it necessary to re-afilrm th'
validity and binding force ofthe fourteenth
constitutional amendment, that certain
editors see progress therein as well as evi
dence of the "success" of the republican
plan of reconstruction, or that the demo
cratic congressman have conscience com
mittee, with full powers to agree upon
/ &C vo1;ov