The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-02-20
AUTHORITY TO ARBITRATE.

Notwithstanding all that has been said anu
done in the matter Of adjustment it would
have been better if the arbitration of either
theiFoster- Phelps-Potter committee or OF the
Hoar committee had not been solicited. AS
partisans and politicians the Radical members
OF the committee may have been expected to
arrange political differences here, but as
Legislators they could not with strict propriety
become umpires between rival claimants of
State Offices. The New York Sur presents
the question in brief article, which we
quote as follows:
1t Is now proposed to settle the difficulties
in Louisiana by submitting the credentials OF
claimants to seats in the Louisiana House of
Represent ltiyes to Mr.. George T. Hoar, a
member of the United States House of Repre-
sentatives from Massachusetts, and his col
leagues on committee which had been sent
by Congress to New Orleans to investigate
the condition OF things there. These gentle
men are to act as referees and to decide who
are entitled to seats. They have extorted
from the claimants, condition precedent,
promise or agreement that, if admitted to
Seats they will act in certain matters as the
members OF this Congressional COMMITTEE de-
sire them to act-that is to say, they will
recognize the Kellogg government and that
they will not impeach kellogg for anything
that he has done.
Have Mr. Hoar and his colleagues reflected
on the nature OF the undertaking in which
they are engaged They are making con-
tract with members of a State Legislature for
the surrender Of part of the power-the
power OF lmpeachment-which the Constitu-
ton OF the State cOnfers upon them. 1t is a
trade with members Of the Louisiana House
of Representatives for the REIMBURSEMENT of
one OF their most important constitutional
functions The Constitution of the State not
only confers the authority to impeach, but it
imposes the duty of impeachment in
cases where it is au horized and deserved.
The members on being admitted swear to
support the Constitution; yet the committee
Of Congress wiring from them an agreement in
advance that whether Kellogg deserves I'M
parchment or not, and even although it be-
comes their sworn duty to impeach HIM, they
will not do it. They are to take the oath
of Office with a mental reservations it is lie
on their lips.
Can there be contract more clearly un-
constitutional, illegal, and immoral than
this
Where do Mr. Hoar and the other members
of the committee get any right to make it? It
is a bold and most unreasonable attempt to
tear out of the Constitution of n State pro-
vision which belongs there, and to deprive a
State OF its sovereignty by contract.
We respectfully submit tc the House OF
Representatives of the Upited States that this
committee should at once be recalled and re-
buked. Such contract as it is trying to
make would have no binding effect upon any
one entering into it. 1t is an unconstitu-
tional and immoral bargain. 1t is scandalous
and disgracetul. Win Congress place an ex-
tinguisher over it?
Whether, in making this unwarrantable
compact Mr.. Hoar and his associates assume
to act as members of the National Legisla-
ture, or only as individuals, il matters not.
In either case their conduct is improper, and
their agreeme Mt invalid