Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-05-10
BY TELEGRAPH.
Louisiana fairs.

OUusTesSlOudl IOulSlaDa COMMITTEE, I'D d lctLcI
to the Times in relation to the adjustment of
the differences in that State, effected under the
award OF that Committee, says There is a
class OF people who seem to have expected. that
the adjustment was to lnaugurate a political
miIlcnlum in Louisiana, that henceiorth that
State was to be wholly free from the friction
which attends the workings ut political parties
elsewhere. This class will probably pronounce
the adj ustment Il failure, Tor, undoubtedly party
warfare will continue to be waged IN Louis
lana very much as it is in New York and other
States of the Union. She will have her dis.
honest officials and corrupt legislation as other
States have, and ste will for years to come
stagper along under the load OF her accumu-
lated financial burdens, and her obligations may
at times 20 to protest. Louisiana from her ex-
~is,euce as a State has had an exceptionally
stormy record. This condition OF things arising
from diversity Of RAGS aud character 10 the
| State, with almost unavoidable disturbances
growing out OF the wal and the upheaval OF
| the very foundations Of labor and society Is
not to be changed in a day by any one act how
ever potent or beneficial. Nevertheless l trn-
| " believe that even Louisiana has at last caught
inspiration from the new order OF things, and
that exhausted as she is with tumult and vio.
lence, yet with just government and the educa-
ton of her people, (the last just now her great
est need. she will, with steady but slow pace,
emerge from what seemed 10 be her utterly
helpless condition. There Is another class
who will regard the adjustment as u failure
those who sought in it siluply partisan advanl-
ages. Without arrogatlng a%0ythlng Tor the gen.
tlemen who composed the Congressional Com
mittce on Southern Affairs, | think | may safe
" claim for them that they are not of this class.
II ,-,rd,rr oil ,lIouotI0ps that one nrUylslOD OF
the adjustment has already been violated by
the Democrats, Wheeler says: | cannot sub
scribe to the truth Of this allegation. The ar
bitrators had Dothing to do but TO pass upon
the Claims Of the members and senators who
should sign the agreement. Ut course the
award could affect no one else. 1t was merely
advisory to the r publican members of the
General Assembly. | could not aud dld not
seek directly to interfere with the rights OF the
members then sitting, and who had certlflcatcS
of the returning board, but whose seats were
claimed by the Democrats. After the Demo
Gratis left the House on the 4th OF January, and
some tune during th<cwiuter session the Re
publicaus uns eated td& Democratic members
who held certificates Of the returning board,
and whose names were on the list of members
used by the Republican clerk at the attempted
organization in january. No one OF these tour
Democrats, who were reseatcd at the recent
extra session of the Legislature, OF which conf
paint is made, was a party to The articles OF
the adjustment. No one can be found 10 Louis
lana TO assert that at the time these four Dem.
ocrats were unseated. there was q quorum or
the House present. SO these four Democrats
had never been legally deprived Of their seats;
but it is replied by those who impulc bad faith
to the Democrats that the agreement coutains
this provision: THE House of Representatives,,
as to its members as constituted under the
award, shall remain without change, except by
the resignation or death of the members until
the new general elcctiGn,' and this condition
has been violated. The Democrats never qucs-
toned the action of the returning board except
10 the cases referred to the Committee. They
are willing with these exceptions to abide by 1t.
My underSi anding OF the above provision is
that the House of Representatives was 10 be
as returned by the returning board. After the
errors of that board had Deca corrected, 10 the
cases specified in the agreement by the award
of the Committee ard its adoption by the
House Of Representatives, the parties to the
agreement having made no stipulation IN these
cases, cannot be fairly asked to deprive these
four members of seats to which they had been
declared elected by the Returning Board,
and of which LESS than a majority of the
members" of the House of Representatives
had attempted to deprive them. These
four men being legally entitled to their
seats and having done nothing to forfeit
them their reinstatement was an act OF supple
justice which all, fully understanding the facts.
must approve. Mr.. Wheeler says touching
allegations of bad faith by the Democrats that
they did not act covcrtly. He details the OPP.
position manifested upon the first acceptance
of the articles of adjustment, aud says: On
the day preceding the meeting Of the late
extra session of the Legislature | met at
the rooms of General Sheridan prominent
Republican officials and Col. Leonard oil Shrcve-
port Times, who had been the leading man IN
the negotiations 90 the Democrat side: The
matter of the four members was FULLY dis
cussed 10 General Slleridau's room, and Leon
ard distinctly Informed us that he wished
no concealment, and that it was due TO US
that he should inform US that if the award
of the committee should be adopted by
the House the Democrats would promptly
reseat the four members. This statement is
but simple justice to Col. Leonard, and those
whom he represented. | caD easily perceive
how parties at a distance without knowledge of
facts OF detail should thiuk the Democrats
guilty Of pon observance of the provision which
| have cited, but | cannot think them 10 fair
ness, obnoxious to the charge, and common
Justice, which ought to characterized parties as
well as individuals, entities them 10 this ex-
plauation. The Republican party has now put
itself 10 the right in Louisiana. The action OF
both parties in the future will be watched by
the country. and the people will mctc out to
each, the judgment to which, by its acts, it
shall eutitle itself, and to that tribunal the mat
ter may safely be con6ded.
The TiltOn-Beecher Suit.
New YORK, May l0.-A dense crowd OF