Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-01-15
LOUISIANA.

ma legislature on Inc 4tn inst. we nflcHy
gave the facts in the case last week, and in
another column OF to-day's issue will be
found Gen. Sherldan's report TO the Secre-
tary of War, which gives a concise and ex
plicit history of the whole affair. As be-
ing necessary to a full understanding of
the case, reference should also be made TO
a despatch forwarded by Gen. Sheridan 10
the war department. after the trouble &C.
Cured, In which he recited the turbulent
condition of affairs in New Orleans and
recommended that the disorderly persons
be declared "bapditti" and dealt with ac-
cordingly.
The disturbance Of the political atmos-
phere caused by this event has not been
confined TO any party; on the contrary Re-
publican, Democratic and "Independent'
men and papers have apparently We'd with
each other in expressions of alarm and In
dignatlon over such an act of executive
usurpation' and "mlitary despotism."
The Democrats have never had better OPP
portunty TO vent their spite against the
Administration, while to the minds ofma-
ny candid Republicans the event is evil
IDENTIFY fraught with the eravest apprehen-
sion. The point is raised, and apparently
with great force, that Massachusetts, Yer
mont, New Hampshire, or any other
Northern state, would lily brook military
interference in its legislative affairs. But
before estimating the real weight of this or
any other argument and in order to arrive
at full understanding OF the unfortunate
occurrence, ii Is necessary 10 calmly con-
slider the real condition OF things in the
Southern States.
II the state of society was the same at
the South as at the North, then a parallel
case could be drawn, and an argument ap-
plying on one side would apply on the 9TH
er. But it is not tho same. Events have
occurred in the last siA months TO convince
any candid man that on the part of the old
slave holders there Is the same intense,
malignant hatred of the North, of the gen.
eral government, and Of the negro as an
enfranchised citizen, that there was ten
years ago. Last September occurred the
incipient rebellion at New Orleans; later
camo Coushatta (well remembered by
Windham county mem, and the massacre
at Vcksburg, Miss. and who shall say
how many minor murders and outrages
have been scattered along from day to day,
when il is known that between three thou
sand and four thousand men have been
murdered since 1865 in the one State Of
Louisiana, solely because OF their po-
litical views! Nothing but fear of the
military power ofthe government prevents
these old-time rebels from entering on a
war OF determination or expulsion Of ev-
cry negro and white man who has political
ideas of his own and dares express them.
| Murder, violence and bloodshed stalk
through the land, and 1t is significant
fact that it only required the Democratic
successes of last Fall TO give these men
| greater boldness than ever. Grant, Sher-
man and Sheridan have been fighting just
This sort OF thing since 1881, and it is posi-
BILE that their vision of political matters a
the South is as clear, and their judgmen
as much to be relied on as 10 the measure:
required as that of newspaper men and pol
i,icians at the n orth who have neveI
smelled gunpowder or had taste OF mol
law except at a distance.
While this state of affairs has been woss'
in some states than in others, in none ha
it been more marked than in Louisiana
and here it should be remembered that tn
case has been complicated by the election
troubles OF three successive years. Sine
1872 there have been two Slate election
held, and at neither of them has any candle
man in the United States felt sure as +
which party had carried The day, aud forth
reason that fair vote, without systemati
fraud and intimidation, could not be oh
tanned. President Grant has repeated.
called the attention OF Congress TO the mat
ter, asking that definite plan of actiol
might be laid down for the Executive I
pursue. But 1t was subject which tha
body evidently disliked to touch, and henc
it has been left for the President to use hi
own discretion according TO constitutions
provision. That he has acted honestly an
in good faith no man of unbiased judgmen
doubts. As the time for The assembling {
the Stale legislature on the 4th instant al
preached, threats were openly made by til
notorious White League that they woul
either have control Of the body or The Sta
should become a military territory. Belor
the day arrived two Republican members
elect were forcibly spirited away that III
League might more surely accomplish il
declared purpose, I'D when the legislator
assembled, and high-handed and unlawfI
proceedings commenced, the United State
military, under legal call of the Governo
of the State, stepped in and nipped the en-
bryo rebellion in the bud by assisting Int
the street five persons who had been FRAUD
ulently seated in the legislature as part I
the game of tho conspirAtors. II is az
true, as Democratic organs assert, that ii
troops dragged Wiltz, the couservatiV
speaker, from his chair. 1t is not true TIL
J the legislature was forcibly dispersed l.
the military, because after the five illega
) ly seated members were expelled, the r.
/ mainder of the body could have stayed an
D taken such action as they thought best.
] Here the case rests. As the event HI
= proved, if we were TO judge from tho gel
@ cral tone of public expression, the counti
t at large would seem to have preferred hui
= bred moro men 10 have been slaughterC
J.. in the streets of New Orleans than that
= federal bayonet should have been seen
o the Louisiana state house. But this do
y not alter the facts in the case, nor does
# prove that President Grant has not act
a conscientiously and from the purest III
e tives. His special message 10 Congress
the subject is daily expected, and it is on
when this is received, and the other eN
dence is all in, that a just opinion and
&c unbiased decision can be reached.
2, make no attempt to champion the Admin
a traton in this matter. We simply wish
B. remind our readers that, however repl
', hensible federal Interference In State
IA fairs may be under ordinary circumstanc,