The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1875-12-28
MR.. noRrox,s MISSISSIPPI INQUEST.

with the view, no doubt, by the partisan
action Of that body, Of substituting It's
will for that Of the people Of the State.
Assuming for the moment the facts to
be ~ stated by Mr.. Morton, we are ut u
loss to conceive upon what principle nc
would claim for Congress tho power to
inquire into the mode and manner OF
conducting an election a State officers
within a State. The prctencc that a
Senator Is to be chosen by the newly
elected Legislature is both technically
and substantially insufficient.
The Senate Is not vested with any
jurisdiction over the election OF Sena-
tor until his credentials are presented.
Nor Is II even then authorized to in
quire into the title Of the members OF
the legislature to seats in that body.
The election has been held and the re-
turns made by the constituted authori-
ties Of the State; and contests for seats
on the ground Of fraud or violence be-
longs to that body alone to determine
r. Is evident that the assumption by
Congress OF such jurisdiction as Mr..
Morton now proposes to exercise would
which II should be applied. He would
himself be very indignant were a Dem
ocratic senate to set aside the election
OF a Radical legislature in Indiana, by
whose votes he expected again to be re-
turned to the seat he now occupies. He
No, 81 ex,. Ii %ut Tho IN,
defcasible right of determi lining all con-
tests In regard to the possession Of
office within her borders, and that her
determination OF that question was con
elusive upon the world.
This, he would insist, is an essential
attribute OF that sovereignty which Is
the distinguishing characteristic Of
States, the constituent elements from
which the American Union Is formed.
These IDEAS were once familiar to Mr..
Morton. He could readily trace them to
the deep root which they have In the
Constitution and history Of the country,
and he would no doubt, press them with
that vigor and ability which he unques-
tionably possesses. But he Is the most
striking specimen Of the political dem
Tagoguc ever known in this country,
and is, indeed, such one as appears
only in the decadence OF republics,
when the fury Of faction has completely
stifled the instinct Of patriotism. He
can turn more sOmersaults in a given
space OF time than any man who ever
liun1 A. f1fu h,f o o,fs Into al
alike by partisan interest and puritan
ical hate, both in the most intense de-
gree, to assail the rights OF the South,
and, being unable to appreciate the
force OF principles, he takes no heed OF
the danger TO his own homestead while
he fires that of his ncighbor.
He refers to the Louisiana case as
furnishing precedent which at least
cstops the Democracy from resisting
his demands. But this d,y,A,ent,tnl
ad homi,.em cuts far more potently
against Mr.. Morton than against the
Democracy. The Louisiana case was
one Of plain usurpation by the Federal
Executive, who, by military force,
subverted the government OF the State
and, through the machinery OF Fed
cral court, undertook to appoint gov
ernor and legislature in defiance of
the will OF the people. The wholly
illegal and unconstitutional character
Of that action Mr. Morton was com
PEELED to acknowledge and he joined in
the universal condemnation which
covered tho prostitutcd judge who
permitted himself to be made the tool
OF that vile conspiracy. Yet, with this
admission upon his lips, he then resist
cd any interference, on the false and
ililnsy ground that u State tribunal,
rs incompetent and quite as
corrupt MS the Federal one, had decided
it. He then said, that such I'm interior
ence "would establish a precedent for
overturning State governments and
setting up new ones, under which the
government of every State would be at
the mercy Of Congress as controlled by
the passions or exigencies OF parties"
Any other man than Mr.. Morton would
be estopped from the inquiry which
he now proposes by this explicit decla-
ration Of his views less than three years
ago; for the only object OF inquiry is
action; and where Congress is power
less to act it is incompetent to inquire.
But he has entirely misrepresented the
position OF the Democracy and OF the
people Of Louisiana, who have never in
voked, but on the contrary have always
deprecated, the interference Of the Fed
,ral Government in their local affairs.
They have claimed the withdrawal Of
hat Federal force, by the illegal use Of
which alone the Kellogg usurpation was
and is now sustained. This
has always been, and is to-day, their
and they ask OF Mr.. Morton
lothing more than that he should carry
nut, in good faith, that principle OF nom
Interference by the Federal Govern
nent with the political struggles Of a
state, the supreme Importance Of which
ne himself so clearly announced. But
'andor and good faith, we fear, form no
,art Of the character Of Oliver p. Nor
on. He only used the principle then
or the purpose of escaping from the
ust conclusion of his reasoning and