The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-01-15
A NEW ELECTION.

MONROE. La. JANUARY Is, 1875.
A NEW ELECTION.
Indications of u rather reliable nature
point pretty clearly to the holding of
new election in this State, under such
rules and requirements as the present
Congress may prescribe. Perhaps tho
hest reason for believing that Congress
will IN this manner finally dispose of
the Louisiana troubles, is, the fact that
the Radicals of Louisiana have been
badly worsted before the people, and
that the Republican party is in a hope
less snarl and confusion from which
there is no escape but in a unew depar-
ture"-a fresh shuttle and a deal of the
cards.
." The condition of affairs in this State
has become the scandal OF the nation.
The Republican leaders agree only in
an earnest renonstrance against indi-
vidual responsibility for the existence
OF this scandal and an equally earnest
desire to be rid of the whole business.
There IS certainly, since the November
elections, no Willingness with thinking
Radical leaders to shoulder the usurpa-
ton Of Kellogg, tho impotency of his
followers, and lastly the bandit inter-
ference of Sheridan. The case, it seems
to us, stands with Judgment confessed
against the policy Of the Radicals in
Louisiana, and, while all the sponsors
are squabbling and squirming, nothing
Is more reasonable than that the respon-
sibility for the wrongs Louisiana has
suffered should be condoned by sub
uniting afresh to the people the seIec-
ton of a State government. Such at
least appears to be the settlement most
likely to be made of the presenttroubles
in this State. But what the Democrats
In Congress may do is not, rs yet, very
clear. The temptation is very strong
to make the. Radicals carry over to
1876 the foul wrongs they have donc
this State, and leave Louisiana n suf-
ferrer for the benefit of constitutional
reform two y ears hence. We are not,
therefore, very sanguine that the Dem
ocrats will join the Republicans in
new election, nor are we decided in our
opinion as to the wisdom of arbitrating
cardinal principles of selEgovernment
by periodical intermeddling by Con-
gress.
After the first reconstruction, lin
itselfa violation of republican govern
ment,) no congressional interference
could be justifiable, except to undo the
the wrong done in organizing State
government based upon ignorance,
avarice anu irresponsibility. The priv
ilege of suffrage was unfortunately
henthens as many who were empowered
to Vote-and the result is u state of af-
fairs which only warrants tho restric-
ton of suffrage and justifies tho ac-
kowledgement Of ii great III istake made.
In "A partial sense this is what the Rad
icals contemplate doing;-the results of
the experiment Of universal suffrage
are unsatisfactory to tho extent that
seven years have been fruittessty spent,
and the work must be done over. The
negro rs u voter has failed, and his
white champions can be saved only by
congressional protection.
But the TELEGRAPH has not passed.
through ten years of reconstruction
without learning to estimate the calibre
of the average Republican in Iouisi-
ana. We will not insult him with sup
posing that he ever cared for popular,
honest, economical government; nor
consume space and time in worrying
over the past. We assume that a new
election will be ordered in Louisiana,
to be conducted under Federal auspices,
and will dismiss all idea of State sover-
eighty. In this view of the case, the
bare chances are with the Republicans !;
but the will and the stakes are Oh the
side of the Democrats. While the
white Radicals will struggle for Office,
aud the negroes from prejudice and II
foolish fear, the white men will battle
for their ancestral rirhfs their fun, if;.s