Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-02-05

FeDruary, o,.''e...I675
True Question.

OF the country are not likely to lose sight
of, because in it they see the crucial test
ofRepublicang government Thatauestion
is whether the people of Louisiana are
competent for selfgovernment. This is
the question which demands from the
whole people such calm and dispassionate
consideration as cannot possibly be obtain
ed from partisan stand point. For the
purpose of looking into this matter, it
is not necessary now for us to inquire
whether the infamous election laws of that
State, by which such unlimited control
over the registration and election is plac-
ed in the hands of the Governor, was the
offspring of Warmoth or Kellogg. Every
body agrees these laws are infamous, and it
matters not who invented them, Nor is
Unnecessary to investigate the election of
1872, the conduct of Judge Durell, the
Penn revolution of last September, or even
the action the late Returning Board, con-
trolled as it was by that arch-scalawag,
Madison Wells. Let us put all these aside
and take the case just as the Kellogg
ties, the loudlunged Logan, Mr. Porridge
Pease, or Pease Porridge, 1--WE forget which
is his name), choose to state it. Admit
all they say, and what result does it inevi-
tably force US to !? WHY nothing more nor
less than this: That after ten years of
trial, the reconstruction policy of the
Radicals is an entire failure IN every es-
sential point in which it is desirable to
have a governmental policy. During
these ten experimental years the party in
power has had absolute control OF the
State in all of its departments, legislative
judicial and executive. There was no
hitch on account of the want of harmony
in any of the machinery of the government.
During two years Of this time there has
been Governor of the Administration S
own selection, upheld by Federal bayonets,
so that not even hair of his head could
be interfered with by unfriendly hands
An election has been held under the au-
potic powers, with his own appointees
directing and experimenting the registra
ton and voting, with United States super
visors to assist them, and United States
marshals, backed by [. S. troops, to en-
force, 10y arrest or otherwise, orders which
might be issued by Kellogg or any of his
Al ~, III
these advantages and all these extraordi-
nary appliances, they have not been able
to have a fair election-so they say. With
everything in their favor and backed by
the whole power of the Federal Govern
ment, majority of the voters of Louisiana
failed to vote their true sentiments. And
why, praya Because of intimidation -
Thus. then, it is admitted by them, that
the majority, with the whole power of the
them, were so intim idated that they were
not able to express their true preferences
at the ballot box 1t seems that nothing
but the wisdom and courage of the Re
turning Board, with the assistance of Gen.
De Trobriand and his soldiers, was able
to prevent the minority from taking adj
vantage of this majority. So extreme is
this intimidation that none of the intimi-
dated dare come forward to testify, and in
the whole of the Parish Of Rapides only
one man could be found who was brave
enough to testify to the intimidation
throughout the Parish, and that man was
Madison Wells. Elsewhere only occasion
ally can be found even an office-ho
brave enough to testify. These men will
swear to intimidation by hundreds and
thousands perhaps, but not to individual
cases. And so the Returning Board re-
versed the result of the election, declared
the defeated candidates elected. and the
U. S. Army was called in to enforce their
decree.
Now this is the whole case, as made out
by Kellogg and the Administration. The
Radicals are largely in the majority but
are afraid to vote. Therefore the only way
to secure a Republican form ofgovernment
is for the Federal Executive, through the
instrumentality of Federal bayonets to re-
verse the results of the election and forci-
bly, to install into office the candidates
who were prevented from being elected
because of intimidation. All this being
80. and the whole Radical party, from the
President down to Kellogg insist upon ii
That It is so, it is obvious that Louisiana
is not capable Of self-government. Now
then what is to be done? How is the
State to be governed? Shall it be handed
over to Sheridan He would not be re-
strained by the formalities of the COnsti-
tuition or laws. but would at once proceed
to try by military, commissions and shoot
all who dared differ from Kellogg. This
must be what the President and his Cabi-
net would like. because when Shel idan
uaaSdse the proposition, did not the Secretary
of War tell him ssThe President and all Of
us" approved of his coursea The question
t'len presented to the American people to-
day is. Shall Louisiana govern herself. OF
Is she to be governed from Washington
If this State is to be governed through the
army from Washington, why not all the
Southern States Why may not the MAORI
ty in other States be also ''intimidated q