The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-15
THE REAL ISSUE.

IOcHtoIo ACOuL the AOull8ua qucSl1OA -
thoroughly und erstood by all the nation, e
. cept the ultra Radicals in Congress, the Pres
4 dent of the United States and some OF
= Cabinet.
The facts are plainly and simply these Q
v the 4th of January the Legislature OF Louis
ana was organized. Members Of that bod
were put out of the S:ate-House by troops
8 the request of Kellogg.
1t may be granted for the sake Of argumen
that the mode Of organization Of tina. Legi'
lature was irregular. It is known to ever
man who knows anything of the history q
: Constitution of the United States and th
. States comprising it, that the Legislature
one of three coordinate branches Of Govern
ment, supreme in the sphere Of action circum
scribed for it by the Constitution, above tn
control of the Executive, above the jurisdic
ton of the judiciary and beyond the Lawful
interference Of Federal authority.
The attention Of Congress is called to thes
facts. About the fac Is there is and can be n,
dispute. The only question upon which the,
have now to pass is, "Who is responsible fo
this outrage upon the constitutional privilege.
OF coordinate branch Of the Legislature? 2
Is it Sheridan or Grant! Whether
it be either or both, it is the duty Of
Congress to mete out to the guilty the punish.
ment due for an attempt, by force Of arms, ia
override the Constitution Of the United States
and of one of the tovereigns composing the
federation of the United States.
But has Congress done this 4? They have
called upon the President for information,
and, pending his message, the Radical men,
bers have spent their time in taunting Demo
cratic members with responsibility for South
ern outrsges. The latest Southern outrage
was the ejectment Of members of the Louisi-
ana Legislature by United States troops.
This only was the question before them.
When the Presidents message is laid be-
tore Congress it is found to be his statement
Of the incidents Of an election held in this
State in 1872, and investigated by a COM
mittee Of the Senate two years ago-a recital
of details of murders unprovoked, taken from
Radical newspapers, an extract from the
charge of partisan Circuit Judge, and many
choice specimens Of pathos held in quotation
marks. When the mass of unnecessary YER
biage, laden with surplusage, is removed, we
learn that the President did not authorize the
presence of the troops in the Louisiana Capt.
toll, or their ejectment of Louisiana legis-
lators For the facts in the case he refers
Congress to the statements of Sheridan, one
of the accused.
The Democratic members of our Legisls-
ture may have been right or they may have
wrong, in their action on the 4th of January,
but, in the language Of the President, speak |
ing of the Returning Board, " 1t is very clear
hat the law gives them the power if they
,hoose to exercise it." Does any law give the
military right to interfere in the organization
If that Legislature? Did they interfere?
That they did interfere, no one denies; that
Sheridan is responsible for the interference is
beyond dispute. Then, what to do with
sheridan and his troops is the question be-
ore Congress "only this and nothing more.
Let them at once abolish the Office of Lieu
enant General, and see that it is forever after
laced out of the power Of any officer to use
roops for such purposes as Sheridan used
nem. When this is done, let them investi-
ate. ifthey choose, the question of Southern ,
utrages.
Grant alleges mitigating circumstances in .
yor of the action Of Sheridan. There are
one. The fact the President suggests them,
excusing an officer Of high rank for using
oops to further the designs of political j.
artisan, shows his utter unftness to be
hief Magistrate Of . republic. The whole :
essage is disgnceful--so disgraceful that ..
either Grant nor Williams alone could have
'rpetrated it. 1t is the joint product of the
of the Executive and the turpi-
de Of the Attorney General.
Grant was aware, 80 he says, that military
is repugnant to our ideas of !,
vernment." Why then did he authorize y
'lknap to telegraph Sheridan that his con- =
let was Endorsed by the President and al of q
9 Cabinet?
Secretaries Fish and Bristow say that they y
ew nothing of the dispatch until they saw .
in the newspapers. /"
VIII Grant also give Mr.. Belknap the lie ..
herwise he will find it difficult to reconcile "a
, statement in that telegram with that part r
his message in which he says:
can conceive of no case not involving re- fe
lion or instruction, where such inter- vi
ence by authority of the General Govern Sc
mt ought to be permitted, or can be justi- ~
Will Congress, like this model President, Ct
. indorse conduct that it knows ought not -
. be permitted" and cannot abe justi- Sc
II" The real issue must be squarely met its
dealt with. and the people Of the entire e.
lntry are now waiting for the verdict q
BAN.DITTY.
'ne Of the funniest pictures we have yet ~
a burlesquing Trooper Phil" was sent us -.
terday by Mr.. H. W. Fowler, Of this "