The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-05-13
.OlGJMBI "A, Sri o. @.
Thursday Morning, May l3, 1876
Ths Louisiana Adlustment...The Pros
perlty OF the Country Dependent pr
Justice TO the South, ~

The New York Times, of Monday, pub
fishes very interesting letter from Hon.
VIM. A. Wheeler, ono of the Republicans
from the St. Lawrence Congressional
District of New York, and member of
the Committee of Congress which con-
Quoted the compromise of affairs in
Louisiana toaa successful issue. Mr..
Wheeler writes in the spirit of patriot
and gentleman. He claims that the
committee secured simple justice, no
moro, to tho people of Louisiana, but
that, he says, ..swas q great achievement,
under the circumstancesw which surround
the party SssTublioan) in tiiat State. -
In answer to the allegation that one Of
the provisions: of the adjustment has
already been violated by the Democrats,
he presents the facts of the situation AZ
the committee found it, and the sub
stance Of their proceedings, to disprovo
it effeotually. Their action and the sub
sequent cotton Of the Legislature con-
aeFned particularly three parties; first,
those who claimed TINT they had been
elected as members of the House, but
that their certificates Of election had
been withheld by the Returning Board !;
second, two Senators in like position; !;
third, Democrats who were declared
elected by the Returning Board, in rela-
ton to whose seats there wns no contro-
versy, and who left the House with
Wilts on the Ath january lnst, md did
not seek to return until tho late extra
session. The FIRST two classes submitted
their claims to the nrbitrament of the
committee, and agreed upon being ac-
corded their rights as members to sup
port the joint resolution recognizing the
State Government. The third class
agreed to resume their seats upon condi-
sions, and aid in perfecting the adjust
ment The arbitrators Ind nothing to
do but to pass upon the claims of the
members and Senators who should sign
the agreement, and their award could
affect no one else. It's action was merely
advisory. It left to each House to make
final decision as to its members, accord
ing to the provisions of the State Consti-
tuition, which declares it to be the judge
of the qualifications, election and return
Of the members. 1t was very far, as it
should have been, from confirming the
extraordinary proceeding of the Repub-
licans of the Legislature, taken after the
Democrats left the House on the 4th
January, Of, unseating four Democratic
members, who held the certificates of
the Returning Board and whose names
were on the list of members used by the
Republican clerk at the attempted or
ganization in iJanuary. These four
Democrats were not parties to the articles
of adjustment; their Legislative status
was in no wise changed by their with
drawal with Wiltz. They could not be
deprived of their seats. except by the
action Of the House Of Representatives,
having the. co9stitutional quorum pre-
sent. When they were unseated, rs we
have mentioned, there was not such q
quorum present. They had never been
legally deprived, therefore, of their seats,
to which they had been elected and for
which they held certificates. Mr..
Wheeler says emphnticnlly of them, that
being legally entitled to their seats, and
having done nothing TO forfeit them,
'their reinstatement was TN act OF SIM
pie justice, which all understanding the
fhcts must approve"
Mr.. Wheeler does full justice to the
good faith of the Democrats, vindicating
them for their action as just and proper,
and taken openly and above-board. He
follows up the whole statement with m
earnest appeal for patience and justice
towards the South, advocating as one OF
the most powerful agencies to its reco-
very from the prostitution of the war,
and the abuses of q delusivc peace, "the
devising Of some system to aid in tn c
education of the masses" The founda-
ton of efforts of this kind, the endeayor
to diminish the friction of discord,n.
clements, he significantly and truly says
must be laid in satisfying the Southern
people that they are to have equal, exact
justice accorded to them"
1t is pleasant thing to encounter in
current publications, paper from a
Republican which SO strongly vindicatea