Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-01-14
: BAyoNET RuLE.rN LOUISIANA.

" paw usC Niok'CIo'ou VI Iio AAOSioin
tire of q sovereign State ~ The nlli.,
tary forces of theIJ pitea States.s They,
may we'll look upon this att with alarm
for NO matter how it ~ explained, sthe,
truth must prove that american 1beriy,
is in danger Either the pealA We
Rave rejo,ced in is a deiision ana al
dream and the war is not yet over, or
the: President has become dictator
There is no escape from this alterna-
tive it ia either nsnrpation Or rebellion
and this issue the nation is bunntl to
meet. ~ j
To understand this startling action
of the Presidentit must be considered
! as something distinct from the passions
which have brought Louisiana to Heso-
lation and.alnsost to despair Rehell-
ion Of secret leagues has nothing to do
with the public organization Of a'legis
fla,ive bodys The general, disorder of
society aud the. more dread of danger
have no connection with the choice OF
Speakertor the Claim Of n candidate
TO seat. These are questions which
Legislatures must settle for themselves,
and if State laws are trangressed tie
State laws provide the remedies for the.
wrong 1t follows that, even If tile.
people of New Orleans should become
a bowling mob Ut bandits and incen
diaries, the president could not right
fully lay a finger on the Legislature
itself go long as its acts concerned only
its own organization. Anarchy such
IS this, even if i, existed II, New o.
leans, would be no excuse for usurpas
ton in Washington. The secession or
dinance of 1861, the massacre OF 1866,
could be given by the President as his
reasons for now interfering with the
Legislature with just as mnch reason as
he could cite the present state of dang
err and excitement. He has passed
over all this tumnltous sea tot popular
passion his troops have not fired
gun but he has only done 80 to strike
the Legislature itself. 1t is to this
point that we bring the definition OF
his act that the Executive of the gen
eral govrnment has by force expelled
members of the Legislature of a sover-
eign state, and that no crime or horror
or rebellion can justify this act, unless
the crime exists Ia the Legislature it
self
Thus far the President has not at
tempted ID Prove any Legislative cvn-
dilion of the kind; but nnless ne does
prove it the country win hold him
guilty Of usurpation. The sword he
holds was not given to him to hack
and slash indiseriminately at rebels and
legislators; rioters and representatives,
nor to settle the political quarrels of
State. Even if the conservative mem
brrs cid wrong in admitting to the
House five men to whose election the
returning board had not certified, tina,
wrong was no reason for his interior
ence with the bayonet Nor even if
the fallacious argument We're made that
he troubles without the legislative
h; lis justi6, d interference with the bay
onet. Nor even if the fallacious argu-
inent were made that the troubles with
ont.the legislative halls justified inter~
ference within would the facts sustain
the theory For though the testimony
is conflicting as to the condition OF
New Orleans-Gen. Sheridan declaring
that the spirit of defiance to lawful aus
thority cannot be realized at the North
viii Mr. Phelps and Mr.. Foster, rid
;ca members OF Congress, both affirm
that the city is now as orderly as New
York one fact st; nds out clearly, that
the troops have MT fired a gun nor
made single arrest. There is no yisi
IDLE reason why a peaceful Legislature,
assembled in suhducd city, should be
1nolested by military force, The law
condemns the President, and the facts,
so far as they are known. fail to even
extenuate his acts
Thus stands to- day the verde, of the
nation verdict not rendered, but aus
pended. The people have been rou>ed
as they have not been for years, for the
question is one which transcends the
boundaries OF Louisiana and concerns
the whole country. II is not merely
whether bandit:i rule in that State or
whether it is plnndered and migoverned.
The passions Of its p, ople, their errors
and sufferings, become secondary to
the question whether the President Of
the United States has dared to lay
violent hands upon inalienable rights.
The country turns trem New Orleans
to Washington. There was the deed
done that stirs the American people.
They demand TO know whether in the
United States rebellion still fingers, or
usurpation has begun, and it is not 20
McEnery or Wihz or Kellogg that
they addressthe question, but to Grant
a SnocKsG OUTRAGE. : The VIII
miugton IN. O. Star gives the partic.,
ulars Of an outrageous crime committed
near that city few nights since. The
residence of Mr.. VIM Gnrgahus was
torclbly entered jim the night time by
four negroes, all armed, and willis
three Of them stood guard oyer Mr.. g.
the fourth committed gross outrage
on Miss Margaret Riversbafk, res
pectable white girl. The negroes, who
are known, have so far elud I'd the
officers and citizens who are in search
Of them tt
The PENNsYLvANfx UNITED STATES