New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-09
A DEMURRER IN BEHALF OF GOVERNOR
WELLS,

We observe that Congress, or even a
committee of Congress, is good enough
authority to condemn Republican on q
mere point Of opinion, while the consti-
tuition of the United States stands be-
tween Democrat who has taken the life
Of fellow-being and the whole national
government, including the Congress, the
President and the judiciary. The doc
trine of the Grant parish decision, just
rendered by the Supreme Court, is that
Congress has no power to punish indi-
viduals for crimes against State laws, nor
has Congress the power to address its
penal statutes to individual offenders in
cases of murder, arson, larceny, assault
and other otfenses against persons and
private property. With the respect for
the Supreme Court which the occasion
calls for, we say that we do not believe
this to be correct. 1t is not in accordance
with the general desire and expectation of
the Union element of the American peo-
pie. The fault may not be with the court,
nor even with the Congress. 1t is pos
sible the people have not as yet expressed
themselves with sufficient clearness in the
to the constitution. Whether
it will be deemed necessary to supply the
omission is question which we do not
intend to consider now. 1t may
come up hereafter. We merely state
this point as it comes to us through
the decision of the Supreme Court,
and remark that the doctrine is
hailed with delight by the whole Democ-
racy. The sovereignty that hedges the
States is sufficient to shield even the |
worst offenders from the penalties pre-
scribed by the federal laws. But the doc
trine is clearly limited to Democratic |
offenders. Republicans who are not even
accused OF crimes are in some unexplained
manner subject to the jurisdiction of any
body who appears in the capacity of a
United States agency. When four mem
oers of Senate committee condemned
Governor Kellogg's title to his Office, and
ndulged in ex parte structures upon
Judge Of one of the district courts, their
unconstitutional, impertinent and in some
aspects unfounded assertions assumed
he dignity of ''the verdict of the highest
tribunal in the world" When this same
udge was again made the subject of con-
ideration by committee of the House,
he opinions of the Democratic members
we're heralded abroad as those of mem
'ers OF another supreme tribunal
Thus, it will be seen that while the
'erson of Democrat is sacred against
he whole force and power of the United
'tates, Republican may be legally
anged, drawn and CHARTERED by mere
ommittee, or even less than committee,
+ either house Of Congress. Since the
rant parish prisoners have been released
rom the federal guardhouse by the Su-
RENE Court, the Democratic newspapers
ASST upon having Governor Wells and
ieneral Anderson locked up therein.
lerely because Messrs. Phelps, Potter, ;
larshall and Foster, all Democratic
lembers of House committee, dissented (,
em t1eir award in the late election. (
reat emphasis is given to the fact that !
leir report was presented to Republican q
ouse and adopted. This is considered c
inclusive against the Returning Board, l
I'd there is general and loud demandall a
ong the lines that the sentence of the law
all be pronounced against the Repub- t.
AN prisoners. This, too, mingled with b
unds Of rejoicing over the release of b
9 accused Democrats. Ii
Governor Wells and General Anderson u
d, IN our opinion, such advantages in C
or favor as to render their judgment b