The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-27

iustlfes the armed expulsion OF the Demo-
cratic members of state legislature, why
NAV not similar array of murders and
alleged intimidations in several Southern
states warrant the armed expulsion Of the
Democratic members of congress elected
in those states from the house Of repre-
sentatives at Washington? Louisiana is |
o part of the Union so is Arkansas, 80 is |
Mississippi, so is Alabama, 80 is Georgia |
and if the President can say that a COVER
nor and legislature chosen by one OF these
states shall not exercise their functions,
the conclusion is irresistible that he may,
at his pleasure, prohibit the Democratic
members of congress ehosenln all these IN
dicted states to exercise their tunctlons.-
1t at the request of governor OF Louis
| lana, not chosen by the people, but made
by himself, he may drag FIVE Democratic
members Of a state legislature from their
seats, by still greater warrant may ne, as
the recognized chief magistrate OF the
United States. drag thirty or forty Demo
cratic members of congress from their
seats. r-
Whether the President intended to do it
or not, he has made an argument in favor
of his right to do in the capital Of the ma
ton what he declares Kellogg had right
to do, and what he assisted him to do in
the capital of Louisiana: the same reason
ing that justiies the one in disorganizing
and recognizing legislature would JUST
fy the other in disorganizing and reorgan-
izing congress.
The President pretends to be "credibly
informed that the violent proceedings OF
the Democratic members In Louisiana were
part of premeditated plan to have the
7 house organized, and in this way recognize
. what has been called the McEnery senate
then depose Gov. Kellogg, and SO revolu
tionize the state government. Does thi:
mean that Andrew johnson, having cred
! ible information" that the fortieth congress
= intended to impeach and depose him
would have been authorized to dispense i
with bayonets-or that President Grant
r having credible information that tn
9 Iforty-fourth congress contemplated i'm
/ peaching him for high crimes and misde-
meanors, would have the right to driv'
him from the capitol?
. 1t is a remarkable fact that the presl
dent nowhere rebukes the military to-
what they did in New Orleans, and no
where intimates a design to undo thu
: wrong. The whole message betrays the
consciousness that the act of the military
IaCGS grloNOuS WAOuEs Ava oAS NoSuniOus
Like the plea of lawyer in behalf of hi
terminal client; but he insists on an &C
ouiescence in the crime and an acquittal Q
the criminal. when those who inaugu
rated the disorder and anarchy" he says
''disavow such proceedings, it will be tim
enough to condemn those who by sue
means as they could command have pre-
r, vented the success of their lawless an
~ ~ desperate schemes" We tell the pres
dent that the country will not accept TIL
e. acknowledgements presentation OF tn
IN case. The thing that most concerns it {
" present is the wrong which the militar
Oh did and which he defends-the violent di
persion of state legislature. That is tt
thing to be disavowed first; the design
Of the Louisiana Conservatives will CON
up for consideration afterwards A TO
of wrong has been done to one of the stat,
of the Union, in the dispersion OF its legi
llature in the interest of President Grant
Il partisans; and the question is wheth
OF that wrong shall be accepted and thus b
by come a precedent for similar violence {
IN other states, or be peremptorily disayow!
and undone, That is the issue. 1t 4
%, present congress refuses to meet and d
ID eide it Alright, it will obtrude itself into L
the next congress, and find decision that "
cause the president to rue the day that
the listened to the malign advice of Case
Packard and Kcllogg.-&. Louis Rep
ally licdn-