The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-15
The Louisiana Dimculty.

ments which do not fall in with their views i,
can afford to bear their censures with equa-
nimty. AS an exponent of popular opinion
the HERALD has nothing to gain by the favor
or to lose by the dissent of any political
party. 1t neither courts nor fears them,
and while party journals overstate or dstort
facts with q view to party advantage, the only
aim OF the HERALD is faithfully to report
transactions in the ''white light Of truth and
guide the public judgment to correct conclu-
sions. We have no motive either to falsity
facts or to mislead public opinion, but every
motive to be just and fair, because our infu-
ence depends on our success in presenting
such views of current transactions as the
'sober second thought of the American peo-
pie may safely indorse. 1t is not what this
party or that party may choose to say of our
course that in any way affects u.s. for we are
independent of them all, but only the delib-
crate conclusions of enlightened commu-
nifty as to the soundness of our positions.
The HERALD can afford to be right it can af-
ford to speak the truth; it can afford the rare
luxury of political conscience; it is bound
to no party and can pass an impartial judg-
ment upon all
1t is our opinion that since President
Grants recent apologize and disclaiming
Message public liberty is in no great danger
from military interference with Legislative
bodies. The President comedies every prin-
ciple which rational advocates of free institu-
lions contend for. He disclaims responsibility
for military interference with the Louisiana
Legislature he admits the possibility that
army officers may have overstepped, in their
ignorance, the strict limits of law he refuses
to stand sponsor for the action Of Kellogg in
the late emergency he does not pretend that
there is any justification tor employing either
the State militia or the federal army in
q legislative conflict, except on the
call of majority of the elected
members. These important concessions
having been extorted from the President
there is no further immediate danger to public
liberty on the side of military interference
with legislative bodies, and the country has
homage to sound principles which the Presi-
dent has been constrained to pay by sudden
outburst of public indignation and the views
Of the most respected members OF his Cabi-
net. The fact that the President quails; that
he dare not assert the right either of the
federal army or the Governor of State to in
tertere with the organization Of Legisla-
ture that he publicly washes his own hands
ard Sheridan's OF any direct compli-
city in the employment Of soldiers in the
Louisiana State House, cannot in any
rational view, be regarded otherwise
than as a victory Of sound principles. Since
the concessions and apologize disclaimers
put forth in the recent Message there can be
no rational fear Of a repetition of affronts to
the dignity and authority of State Legisla-
ture. President Grant has renounced every
principle on which such interference can be
palhated, and if he is thereby involved in some
Inconsistency the public should be too willing
to welcome his recognition of sound prin-
ciples to embarrass his repentance by quib-
bling exposures of inconsistency. Some
allowance must be made for official pride
when the head of great government is con-
strained to retreat from untenable positions
In spite of the false coloring of facts in the
Presidents recent Message it cannot be
denied that he has admitted and indorsed
every principle which the advocates of legis-
lative independence deem important 1t may
be easy to convict him of inconsistencies; but
it cannot be denied that he has been forced
into an admission that legislative bodies are
legally exempt from outside control. He adj
mits that only majority of the elected mem
bers could have made an appeal which the
Governor of the State could properly consider
and comedies that the Governors right of in
reference even on such an application, is .sa
debatable question" 1t would be absurd to
expect the President to make more humiliat-
ing concessions and foolish to fear that he
will again permit the federal troops to be en-
pioyed in deciding questions outside of their
province. Having once burned his fingers
the President will not put them into the fire
again.
The moral sense of the country cannot be
obfuscated by legal technicalities, and it is
only by such technicalities that the action of
the conservative members of the Louisiana
Legislature can be justified. Their action
was clearly irregular. 1t was only by an
adroit parliamentary trick that they made
Wilt Speaker and admitted the five members
who were not on the roll A law Of the State
excluded those members from any part in the
organization. If the conservatives had had a
majority without them there would have been
no temptation to parliamentary sharp prac-
tee, because, in that case, the conservatives
could have organized the House without
their aid, and have admitted them after
deliberate inquiry into their claim
to seats. The conservatives confessed that
they were minority by the unusual means
they adopted to seat the disputed members.
for if they had majority without them the
organization of the House was safely in their