The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-01-16
SOnnd Talk From An Independent
IOnrna1

If Sheridan is allowed to proceed accord.
ing to his own views there will he peace in
Now Orleans presently or somebody will be
hurt. But it is not unlikely his ardor will
be cooled by instructions from Washington.
IT, however, the Administration has made
up its mind to sustain the Kellogg admins
tration, and stand by the action Of the Re-
turning Board i'll the matter of the organi-
cation of the Legislature, there will be no
improvement in the condition Of affairs by
adopting undecisive measures. That is the
question which the Cabinet had under con
sideration on the 9Th. and there does not
appear to have been unanimity of opinion
AS to the proper course to pursue. Perhaps
events themselves will give some solution
to the problem within the next forty. eight
hours.
The theory that the conquered Confeder-
ate States should be dealt with as " sover-
eign States" was great mistake. Mill
tary necessities have been arising ever since
the conquest, constraining the use of the
strong arm of the nation, without delicate
reference to susceptibilities of the States
that were bayoneted into the Union. The
conquered States could not be trusted to the
exclusive jurisdiction of those who had been
in rebellion. 1t was logic of the war and
tho demand of common sense that the ne
groes should have tho right of suffrage
Here we have the overwhelmed rebel and
the citizen of African descent, astounded
with his sudden civil Importance, huddled
together and expected to supply the mater
ial for "States." Evidently snch States
will need looking after. A much simpler
method of governing the conquered section
would have been in military departments
and under martial law. AS this policy was
not taken, the whole Of the rebels should
have been enfranchised at the moment the
right to vote was given to the negroes
The old cry, Universal amnesty, impair
tiai suffrage" had the fullness of political
wisdom in it. But we have not had in the
conquered States either military rule or civil
sagacity. Cnselfish, earnest, capable states
manship might have done much to recon
cile the elements that are antagonistic and
constantly inhamed. The problem. under
the best conditions, of reconciling the races
and making peace in the South, was one of
the grandest ever presented to public men,
and there has been woful laundering in
management. Hence the bloody sore upon
the body polite that we call Louisiana.
If the Democracy desire to put the mill
tary proceedings in Louisiana before the
country upon the ground that something
improper has been done to a sovereign
ness, though in the language of levity,
" that is too thin" The old twaddle about
sovereign States is simply offensive. Any
sacred sovereignty, superior to American
nationality, that Louisiana possessed, was
taken out Of her when she was forced, at
the point of the bayonet, out of the South
ern Confederacy and into the American
Union. If there is an outrage commit
ted in Louisiana, it is not because a SOW
ereign State has been trampled in the
dust, but because the Kellogg fraud has
been sustained, and the White Leaguers
who made war on the 4th of September
are, in our judgment, responsible for that
If it had not been for the demonstration on
that bloody day that there was formidable
military organization in Louisiana, pre-
pared to overthrow the State government
that had with much misgving ueen recog-
nized by President Grant, Phil Sheridan,
with his bayonets, would not be in New
Orleans now, aud the fraud of the Return
ing Board would have been Impossible
AS the White Leaguers resorted to arms,
they ought not to complain. They who
take the sword shall perish by the sword.
Cincinnati Commercial