Litchfield enquirer., 1875-02-18
More Counting.

The report of the Congressional com mittee of investigation into Arkansas mat ters proves, what had been strongly charg- ed before, that in 1872, Baxter, Repub- lican, was defeated at the polls but count ed into the Governors chair by the same fraudulent process that the recent Louisi- ana investigation has shown to be the practice, there. By one of those wonder
 speH tp sfVthfannd ahd dnERjsS Ej 6S ponent Brooks. Republican. and now the Clayton ring seek to have the latter seat cd by federal authority; and, what is stranger still, President Grant has given their claim the sanction of special mess age to Congress asking their interference in behalf of Brooks and the Clayton ring. Now if it is right for Congress to interfere to correct fraudulent counting in ofBax- ter in Arkansas, it is certainly their duty to interfere to correct the usurpation which placed Kellogg in the Governors chair in Louisiana, and which was not based even on the show of legality that might arise from q fraudulent count. To make the case still stronger in favor of intervention in Louisiana as compared with Arkansas, there has been a constitutional convention called in the latter state by the de facto legislature, which convention framed a new constitution that afterwards received the sanction of @ popular vote.
 It seems to us that there is a fundament- al principle by reference to which Con- gress can decide whether it IS their duty to interfere with State government in such cases as those of Louisiana and Ar kansas. If the State officers and legisla- lures now governing those States were fairly chosen by the people at legal elec- ton, that ought to entitle them to recogni- ton. II, in Arkansas, fairly elected convention framed a constitution which is not inconsistent with the constitution of the United States, and which @was after wards ratified by the people and accept ed by the de tactO State government, that constitution is certainly entitled to recog- milton as the fundamental law of the State, for it derives it's binding force directly from the popular consent. Congress might just as we'll remand Connecticut to King Charles Charter, setting aside our present constitution as revolutionary, as to restore the old Arkansas constitution, if the peo- pie of that State fairly ratified their new one. The question for Congress to deter mine is whether State government has been fairly elected by the people of that state. If it appears on investigation that it has been 'counted in"-not elected that should certainly render it invalid. It would then be the duty of Congress either to give ''counted out" officers the posi- tiOns to which they were fairly entitled or to order a new election. In case of such wide spread intimidation or terrorism as to have decisive effect on the result of an election. Congress might, we think, Ordera new election and see that that election was fairly conducted.
 How vital a question this is, and how imperative it is that Congress should ex- ercise it's constitutional authority, is evil dent from the fact that in two Southern states at least. elections have been deter mined, not by voting but by counting Suppose that in 1876 the vote of Louis Jana decides the Presidential election? We may then have a controlling portion of the electors of President and Vice. -Presi- dent chosen, not by fair popular vote, but by an unprincipled Returning Board, or by the revolvers of a White League. Would the nation submit to such tamper- ing with returns as was practiced by the Returning Board at the recent election, or to Q result plainly forced by terrorism? Why should not Republican Congress set an example of fair dealing in this most important matter? It might, indeed, cost us Senator or Representlve or two. but it would permanently rid us of the intol- erable burden of responsibility for the Kellogg iniquity. The doctrine of inter- vention is the Republican doctrine. We recognize no fetich in a state government which the supreme authority of Congress, constisutionally exercised, need fear; and there will never be a plainer necessity for the exercise of that authority than that presented by Louisiana to-day.
 The Winsted Press of last week speaks of that wonderfully ''low down" subscri- Der who stops his paper without paying up arrearages. 'He hasn't paid for it, nor offered to since he commenced taking it. IS months ago, but he belongs to the church and has doubtless ere this prayed flor us and our sins what he considers three dollars worth." That sort of ''pat- ron" should be made to pay up what he owes, with little matter of "writ and service" additional.
 Tn ge74 there were 60 children born to native parent. and 100 to foreign, in Win chester. That fact offers pretty rough prospect for the Republican and Protest