The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-08
Ghe Daily Aren:s;:.

. :
From the New York Herald. JAN 5th
The Prostration of Republican Govern
rnent in Louisiana. .'
There was Witnessed in the Louisiana
state house yesterday spectacle which is
the first of its kind in this country, and
which should cause every true American
to blush with shame and indignation. a
body OF Federal troops entered leglsla-
tive hall. took the speaker from his chair,
and forced number Of protesting mem
bers from their seats and marched them
oat with soldier on each side, prepared
to drag them along if they resisted. We
congratulate the citizens of Louisiana and
the people of the country that this extra
ordinary and most revolving scene did not
provoke violence and bloodshed. Forcible
resistance would have been justihable in
this case, il it be ever justliable in any
case-for greater outrage on every prin.
ciple of free government was never perpe-
trated-were it not for the fact that the
people of Louisiana have surer resource
for the redress of their grievances in the
sense of Justice of the whole country and
in the public resentment which will be
kindled to the highest pitch by these
atrocities and unexampled proceedings.
Every maxim of free government was
violated aud trodde1 under foot by the
Federal interference yesterday with the
rganization of state legislature. Our
Declaration of Independence denounced
the King of England for making the mill
fary superior to the civil authority, and for
iissolving representative houses for -oppos
ing his invasions on the rights of the peo-
pie. President Grant has done these very
things by the use he made of the Federal
army in New Orleans yesterday. OF
course the responsibility must rest on Gen.
Grant, for without his orders none of his
| military subordinates would have dared to
interfere with the organization Of a state
legislature. 1t cannot be pleaded that
| this was done to preserve the peace, for
the citizens of New Orleans were never
more quiet and orderly than at the time
| this great outrage on free institutions was
perpetrated. 1t is a principle which per-
vades our system of government that eyerv
| legislative body is the sole judge of the
qualifications of its own members and of
| their right to seats-a principle so sacred
| that courts OF justice never interfere with
| it or call it in question. But we are sud
deLly brought to such pass that Fedora
troops undertake to decide who are entitled
t., seats in state legislature and to eject
members by force. The outrage is not
extenuated by saying that the Federal
| troops acted in obedience to Governor
Kellogg, as was pretended, while those
shameful scenes were enacting. No
governor of any state has the least
shadow Of right to interfere with the organ.
lzation of its legislature. Every state
constitution. like the federal constitution,
Explicitly makes each legislative house the
rec, sole aud unlimited Judge of the right Of
laimants to sit as its members. Kellogg
has no more right to decide that certain
persons are MT entitled to seats in the Lou
is ana legislature a. d to put them out than
It e President has to pursue similar course
specting members of congress. Kellogg
Ii guilty of new usurpati0n when he as
| umes to make such decision, and Presi
dent Grant acts in an arbitrary and ins0'
lent spirit of Caesar SIN in encouraging u h
interference ON the part of Kellogg aud
supporting him in it by the rude hand Of
military violence No rights are held sc
sacred in all free governments as those /
tneir legislatures. All free constitutions
,rntect them from every kind of Executive
interference. Their memhers are privil
legged from arrest they cannot be called il
,uesti in any other place for W 'rds spo
KIN in debate; they can be expe led only
" tWo-thirds vote Of the house Ia which
they b, long, AMI the ultimate decision ~
-heir right to seats is vested Exclusively Ii
thar h. use aud cannot be r,v ew d OF II
yersed by any outside officer OF ,dy Al
these constitutional principles, which hav'
always been deemed essential to free gov
ernment, were trampled under foot ve>'rr
day by federal soldiers in obedience to tn
,Ilers of President Grant
| His only right to Interfere in the dome>
TIC affairs of state is for the purpose Il
uppressing violence. There was no VII
. mt resistance yesterday, either to stat,
authority or federal authority, nor any offp
t resistance or imminent danger of any
. The President has no more right to unsea
members of the Louisiana legislature tina
.e has to unseat members of the New Yor
legislature The act of c.ngreSs which cor
ers all the authority he possesses to Ell
soy federal trOnps in state empower
lim to use them only in case of IAN insul
rt ciInn in state against the gnvernmer
thereof" The pcacable organization {
'Ie Louisiana legislature was not an insu
rrctinn and justified IN such high-hande
j r.,ceedings as those which took place We
! ,erday The President authority is lin
! ted in every case to the mere suppressiC
\ # violence aud preservati of order, an
:, 40 stretch of the statute can make it e.
~ tend t. the nrganizati"n ri a legislature al
=. nieing of the election and qualifications
ii ITS members. What General Grant hi
h aused to be done in New Orleans W
m prove finishing and irretrie:able blow
u him and the Republican party, unless CO
: rress shall promptly repair this monstro
b. injustice which was perpetrated under t
r eyes of one of its own committees.
n IL