The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-14
COMMENT IN WASHINGTON.

COMMENT IN WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON Jan. 49, 1875.
OPINIONS ON THE PRESIDENTS LOUISIANA MES
sAGE-AN ATTEMPT TO MIsLEAD PUBLIC sENT1-
MENT-A PROPOSED SOUTHERN POLICY.
That the Presidents Message is an extremely
shrewd and clever document is the unanimous
opinion here. lit takes for granted certain num-
Der OF disputed points and bases very plausible
argument upon them" was q remark made OF Il.
II is now easy to see why the President so care
fully avoided seeing any member OF the New
Orleans committee. II he had committed
the imprudence Of asking that committee what
the evidence they heard proved he could
not have signed his name to this Message, for they
would have had to inform him that-nrst the
Returning Board, which he justfes, committed
open and clumsy frauds sufficient to vitiate all Its
PROCEEDINGS; and second, that evidence was
brought to them, though they constantly de-
manded 1t. showing intimidation OF republican
voters at the last election which yet the President
asserts to have existed II he had taken the pains
to read the printed report Of the evidence in the
newspapers he could hardly have made such as
sertlons; much less II he had asked the committee
Tor O sight o. the complete evidence or
brief Of II, which they must have
brought home with them. "While he AFFECTS the
greatest desire to obey Congress, he insults It
through It's committee" was said In conversation
TINS evening; but the answer OF jealous up
holder Of the President was that Congress had n OF
informed him that It was about to send commit
tee to Louisiana, and, he had no ofncial knowl-
edge OF such proceeding 1t was not his duty to
see them on their return and to look TO them for
information. Meantime people pegln TO see
a. <hn< M hAn wv1A
denly turned up as q devoted partisan Of tho
President, was so jealous to keep back the sub
committees report; why q rumor was spread
that the report was "not ready and why Mr..
Charles Foster, the chairman OF the subcommittee,
has been beseged by Mr.. hoar and BY anxious
carpet-baggers and coaxed to alter and trim and
change the pnraseology OF the report. which It Is
now known was ready on Monday ana presented
to the committee that day. The mat
ter has been suddenly huggermuggered,
nd Mr.. Hoar enjoins secrecy and makes
mysterious remarks, and no one here knows this
evening even whether this report the only docu-
ment giving the condition of Louisiana anatrs
which rests on sworn evidence given by both
sides to the controversy before o competent au-
thority win ever see the light As to the full ties.
timony which would enable the public to form its
own conclusions, 1t Is now said that this will not
be printed under three or Jour weeks. BY that
time "the party" may have invented policy, or,
II not, the SESSION will be so near its end that q
full discussion Of the Louisiana question cannot be-
had.
'"rne Message is q deliberate and very clever at
tempt to mislead public opinion said an astute
politician here this evening, "and 1t will probably
succeed. The New Orleans commuters report.
If 1t the light, will come too late" This
Is the general impression here tonight.
General Logan occupied the day aud, having
clear voice and distinct utterance, he made an
effective speech OF the savage and blood thirsty
kind. 1t is said that he prepared this
speech after consultation with the President,
while the latter was still In MS early
wrath with Louisiana, and that he would not or did
not change 1t to conform to the mider words OF
the Message, as that was changed and now stands;
but it is more probable that an agreement was
made that the mid tone OF the Message should be
supplemented by strong words in the Senate.
Senator Upton Will speak tomorrow, and the dis
cussion will last week or ten days ana Will
probably be closed by Mr. Schurz.
The lack OF confidence IN the Presidents pur.
poses and the belief that he may easily be led into
wild and vehement measures by his intimates 10
curously shown by the general expression OF
satisfaction here that there is to be no such break
prominent democratic Senators said to-day
that IL gave. him the greatest satisfaction
that Mr.. Fish remained, and that he should have
thought his resignation at THIS moment grave
public calamity, and this feeling is general among
those on both sizes who are not vehement parti-
sans Whether Congress will heed the Presidents
request to provide him with policy in regard to
the Southern states is not certain IL Is possible
that the session may pass over without bringing
the faithful to an agreement. The violence Of
some OF the carpet-baggcrs begins to disgust
the better class OF republicans one OF
whom, New England man, said to-day
that he would not 60 into caucus II
these people were to rule and to make their de-
mands the tests Of party fidelity. II is said that
the Louisiana committee will report to the House
tomorrow, but this is not certain. The sub com.
mittee mean to have their report read; but Mr..
Hoar may invent new delays so az to give the
Presidents Message fair start, and allow that
to make its impression on the public mind.
The Southern policy now talked OF Ii to
make appropriations for the pay and
subsistence OF the army for tive
years. and to revive the law which gave the
President power In his discretion, TO declare mar
tial law In any Southern district. This, II II sup.
posed, would, II q pretext was given by violenos
or disorder. lead to the throwing out Of Q certail
number OF Southern electoral votes In the cleo.
ton of 1875, but whether such q scheme can h
carried through CONGRESS u "a ret doubtsuh