National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-08
MAKING WAR IN THE UNION,
AND DENYING THE POWER TO
SUPPRESS 1T.

of persons engaged therein, in speaking oil
the suppression thereof, took the position
that the mistake made by those who
favored the rebellion was that they did
not make the fight inside of the Union in.
stead of going out. By this was meant
that the South should have maintained its
representation in both Houses of Congress,
while their friends at home carried out
their part of the programme. Since the
surrender this advice has been accepted
and acted upon, and is being acted upon
to-day The action of the White League
Democracy in Louisiana is illustrative OF
the policy that in their opinion should
have been pursued in 1861. Every one OF
the Southern States now under the control
of the White League party was obtained
possession of by threats, intimidation,
murder and violence. That policy having
been successful in those States, and unre-
buked by Congress, led the White
Leaguers of Louisiana in September last
to take up arms and overthrow the recog
nized officers and authority Of the govern
ment of that State. The President, as
was his duty, on the application of the ad-
Indicated Governor of the State dispersed
Penn and his followers. From that day
down to the present the White Leaguers
of Louisiana have refused to obey, and to-
day entirely ignore the existence of the
authority of a State government within
the boundary of the State of Louisiana.
Resistance to the authority of the State has
been the rule and obedience the exception.
The object of this resistance, as stated by
the White Leaguers themselves, is to show
to the world that the Kellogg government
is not powerful enough to sustain itself
and enforce the administration of justice
without the help of FedeTal authority.
This fact they have pretty fairly demon
strated, and being thus demonstrated, the
question arises what shall be done in such
a contingency?
The White Leaguers claim this evidence
of lawlessness proves conclusively that
the governing powers of the State ought
to be transferred to their hands-that hav-
ing demonstrated they have the power to
resist the State government successfully,
ergo, they have the power to enforce
obedience to law if they were clothed with
the power to enforce it. How long is re-
sistance to law and these scenes of violence
and blOodshed to continue? The White
Leaguers say it will continue until such
time as the people Of that State will con-
sent that their lawlessness shall be re-
warded with a surrender of the State gov
eminent into their hands, or until such
time as their lawlessness will compel Con-
gress to displace the present State govern
ment by one of military character. What
is TO be done in contingency like this?
The White Leaguers of Louisiana and their
Democratic brethren of the North say the
President of the United States is powerless
in such a case-that before the President
can interfere with Federal troops to sup
press violence and compel obedience to and
recognition of the laws of the State, he
must show unquestioned authority for so
doing. If the authority has not been con-
ferred by law, the Louisiana case shows
the necessity of legislation, and immediate
legislation. We think it has been con-
ferred, and while additional legislation may
be necessary for the punishment of such
lawlessness as exists in Louisiana, we are
satisfied the law as it now stands on the
statute warrants every step taken in Louis
lana. Men who are ignorant of both the
facts and the law are seldom competent to
judge correctly, and this seems to be the
condition into which the Herald, Tribune
and Times have fallen. Now, what are the
facts? Is it not true that Kellogg applied
to the President to suppress an instruction
against the government of that State? Is
it not true that nearly the entire press of the
country sustained the President in so doing?
These things conceded, it necessarily fol-
lows that the Presidents authority was
properly invoked in September last. In
order to restore the offices of the State gov
eminent of Louisiana to the proper author
ity and protect the persons entitled thereto
in the proper enjoyment thereof orders
had to be issued for the guidance of those
charged with enforcement of the same. 1t
seems from the instructions sent General
Merrill that three things were enjoined
upon him First, to recognize, as legal, as
State officials only such persons as are re-
CogniZed by the recognized executive or
judicial officers of the State second, that
in the legal exercise of their duties such
officers must not be violently disturbed OF
interfered with, and if such violence occurs
it shall be his duty to suppress it, and third,
that his advice to all persons is, that if any
question Of right exists for any person to
hold office, such person shall be taken
before the proper legal tribunals Similar
orders to this, no doubt, were given the
officers at New Orleans But our Demo.
cratic White League advocates say that the
emergency which demanded the issuance
of this order had passed and was nulIity.
The order in and of itself is right, and no;
only intended to GUST those who had
usurped the offices belonging to the State,
but to prevent a subsequent seizure of them
by persons not entitled thereto. The laws
of Louisiana prescribe how the election o.
persons to Office shall be ascertained and
promulgated. The persons declared elected
are but the successors of the outgoing of
ficers, and any attempt by one who was no
declared elected to take possession of an Office
(Which the returning board had declared
another was entitled, by force and VIC