Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-02-17
TURBULENT IoUrsiANA,

congress. 1ne state senate
which Is Republican, has substitu
ted for the election law prepared
and passed by the House a new
bill which creates a Returning
Board in form and with powers
greater and more odiousthan those
possessed by the old Board, which
was convicted Of gross frauds by
two Congressional Committees last
year. Copies ofthis piece Of Re.
publican machinery have reached
here, ard it is seen that the pow
ers given in it to the proposed new
Returning Board are snch as would
enable it to fling out any election
precinct or district, not only in
Louisiana but in New York OF
Massachusetts,, ifit were instituted
there, and to declare the election
of whoever the Board chooses.
This bill has created intense ex-
citemcnt in Louisiana, and the Con-
servatives, who have a majority in
The House, threaten thatlunless the
Senate drops the bill they will
hold the Wheeler adjustment to be
broken, and proceed at once to i'm
peach Governor Kellogg and Lieu
tenant Governor Antoine. They
claim that in the adjustment the
Republicans promised 70 consent
to certain necessary reforms, and
that it was understood that among
these reforms the chief was the
abolition of the Returning Board.
1t is quite true that the Republi-
cans promised reforms but the
Conservatives, who are not shrewd
politicians, neglected toinsist up
on bill Of particulars, and hence
got no distinct agreement about
the Returning Board. So far,
therefore, they complain without
good grounds. But as the Legis-
lature ought to act for the peace
of the State, and as the proposed
Senate Bill is plainly abd violent,
ly unjust, they are undoubtedly
right in resisting. ~
Under the State Constitution an
officer is suspended framduty by
the fact of his impsachsnent and
during trial. and thas the House,
which IS Democratic, can lawfully
suspend not only Kellogg but the
Lieutenant Governor, Nl Amake
Estillettas I'll Ga.s 81 tlie
House, who is a conservative and
a moderate man, the acting Gov
ernor, Such course would nat
urally create intense excitement in
New Orleans, and it is feared might
end in violence.
Under these circumstance lead
ing men in both parties here are
examining the situation with auxl-
ETY.. The leading Republicans are
desirous to prevent trouble and Sc
cure peace IN the State, and it is
possible that they may determine
to bring some influence to bear on
Marshal Packard to force him to
consent to an election law, includ-
ing a canvassing board, on which
both parties shall agree, and which
shall be fair. 1t is said here that
it is certainly unfair to insist upon
a law which puts the whole cleo
tion into the hands of a committee
partisan in its character, with pow.
er substantially to do what it
pleases.
A settlement Of the difficulty
would not be impossible if Mr..
Packard were made to understand
that the Republicans here require
it, for it is, of course to Gov. Kel-
logg's interest that he shall not be
impeached, (which suspends him
from office, and he would probably
incline to settlement which
should prevent impeachment. Mar
shal Packard, however, rules Kel-
logg, and it is not believed that he
would be averse to anything which
would help to produce violence and
bloodshed and enable him to cali
for United States troops. 1t is re-
membered here that he came hith-
er last winter to urge the passage
of the force bill, on the ground
that without such a law he could
not promise to carry Louisiana for
the Republican party this year. If
the conservatives in New Orlcaps
are unwise enough to he goaded to
violence such as that which took
place on the l4th of September,
they will give Packard a strong ad-
vantage.
ATTGMPTED EXPRESS ROB-
Berry.
CINCINNATI, Feb. I2.-The Com
mercjaTs Urbana special says,
While the Pan Handle train was
taking water a few miles west Of
that place, last night, the conduc-
tors attention was attracted by