The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-18

0CoOB0tAOUy
} officers under one general and sweeping in
dictmenk
OUR TRUE POLICY.
For some time past spirit of disquiet hal
pervaded the State-House. The unexplained
. appointment of Gen. Hugh J. Campbell al
Sergeant alarms Of the Senate. when there
was no apparent cause for the sudden and I'M
expected displacement of his respectable and
efficient colored predecessor, the daily presence
in and about the State House Of an unusual
force Of metropolitan police. both in uniform
and in citizens attire, other ominous prepare.
tions in and about the Senate Chamber of a
wsrlike character-all these portentous dis
plays have an ugly and hostile look, and
suggest . coup dstat to the thoughtful OBJ
server.
Il is not little significant, too, that these
warlike preparations coincide, in point Of
time, with the Investigations BY committees
of the House of the official conduct of certain
high functionaries, in which developments
have been made of degree of criminality
which subjects most of the offenders to i'm
parchment and removal from Office.
We say this coincidence is significant, but
We hesitate to believe that it signifies .
deliberate purpose to interfere with either
branch of the General Assembly in the dis
charge Of its duty or in the exercise Of its
constitutional prerogatives. We prefer to as
sumo that such is not the import Of these
wsrlike preparations.
We prefer to attribute these extraordinary
preparations of q hostile nature to the
promptings of guilty conscience, rather
than to any meditsted outrage upon the free
dom of legislative action. It would be q sad
day 10 all participators when such an outrage
should be attempted. It would doubtless be
melancholy day for Louisiana.
In view Of this feverish state Of public feel
ing when any act of rashness on the part of
the leaders on either side might serve as q
spark Of fire to pDwder magazine. We offer
words Of dispassionate counsel to the Dsmo-
cratic and Conservative members of the Leg
islature. They are not in . condition to risk
any rash or inconsiderste act, even though,
Is We know, their patience is daily tried to
the utmost bent Of human endurance.
Certain it is that their just indignation has
been aroused by the reports Of the investiga-
ting committees, showing bold and pro-
6igate use of funds ex.orted from our i'm
poverished people by men who hold their
official places by audacious usurpation.
We know, too. that the development and
preof of these facts ought in justice and in
law to hurl these men from their places Of
power, and we regret that it can not be done.
But We have been aware, and the people Of
the whole State have been aware of the char
acter of these officials, and of their outrageous
and criminal conduct, ever since they have
been in power, and yet the people, except
upon one occasion, have endured them with
heroic patience and forbearance rather
than resort to the only speedy remedy
that remained. They have preferred to en-
dure the ills they have than to fly to others
that they know not Of. ...
The ill-gotten lease Of power of these men
and Of the party which hustains them will
soon expire. The next election, as we
all hope. will place the reins of govern
ment in the hands of the true representatives
Of the people if we commit not the blunder
Of following our passions rather than our cool
judgment. The election will be-mxst be-
fairly held, and the result fairly declared and
made effective, in spite Of any election law
devised to prevent it. On this point the
people over the whole State are united and
inAexibly resolved. tELt fEf&
An attempt at this time 70 impeach and re-
move Gov Kellogg, upon the plainest proof
of whatever crimes he may have committed
against the State, would prove disastrous
failure beyond oil peradventure. Articles Of
impeachment upon the gravest charges of
criminality would undoubtedly pass the House
by the constitutional majority, and the
clearest proofs might be furnished, but when
he came before the Senate to be tried can
anybody doubt the result?
There is no possible evidence on which that
body would convict him. Should the House
adopt resolution suspending him from
Office until such time as the Senate might try
him, as was done by the Radical House when
it impeached Warmoth. then would commence
q conflict which must be carried to the bitter
end, or it would prove miserable fasco. It
is not easy to foresee the consequences of such
conflict in the present state Of public
feeling, but they would be likely to be of
nature to be deplored by all good men.
Delighted as We would be to see Gov. Kel-
1or, doroco6 fro,v, Shn offco which ho hos NO
more legal right to hold than any other citi-
zen of Illinois, and, however much he de-
serves to be impeached for crimes against the
State, yet, under existing circumstances, we
think IL wnnld hA vain and imnolitic to at. |