New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-16

teke place. tneY may .Aee10 the passoE
truth Aisa naenaniAous people whose
mercy has bean abused are the most un-
relentins judges on earth.
STATE RIaHTs-A Fatal AID FINAL
6URRENDBR.
The surrender Of the military resist
ance to the Union was not more signal on
the fields Of viclsburg1 or Apposnattox
than it has been, in the demand Of the
Southern Democracy that Congress shall
exercise the power to enter the States,
call upon the sworn o@cers Of the State
and demand an account Of the acts done
in tho name Of the State. There has
never been such an abject abandonment
Of State rights before. The soldiers Of
tho Confederaey were, in the opinion Of
President Gfapt much more worthy Of
respect than their allies, that enemy IN
the rear" the Democracy of the North.
But the Democratic politicians of the
South have gone far beyond the soldiers
of secession; they have conceded powers
to one branch Of the Federal government
against which even Republicans protest.
We have expressed our astonishment
that the merchants, mechanics and prop
erty holders Of New Orleans should have
manifested such excitement in favor of q
New York presidential candidate over .
Western candidate. II is even more
strange that the State rights Democracy
Of Louisiana should claim for the House
! Of Congress such extraordinary powers
over the sworn officers of the States. Do
these politicians reflect upon the danger
Gus, perhaps fatal, concession of State
| government which they thereby maker
Let u suppose . possible case. that they
may appreciate that danger. The Repub-
Leans hold at present the executive de-
paztment and Senate. They claim . ma
jority in tho next House Of Represents
tives. The resolutions introduced by
Senator Edmunds propose IN inquiry
whether the right of any citizen Of the
United States to vote at any election IL
denied or IN any way abridged. except on
the conditions stated lin certain Southern
States? & w"
We are aware that the true construction
Of this constitutional power win involve
much speaking and writing, but We are
also convinced that the power Of oonstr0-
ing this power will rest with the execu-
tive, Judicial and law making departments
Of the Federal government. Can not
those Who now triumph in the claim Of
the House of Representatives to summon
and compel the presence and testimony
Of State officers upon the social and po-
ftical condition of State perceive the
future application Of this doctrine? II,
in the not improbable future, it shall be-
come important to Congress to inquire
whether and to what extent the right to
vote has been denied or abridged to any
citizen of the United States, committee
from Republican House should come to
New OIlsans with the power claimed
for the committee a: present in ses-
sion, witnesses might flock to their
committee room; officers might be COM
PEELED to come from their parishes and
testify, or be held in contumacious con-
tempt for refusal, and such committee
might return 10 Washington with ample
evidence upon which to enact and apply
the constitutional penalty imposed upon
such denial or -abndgement Of suffrage.
What is that penalty That the repre-
sentation of the.State in which this right
sis denied" or Gin any way abridged"
shall be reduced in the proportion which
tho number of citizens so denied or
abridged of their right shall bear to the
whole number of male, citizens over
tweety-one years of age in such State.
Now, We ask all rejecting minds, if the
possibility that Louisiana may be de-
prived Of her representation in Congress
and the Electoral College by the
application this penalty, is not . peril
not lightly to be" incurred? Let us
not conceal the fact that there is again
. sectional struggle to administer the Fed
eral government upon the principles
which have heretofore divided these Sec
tons. Let us not deny that the Repub-
licans believe the present issues to have
been revived by conspiracy Of the
Southern Democracy with the spoil hunt
ing Democracy Of the North. In such
case no quarter need be asked by either
party. The Republicans know what they
and the whole country would have to ex-
pect from the success of the Democracy.
They believe that nothing but the want
of military ability prevents the Dsmoc-
racy from seizing the national government
as they have done the governments of
Louisiana, Mississippi and South Caro-
lima. They know that courtesy and con-
Of lsw are thrown away upon q
party that clEims" al and comedies
nothing. Therefore We have. right to
that whatsoever tho constitu-
ton and the construction Of that instru-
n,ent may empower the Republican party
to do, it will do " al'' .'.. ~
An attempt has been made by the De-
mocracy Of Louisisna to capture and
count the whole. colored representation
for the Democratic President. It has
been more nearly successful than it may |