New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-14


West would constitute q splendid addi-
ton to the resources of the roads and
river, and grand field for the industries
aud economies Of the whole Northwest
VIRTUES OF THE COMPROMISE.
The P;caylne seems to have the same
confidence in the force of the compromise
that the elder Weller had in that of an
alibi. We may imagine the Picoyune say
ing to some friend of Mr.. Eustis, "He
may make his mind easy, Sammy. We
got some friends ash do either for him,
but my advice would be this here, Stick
to the compromise Nothing like com.
promise, Sammy, nothing" and then if
an unavailing application shall be made
directly to the Senate without demanding
the seal of State with the signature of the
executive, we may expect the sorrowful
reproach, 81 know'd what'd come o
this here mode O. dom bisness. Oh,
Sammy, Sammy, Wy vornt there-a COM
promise?'
The Picaylne argues that an obligation
rests upon Governor Kellogg to furnish
the credentials to Mr.. Eustis, which he
declined to furnish Immediately upon the
choice of that gentleman in sort of leg
islative caucus. It says:
The fact is, that Kellogg is now Governor
by suffersnoe and not by suffrage. The re-
iection of Pinchback has settled the inva.
lidity Of Governor Kellogg's election.
1t seems extremely difficult to impress
our contemporary with the fact that the
Senate decision that Mr.. Pinchback is
not qualified member of that body, in
no sense effects the legal standing of the
State government of Louisiana. Nor can
the concession Of the Picayune itself va
cate the Office of Governor Kellogg by
any force of invective or of assertion.
The idea apparently sought to be i'm
pressed upon the public is that Governor
Kellogg holds Office by no legal power,
because the Senate has decided that Mr..
Pinchback was not entitled to q seat in
that body.
Mr.. Kellogg is indebted, according to
this view, to the compromise for ''suffer-
ance" in Office, "but he can still fall back
upon the compromise. He has sinned
beyond the power of national sovereignty
to forgive, but he may be saved through
the infinite grace of a partisan compro-
mise, and the supreme efficacy of Demo-
cratic dissolution, and the gracious indul-
gence of merciful Democracy. What
charming scheme of political regenera-
ton! The Governor of Louisiana is an
"usurper," holding his pro-
visional authority in trust under the con-
troll Of Captain Kidd and the tribe of
Coushatta.
Why, if Mr.. Kellogg had the most dis
tant idea that he is not the legal Governor
of Louisiana, i: would be a dishonor to
hold the Office L der such bargain as is
implied in thi, construction of the COM
promise.
We will proceed to argue the reasons
why the compromise will not bind the
Senate of the Z oited States. We again
recur to and assume that the argument
upon which Senator Edmunds based the
rejection of Mr.. Pinchback's claims re-
lated solely to the invalidity of his Gre
dentials. He expressly renounced any
objection to the claimant on account of
color or character. We assume that the
four other Republican Senators who
voted with Mr.. Edmunds and assigned no
other objections than those embodied in
the argument Of Mr.. Edmunds, stood
upon the same ground with him.
In examining the validity of the cleo
ton of 1872, it would have been impos-
sible for Republican believing in the
sovereignty of the people, and the subor-
dination of the States, to have overlooked
the interposition of the State courts.
This barrier is thus regarded:
We find ourselves confronted, says Mr..
by what is called the decision OF
the Supreme Court of the State OF LOUISE
ana, and will take it for granted that the
Supreme Court Of Louisiana did decide,
and has decided again and again, it you
please, that the Lynch board was the law
full board. Are we bound bv that decision!
He proceeds to say:
The constitution, which is the supreme
law of the land, says that not the Supreme
Conrt of Louisiana, not the Supreme Court
Of any State, but we, here, under personal
oath. each one of us, to do justice according
TO the law, shall be the judge for this pur-
nosa of what the law of tho State OF Lou
isiana is.
We will not follow the elaborate afgu-
ment repelling the Intervention Of our su-
preme Court, and closing with the strong
that if the Supreme Court OF
The United States, sitting in that place at
hat time, or all the members Of it, the
best men in the hand, had done exactly
he same thing, ut would not have
helped" the question "a particle"
We need scarcely state that we do not
ndorse this argument or conclusion of
Nj. Edmunds. We are seeking to find
What the present Senate viii do upon tho
logical authority Of what it has done.