The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-22


ed to maintain the rights OF their con-
stituencies against the Infamous DEGREES
OF the Board. They must still bear In
mind the invasion Of the State House
by Federal troops and the expulsion
therefrom, at the point or the bayonet.
of the legally elected Representatives of
the people, who the Returning Board
had In Radical lingo, counted
out" In view Of all these facts, which
must be very fresh in the minds Of the
Democratic and Conservative members
of the House, and which still rankle,
more deeply than some politicians seem
to think, In the hearts Of the people at
large, 1t was expected that, before any
other steps were taken or any other
measures were adopted, the representa-
tives of the people would force the repeal
OF a measure which exists in violation OF
every principle Of constitutional liberty
and which has, since its creation, been
used only to outrage the white peo-
pie OF the State, falsify our elections,
and place In authority men who have
been defeated and whose only purpose
has been and Is to plumber the State.
Has public expectation in this matter
been satisfied Certainly not. The
House has passed an election bill which
abolishes the Returning Board, but the
Senate has refused to concur, and the
House has become demoralized. At
first we had grand flourish of trum-
pets. There were brave resolutions
adopted. The people from one end OF
the State to the other stood, asi it were,
upon tiptoe, and waited with eagerness
and hope for the next intelligence from
the capital. "The Returning Board,
which has foisted a government OF
scoundrels upon our State" they said,
with something OF exultation, twill now
be repealed, or Kellogg. the infamous
creature of fraud and violence, will be
impeached, and dragged from the high
place he disgraces. But the people
have waited in vain. The Democrats
and Conservatives are divided, we are
told, in opinion as to the propricty Of
impeaching villain who has outraged
every right OF the people; who has been
the pal of thieves, and the patron Of all
species OF official corruption. There are
Democratic and Conservative members
ready and anxious to move, and to
move promptly in the matter Of
impeachment; but there are
others who fear the responsibility of so
grave a step; who cling to the mean
delusion that we can get something by
conciliating the Radicals that extreme
measures are impolitic. We think the
gentlemen who, in taking this position,
are thwarting the public wish and vir-
tually surrendering the situation to the
enemy, will find, when they return
home with their little talk about the
reform measures they have succeeded
in passing, their constituencies demand
ing an explanation of the fact that 50
weak and puerile fight has been made
to eliminate from our elective system
an institution which virtually destroys
the right OF franchise, perpetuates the
power OF a band OF political adven-
turers, and leaves the country no Sc
curity that any measure Of reform or
retrenchment, will endure longer than
the present year.
These gentlemen are the weakest Of
politicians, the unsoundest Of think
ers, the drearyest of failures as legis-
lators. Mr.. Kellogg and his party have
q fixed and settled purpose to carry out,
and they cannot be diverted from it.
That purpose Is to retain this State in
the control Of their ring. The man who
thinks they can be diverted from this
end, or that we can make any terms
with them which do not include our
surrender Of everything to them, is
simply silly. There is but one line OF
action which promises us anything.
As the Radicals have fixed purpose to
hold the State in the interest of plum
derers, we should be animated by a
fixed purpose Of driving out, in the in
tercst Of honest, economical and consti-
tutional government, the plumber rs,
and Of wrestling the State from the power
Of the men who now hold it. This object
should be paramount in the mind and
heart Of every Democrat and Conserva-
tive in the Legislature, and it should
not be bartered away for promises OF
reform and retrenchment, which, even
if fulfilled, will afford the State no per-
nament relief until the iniquitous and
lawless power Of Radicalism is broken.
The Legislature as presently organ
lied was created through process un.
known to our constitution and our laws,
and repulsive to the feelings and judg.
ments of free people. It was the after.
thought of lawless violence. Yet, in their
sore distress, in utter hopelessness, the
people accepted and came to look trust
ingly to it. But, if it shall adjourn
without enforcing the repeal Of the Re
turning Board or impeaching Kellogg
when the hist brian of the next genera
ton shall call the roll Of the public
bodies which have existed in his day, K
the name OF the Louisiana Legislature
Of 1855 the voice Of the country viii
answer, dead on the field of infamy
It will not suffice that it has repealed g
few bad laws and enacted few gooc
ones. Favorable judgment will not b.
pronounced upon it because it sought t.
leyade high and holy duty by divertint