New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-25
KANSAS AND LOUISIANA,

l
into Kansas, both antagonists addressed
themselves to the effort of fixing the infant
institutions of that Territory by outside
and illegal means. Missouri sent her
armed men and politicians with ready
drawn constitution and laws. South Caro-
lima and Georgia dispatched the repre-
sentatives of slavery extension. Massa-
chusetts organized the Immigrant Aid
Society" for the purpose Of directing
emigrants westward, and aiding in pro-
viding accommodations for the emigrants
at their places of destination. There was
a state of armed contest in Kansas over
the future constitution OF the State. We
will not pretend to reopen the documents
published upon this subject, but we will
only quote one paragraph from the report
of Senator Green, of Missouri Democrat),
as a specimen of the agencies alleged to
have been employed in solving this great
question.
Soon after the territorial government
1
persons formed combinations to resist the
laws and to set at defiance both the terrific
rial and United States govern ments.
| To accomplish their ends, they concocted
| and effected q secret military organization
of their malcontents, pledged to resist the
legal authorities, and actually received
Sharpe's rifles, sent out from Massachu-
sets and other States by the so-called emil
| grant aid societies, to enable them to main
/ <o;v <hofr ton IN 10 INF
thority.
1t was upon this alleged Intervention of
other States, and upon this "forcible re-
sistance to lawful authority" that the
action of President Pierce was based. 1t
was upon this anarchy and disorder that
he founded this celebrated declaration:
The constitution required him to take care
that the laws of the United States be faith
fully executed. If they be opposed in the
Territory of Kansas ne may and should
place at the disposal of the marshal any
public force which happens to be within bis
jurisdiction, to be used as portion Of the
posse comitatus; and if that do not suffice
to IN sintain order, then he may call forth
the militia of one or more States for that
object, or employ tor the same object any
part of the land or naval force of the United
States.
The question of slavery extension has
been settled by the extinction Of the
institution of slavery. The negro ques-
ton has come up in another form. 1t is
whether free suffrage and the hight of Of
fetal service shall be extended to the
negro.
This conflict seems drifting over the
same ground as the other, and the ef-
forts for and against the recognition Of
these rights seem to be represented by
very much the same parties. The solid
whites of the Gulf States are banded
against the solid people of color. The
white people of these States seem to have
revived the divisions of the States in re-
gard to slavery extension into Kansas.
We have believed that Texas sends Ku-
Klux into Louisiana to overawe or init
midate Republicans. There is proof that
Mississippi has done the same thing in
the Feliciana troubles. White Georgians
have invaded South Carolina to punish
with death an alleged colored insult to
two white men.
There is an Intervention threatened in
Louisiana from the States adjacent,
which, having established Democratic
domination by intimidation at home, pro-
pose to extend the system over Louisiana
also. We deprecate this practice of in
vasion and Intervention by the people of
one State in the political affairs of
another. 1t is certainly very contrary to
the remonstrance of Senator Green
against the alleged Intervention of the
Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Association.
Suppose the Republicans of Ohio or In
diana, observing the organization Of the !
suffrage people, should get up
a counter contribution to sustain Louisi-
ana? Suppose troop Of Texas horse
men, with section of artillery, should 1
be met by an excursion party from the |
States who visit Louisiana
solely to witness the phenomena Of a
colored election, as if it were the transit
Of a planet? Would the one be
more improper than the other? Would
not both be wrong? Yet either would
render it the duty of President Grant to
10 as President Pierce did. We depre-
cate this Intervention, but any violation Of
aw is apt to provoke retaliation. If
Texas and Mississippi send armed men to
ntimidate voters in Louisiana, Ohio,
illinois and Indiana may counteract this
fleet by precisely the same means. One
7iolation, single evasion Of law, may
'pen breach that nothing except public
orce can stop. The persistent opponents
# negro suffrage have awakened CORE
ponding determination to defend it. If
n ordinary affairs one man evades an OBJ
igation, the depravity of human nature
will very probably induce his opponent
n interest to do the same. If one man
I'm for controversy, he is very
pit to find his antagonist with his hand
n his hip pocket. Let not the Democ-
acy of Louisiana think they can depart
rom this law, without finding themselves
onfronted by the same force that they
ropose. Let them not think they can
all in the aid of adjacent States without
eriling counter raid from other States.
resident Grant, like President Pierce,
ill employ the authority, the discretion
nd the force of law, to arrest any eva