New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-26
UUTRAMONTANIsM.
the POWER BEHIND 1uutM AND REFORM
0ATTIEO AND BELII0ERE0T

BAFFLED AND BELLIoERENT
Tho following, from the Mor~tng Star
the Irish Democratic Roman Catholic Or
gan in this clty-this mornine's issue-pos-
sesses especial eigni6c .nce at this time:
The como. ntra,lon of troops ct Washing
ington 10 gong ON with Q rapidity that
would not have been dreamed Of two weeks
sgo. Exchanges notify us that IL. 900 troops
OF the regular army are TO hold the forts
around the city, while militia regiments by
the dozen, t. be sent by Republican Gov
ernors, are arranged tor. Certainly Grant
has not lost bis military instincts. He con
siders Washington as the key to the situa-
ton and intends to hold it. And this is the
man who makes such pr0testati0ns against
permitting fraud to color the result of tbs
elections.
In the meantime is the Democracy going
to stand quietly by and let itself be tied
hand and f00ti Will it permit trap to be
deliberately made into which the House of
Representatives will not dare to set foot
except under pain of being q virtual pris-
oner of State1 1.-THE House does not meet
in Washington it will be declared contums-
ci0us and lts minority will proceed to usurp
all the functions of congressional body.
If it does assemble there the Democratic
members will run the risk of being held in
captivity during war of indefuite length,
aud will, of course. be in . position where
intimidation can be made most effective.
We then xsk, 10 the American people to
wait Meekiy for come overt act Of usurpa
ton, when it will be slmcst too late for it
to move successfully in defense of it's
rights Among nations. when two powers
are in . position that may rest in hostili.
ties, one of them will not sit supinely idle
while the other 10 making every prepara-
ton for active war. 1t would be c0nsid-
cred an act of supremest stupidity for any
government, under such circumstances, to
wait without movement until its enemy,
having gotten ready at its leisure, should,
1t its own chosen moment and ON it's own
chosen ground, say to it: Come, submit.
You are unarmed, and my guns command
every position that you can possibly take.
The Democracy of this country are not Q
set of sheep. They eubody the principal
fighting element of the population. Were
h0stiliaes to break ont today Republican
resistance would be scattered to the winds
in month. but besides the fighting capaci-
ty, they nonopolze also the principal mill
tary ability Of the country. Leaving the
south out of the question, the Northern
Democracy furnishes su0h names 80 McClel-
Ian, Hancock, Hooker, Shields. Buell.. etc.
IL it to be supposed that these men are
asleep; or that, having their eyes open,
they can see what is going on ana not com.
prshend ire meaniusi And. understanding
friends to visit without movement until an
active, skillful and unscrupulous foe shall
have made every preparation for An inevi-
table conflict
Men, reasonable men, talk about what
Congress will do-what the House of Rep
r~sentatives will do. What Con that House
do confronted with ~. 600 regular troops
and 50 600 militia. The election, with the
Returning Bard pr0vieo, has been farce.
Representatives with the bayonet accom-
psniment to it would be % far inferior in
dignity to Q good farce a. the bray OF an
ass 10 to IN explosion of wit.
Grant lie 1Anking 10 everywhere. He is
quietly taking charge of all the posi-, ions
and terrifying hem. Among other things.
he 10 going to take charge of the Governor
chip Of this State and South Carolioa.
Il is for the Democracy-the national d.
mocracy-to say ii he shall bo permitted to
do il.
This is not question for Louisiana or
South Carolina. It is no longer q Cover
nor's chair that is in question; it is an out
post of the White House. COncede Pack
ard to Grant and You give him two months'
possession of the pOsition that the Repub-
licans have carried Louisiana. How will it
sosnd to tell the American people on the
fourth of March that Louisiana gave
have submitted to the hypothesis that the
election had resulted in favor of the Re-
publicans.
Itmay be argued that all this is legal
question and must be settled by the courts.
But here IL the vital mistake. The chief
executive power Of the nation and of =
State. alike, is something beyond the ju,is-
diction OF the judiciary. The right to it's
possession 10 political question, and the
courts have nothing to do with it.
Tho ultimate jurisdiction a. to the per-
sonal constitution of any political body
having ar rharing the sovereignty rests in
itself. The lower house, either of Congress
or of any State Legislature, 10 the ultimate
Judge of the ele ction Of it's own members
Toe same 10 the case with the Senate, either
national or local, and 1t 10 impossible to e.
cape the conclusion that the same rule sp.
plies TO the presidency. The president lect
II be has been really and truly chosen, he
must assume the Office, notwithstanding any
chicsnery Of Returning Boards. and not
withstanding any partisan delinquency of
Congress in miscouuting his votes. If the
people have elected him, the presumption
mnst be that they will sustain him.
The same is the case with e30vernOr.
His Is the sovereign executive power of the
State, and he is the final judge Of his own
election. The United Ststes Supreme
Court has held that the President must de-
eide which of two candidates for Cover.
norship has been elected, where the result
is in controversy. But there 10 no such
power limited at in tho constitution, and
the Supreme Court had no right to 20 far
Their than merely admit that it had NO jar
isdiction over political question.
In this view of the case, It appears to 10
that General Nicholle MI! have an indie.
feasible right TO take the Office to which he
has been elected. when the proper time to
do 90 :Trives. Of course, it would be as .
matter OF policy, very improper for him to
do IL, unless fully assured of support by the
national Democracy. But with that sup.
port, it might be good policy. Indeed,
some such movement may be the only way
of scattering, before it is put together, the
materials Of the trap which Grant is 80
cuunipgly preparing to set at Washington.
At 1t Again In West Feliciana.
Senator E. l.. Weber, who has just ar
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