New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-14
TIRE action or THE PRESIDENT.

THE ACTION or mr. IHFNIII--'I
We have observed very little diSapprobation
of the measures adopted and the precautions
taken during the present extraordinary poilu-
cal crisis. The wise course Of the President,
strictly considered, is undoubtedly extra
official but, if il has no legitimate reference
to any existing statute, 1t violates no law, nor
does it oycrpasS any limitation of the Constl-
tuition. New occasions, especially If they
develop new and unforeseen emergencies,
must he met in the way best calculated to
save the Republic from dctrimcnt nor have
we yet forgotten the Responsibilities Whlch
we're boldly assumed by the Executive under
the pressure OF the Civil War. 1t must he
remembered that an honest return OF tie vote
of Louisiana is not matter IN which that
State has a private and separate concern.
Each III all is the fundamental idea of the
Union. which could not boast of more than Il
lyccaIious existence if the laws faithfully
obeved by certain States can with impunlty
he violated by others We are all, as citizens
Of the whole Union, quasi citizens Of L0uisl-
ana, and our interest i'll the purity Of her cleo
tons is direct and indiSputablc. The sullragcs
of her constituencies, legally exercised, are
sacred from outside interference; but iLaSmuch
as n competent knowledge Of all facts relating
10 her recent vote is absolutely necessary to
our own political existence, 1T would be absurd
TO deny us, upon some thin point OF political
ctiduette, the right to observe and investigate
all the circumstances attendant upon
the choice Of her electors. No extra
judicial tribunal is established; no inquiSitoral
scheme is set afoot; no direct and practical
action Is contemplated. The recommendation
of the President is simply recommendation,
! and his request is merely request. what Is
wanted is evidence, and delay i'll securing 1t
may involve its final and irrctricvabc loss.
TO this, indeed, may be added all that we may
gain from the fears Of factions and unscIupu-
| Ious officers of the poll, when they learn that
they are not, of their mere motion, to count
candidates in and out with irresponsible au-
dacity We have great vital, mspeakaby
important interests at stake, all depending, to
the best of our knowledge, upon an honest
/ canvass of the vote of Louisiana. Fraud ar
rested there and now is arrested cOnclusivcly ;
! but tolerated tampc'ing with the vote at
! first may extend through months, and may be
years, of hot disputes, of intricate Judicial
! proceedings, and of that public uneasincSS
/ which paralyzcs trade and binders all the val
/ liable pursuits of society. No State has or can
| have, under the largest construction Of local
rights, any just power to embarass. imp0ver-
! ish. and degrade all the others. The contract
of the Union is social one, with all the
rights and duties which are thus implied We
are all members of one family; and what
family could exist if its members were to be
denied the control at least of watchfuness
/ over each other?
We regret to find a man like Senator Bay
ard at such crisis as this so ruled by the
spirit of party. while deprecating party spirit
altogether, as to misreprescnt somewhat gross
". the action of the President which amounts
simply to an invitation, at a moment of grave
public emergency, extended to certain citizens,
by their presence in New-OreanS, To promote
an assurance of regularity and fair play in the
minds of all the citizens of the United States,
of honesty in certain proceedings i'll the
transaction of which they are vitality inter-
ested In the suggestions of the President the
Senator (as reported in The World newspaper
finds an "exercisc of an official power TO
"interfere in matters which ought to be
:" and are strictly Independent Of him
"and of his action" The Senator's
censure is equally censure Of his own party.
The error is in attempting to fix upon the