The New Orleans bulletin., 1876-02-29

functions of o High Court of Impeachment
only to scquit the culprit when brought be
fore them, was . foregone conclusion. NJ
one believed that body, SO composed, would
be governed in its judgments by the infu
epces which alone should control judicia
tribunal. Nobody believed that it would &C
cept any testimony, however strong, as evi
dence of guilt But nobody suspected that
| it would, with a swift and eager haste. tram.
pie on all the customs and precedents and
formalities which it was bound to observe.
If the Republican party supposes that such
q prostitution Of judicial fun ,tions, such q
parody on judicial proceedings, such mock.
cry of judicial forms will be accepted by the
public as an exculpatioA of the Governor, the
Republican party is deeply deceived. 1t has
succeeded, perhaps, in. maintaining its badly
won position, but it has succeeded only by
methods and processes which will make it, il
possible, more infamous than ever in popular
estimation. It has committed an act, too,
which is equivalent to confession of judg-
ment. It has shown that it dares not to hear
impeachment of Kellogg. It has admitted
that even a Radical majority could not resist
the weight Of the proofs which the House
might have brought in support OF those accu-
sations embodedi in the articles which were
to have been presented. In the face of such
facts, and such rational inferences as these,
public opinion will hold Kellogg guilty Of
high crimes and misdemeanors, in spite of the
mock trial and the bgflesque acquittal.
That these remarks are justified by the
facts we leave to any impartial judgment
The simple recital of the proceedings Of the
Senate last night is enough to convince the
world that with the Republican party Of
Louisiana decency is an obsolete idea, and
justice an unintelligible word. These are the
facts: The resolution Of impeachment was
passed by the House, and the Speaker was,
by resolution, authorized to appoint the
managers. Al o'clock in the evening COM
mittee from.the House notified to the Senate
the fact Of the impeachment, stating at the
same time that articles Of accusation would
in due time be presented. The Senate. on
receiving this communication, passed reso-
luton declaring that ono hour would be
granted to the House in which to present the
articles.
But the House hsd then adjourned. and,
no action could be taken in
regard to it. At z o'clock the Senate resolved
itself into High Court Of impeachment the
Chief Justice presiding. The managers Ap-
pointed by the Speaker of the House pre-
sented themselves and demanded to be heard.
but the court refused to recognize them on
The ground that they had not been appointed
IN open session Of the House. Having thus
got rid Of prosecutors and Of charges, the
court acquitted tho accnsed-by default That
Is to say it declined to wait for reasonable
lime or for any time to allow the House to
bring forward its Witnesses and its evidence.
It refused to hear the charges, or to
the prosecutors it. did not even
bring the accused official before the bar
of the court, but acquitted him Of "high
,rimes and misdemsanors without even
knowing the nature of the crimes and misde-
meanors of which he was accused. This is
Radical justice this is Radical regard for
law this, in short. is the Radical idea Of the
manner in which the most solemn provisions
Of the Constitution should be enforced, and the
most solemn duties Of judicial tribunal be