New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-13
INTIMIDATION AND BARGAIN.


was so Objectionable in Lloyd Garrison
. and John G. Calhoun. It was to set uE
the opinion Of the individual in the first
case and of the corporation of State in
the second. to decide upon the obligation Of
law which bound the one or the other.
The proposition of the organ is this
That the present executive incumbent
and his constitutional alternates shall be
removed from Office by impeachment.
We pass over the avowed object of re-
moving Republican officers to substitute
Democratic officers. We merely mention
the avowed purpose to impeach, with no
legal imputation of crime, but for the sole
cause of political opinion. We admit
that as to the Governor, an accusation
that he had shot President Lincoln would
operate suspension of executive author
ity, if made in prescribed form.
! We limit, however, our comments to
show the reasoning upon which this party
object is founded The prosecutor bases
the right to suspend these officials in the
performance of their duties on the follow
ing reasons:
l. The Governor and Lieutenant Gov
ernor were voted for by q minority of
voters They were ineligible, because
they held federal Offices. They are usurp-
ers, who have, by perjury, fraud and the
unlawful interference of federal courts and
| soldiers, thrust themselves into Office
against the wish of the people, to the
scandal of the federal administration and
the outrage and wrong of the State of
Louisiana.
Now this is pretty much what Lloyd
Garrison or John Brown may have said
against the institution of slavery, or Mr..
Calhoun lasy have said against the ini-
quities of the tariff, but it was neither
considered ground to justify the incite-
ment of slave instruction in the one case,
nor of notification in the other.
The claim that an Infatuated partisan
or an incorporating statesman shall be
at once witness of an offense and Judge of
the proper punishment, has been held by
the American people inconsistent with
constitutional government. So much for
the general reasoning under which the
witness assumes to be the umpire. Rea-
soning even more Incorporate and
shadowy is applied to justify the SEN
tence of guilty pronounced in'advance Of
Governor Kellogg is to be
accused The rule Of impeachment, per-
haps through the incorporate haste of q
predecided conviction, is thus laid down
It is also to be remembered that impeach-
ment, unlike prosecutions for crimes or Of |
lenses at law. are not required to be based
On some statute and are not limited to the
Of positive laws.
The statute of Louisiana defines the
ofenses under which an impeachment I
shall be made, as also the manner in
which it shall be conducted. It will be
,een, then that impeachment is required
o be Chased on some statute The Of
enses alleged are 'limited to the infrac-
ion of positive laws
The accusing organ proceeds to allege
nd enumerate certain ofenses which have
,een committed by the Governor, as fol- i
ows: G
Deceit. double dealing, insincerity, eva :
ion, faisehocd and hypocrisy become high
rimes and misdemeanors when praoticed
y the Governor of State and there is 7
ot one of Thorn that W. Pitt Kellogg is not
utility of, and that, too, in direct connection
With his acts as Governor.
Nov, howsoever apparent may be all
UGH immoraities if established upon :
ONE other evidence than that of an
vowed partisan enemy, not one of these c
J in itself contrary to the statute law.
hey are punishable by far higher than :
ny earthly tribunal. If either of these
impugn the rights Of any I
itizen be may have redress, but as
eneral offense against society they are t
ot indictable, no matter by whom COM c
aitted c
The purpose avowed by the organ is I
emoval from Office by accusation. It T
faces its objection on personal grounds. r
says: c
No reliance can be placed in the profess G
ions of either of the persons whose i'm 3
eachment We urge.
And adds they are ''implacable enemies l
the peace and prosperity of the State Q
With these men in Office to constitute
nd conduct the Returning Board, there
J no hope for fair election, and so they
ught to be accused out Of Office.
Now, does the reader see anything of
intimidation or even of political black
lail in all this? These radical Demo-
rats assuredly have condoned whatever
fenses the Governor may have commit l
d before the compromise. Can they do a
)? If the Governor had committed high i
rimes and misdemeanors, they were
gainst the peace and dignity of the State, u
nd not against the Democratic party;
nd now will the reader believe that they 9
fer to condone all the grave ofenses i'm II
uted in the declaration which We have Il
uoted? Will it be believed that all those a
einous offenders shall be quit and set P
rec if they will give the Democrats the O
fices of the State: o.
We are distinctly and uualterably in it
avor of the impeachment of de facto Gov ~
rnor Kellogg and de facto Lieutenant Gov !
70 Senators insist on retaining the Return Il
40 Board as a mart of the election law in |