National Republican., 1877-03-09
THE SOUTHERN QUESTION IN TIE
SENATE.

which Is to divide parties iOr the next gen'
GRAFTON lie now going oa in the Senate,
in connection with the admission of Sen.
ators from the Southern States, and from
the tone of the debate it ia plain that We
are not to be without food for excitement,
even now, after the Presidential contest
Is settled and past.
The credentials Of Senators having the
certificates of the Governors Of the Ststes
whence they come, n.cet'irily require the
recognition or non.recognition OF those
Governors in the determination of the
question of the title presented by them
Hence, In the case OF Mr.. LAMAR, against
whose right there WAS bu, one vote, there
was a recognition of the pre'sut Governor
ofNIississppi as against = Dc jare righ. in
General AHEs, who. 1t was claimed by
some, had boen driven 10 resign the position
by pre- seedlings OF impeachment instituted
to intimidate him. The case OF KELLOGG was
re'trred, but only becIuse the report the
Senate committee in the Louisiana matter
had no, been acted upon, and not because II
was sssentcd that there was any question
Of his right TO the cat. The Senate will
ultimately, as we think, have 70 recognize
PACKARD as the legal Governor OF the
State, for it can make no difference with
the question of the number of votes cast,
that they were clnvassed by defec.
lively constituted Legislature, If indeed,
such wss the fact. It 4, true that
the title OF HAYES does not depend
upon the same canvasssing authority as
that of PAcKAED; but it will hardly be as.
serted that the circumstance affords pre-.
sumption that PACKARD was defeated. The
poll.lis,s are not probably affected by the
different directions taken by the returns in
respect of their final couat. So far. there
fore, as the KELLOGG credentials are i'm
pressed by the PACKARD certificate, they are
regular and valid; and unless 1t shall sp.
pear, upon the whole case, that the Legis-
lature electiug him was an illegal one. ho
will have 10 be seated.
But while the action OF the Senate is con.
cluded by the present fact of election, II
does not follow that the Administration is
bound 10 recognize PACKARD as Governor
| for the entire term for which he WAS elect.
ed, unless he shall for the whole time sus.
tsin himself iu the position. That he has
been elected does not entile him to re2og
nition after he has ceased to be Governor.
by resignation or abandonment Of the Of
fee. II, in consequence of his uupopulsrity
or inability - collect revenues for the sup
port OF his government ike the proud
spirited man he is, be should throw up the
empty honor of mere title and surreu =.
der the naked trust. No Rcpub-
lican doubts that he was elected. but nine.
tenths octte rlIty bel eve that he do:s not
repfec mt such interests IN the State as en-
title him to that high respect and ODE.
dience due from the r ople to their Chief
Magistrate. They know that his constit.
uepcy is composed chiefly ofa fe " migratory
whites, representing but little property.
sad large number OF blacks, repret ,ntin &
NO properly st all, as q rule, and they sd.
NIT that this il not the proper basis Of gov.
ernment, nor one which should be sncour.
aged to undertake its administration. So,
while conceding the election of PACKARD in
the manner indicated, they deny that il
was in accordance with the will Of the
proper governing class, whose voice should
have the tendency in public affs'Is
and who alone can be safely intrusted
with their control. Aud, feeling this
to be true, they are net disposed y
MAINTAIN tie obnoxious governments IL
the 70 Ct the bona .fd6 inhabitants of th,
Staie, by the aid of the Federal power, bu
prefer to see them sink In political oblivion
under the Gushing weight of their owl
inherent wcakncTs. Though it be ad
mittcd, ss 1t always must te, that the evi
, on;tQuences of disobcdience to c2Ilarl,
{ chosen public officers are many, there /
} room for doubt whether they are so grel
: TO the State conceih-d, or to the ody o
. civilization, ss the evils growing out o
submission 10 factious rule enforced +.
alien and irresponsible classes over tn
substance and responsibility OF tn
| people, These State governments at tn
South which have been for years an
{ nually appropristing the revenues OF thos
{ States, their constituencies contributinI
nothing towards them. are BY no mean
the first OF their kind known to the peopl,
Of the United States, The very clsssel
: who have now moved southwark, scat or
t ing throug ghout that section. served, maay
+ of them, full apprenticeship 10 the city .
New York and other large cities North
i. where they became adopts iu tho business
8 of collecting and disbursing the people
j money. having no interest themselve
L beyond the objects Of the appropriation