The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-02
A SPEEDY SETTLEMENT.

A SPEEDY SETTLEMENT.
Governor Hampton planted himself
squarely upon the constitution and laws
OF the country, and won the emancipa-
tion of South Carolina. He positively
and promptly refused to enter into any
bargain or compromise; nay. he even
declined to consider any proposition
looking to either. As an honorable
man. and one making history. he could
not have done otherwise. If he was
elected Governor OF South Carolina he
had no right to make his title to that
office an object Of barter; II the Legisla-
ture which recognized him was the
legal Legislature he had no authority
TO consent to Ito reorganizing under
an order from Washington. nor to
any trade or compromise, the consum-
nation of which depended upon that
Legislature electing to the United States
Senate any man who was not the free
and honest choice OF majority OF Its
members. The stand taken by Gov.
Hampton was so courageous, honest ana
invincible, that 1t compelled immediate
recognition by the Administration. Had
tho leader of the South Carolinians
wavered or faltered: had he consented
to parley with Chamberlain had he con-
scented to reorganization Of the legal
Legislature Of South Carolina; had he
agreed to buy exemption from Federal
tyranny from the Administration by the
surrender to the Republicans OF one or
two Senators, the country would not
now be resounding with the glad intelli-
gence that South Carolina Is free
State. Fresh negotiations would have
been entered upon; the Legislature
would have been called together; there
would have been delay Of weeks, or
possibly of months; an actual expendi-
ture of a hundred thousand dollars at
least would have been incurred, while
the State, lowering upon the verge OF
civil war, would have suffered in its ma
terial interests to the amount OF many
hundreds of thousands.
But to every suggestion or proposition
looking to any measure, bargain or
compromise, calculated to impair to the
ment, or to the election to the United
States Senate of any man other than the
one who might be the free choice Of the
Legislature, Hampton, without any dis
cussion, without any temporizing, with
out any hesitation, positively dissent
cd, and, us we remarked yesterday, the
President was left the choice OF imme-
diately withdrawing the troops from the
State House at Columbia, or OF rein
augurating the Grant policy. and at
tempting to uphold Chamberlain with
the Federal army.
Hampton has thus secured speedy
and satisfactory settlement Of the South
Carolina case. That now is what we
want in the Louisiana case. Every day
that the present situation in this State
continues, the material interests Of its
people are damaged to the amount OF
hundreds Of thousands or dollars.
The delay in the settlement Of our
political troubles has already imposed
incalculable and irreparable losses
upon our property holders, merchants,
planters and Industrial classes. The
people have grown weary OF such a
situation; they demand that the grasp
Of the Federal power shall be released
from their threats, and that the reign
and supremacy of the constitution and
the laws shall be restored in this State.
They do not want any bargaining be,
tween politicians; they will not submit
to any trading for legislators and
senatorships; they require and demand
that the reign Of law shall be re-estab-
lished over them, and that all political
questions shall be settled, not by bar
gains and compromises. but by the rules
and methods prescribed by the laws.
Governor Nichols and the Legisla
ture are as squarely on the RECORD
against bargains and compromises al
was Hampton; and If, as we believ
they will, they shall meet any sug
gestions or propositions OF Mr.. Hayes
cofnmission as Governor Hampton me
those Of Chamberlain and the Admins
ration in Washington, the Louisian