The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-09
THE PRESIDENT AND LOUISIANA.

The president seems disposed to signalizs
the closing weeks Of his administration
with moderation and good sense. Would
that there had been more Of it during the
past four years, ald then the presidential
election would not be he'd in allowance
awaiting the decision as to q single ~elector-
al vote, or the vote of a single state. Then
there would have been no occasion to talk
about a compromise, or to speculate on tine
effect Of a new election, or for how long,
in case of q non election of a president, the
president pro tempOre of the senate would
act as president of the United States if at
all. Then the day of the presidential cleo
ton would have seen the election of Ruth
erford B. Hayes unquestioned, and the
business OF the country rapidly resumiDg
Its wonted activity. But it is idle to specu-
late upon "what might have been" 1t is
too late to do any good in that direction.
but 1t is none the less welcome.
William Pitt Kellogg, by the grace OF .
returning board and u congressional
compromise, not by legal votes, governor
OF Louisiana, telegraphed the president,
/" asking for military protection" and re-
questing the recognition of Packard and
his legislature as the legal governor and
legislature of Louisiana. He replied-and
his reply had the unanimous assent of the
cabinet-that he did not propose to inter
ferc, even it 'dual governments were or
gained that there was nothing to justify
such interference, especially as committees
OF the senate and house were now engaged
In investigating the Louis ma middle, in
GLIDING the contest as to the election of
the governor AMI legislature but, il occa-
sion required, he should deem it his duty
to maintain peace and prevent bloodshed.
1t was rather cheeky, to say the least, for
Kellogg to request the recognition of Pack.
ard and his legislature before they had anv
political existence ; but we presume it il
to be accounted for in the facility which
his former demands on the president for
military protection have been acceeded
to, to the conceded fact that his executive
honors would nave been very short lived
but for the military prop that has sus-
tanned them, aud to the ~alacrity with which
the president, more recently, responsed to
the call of Governor Chamberlain for "mil.
" itary protection" in South Carolina. But
Chamberlain knew enough not to ask for
recognition in advance, while Kellogg
seems to forget that the times have changed
since four aud two years ago, and that men.
even the president, have changed with
them. We trust that the day is past when
a state legislature shall be organized at the
point of the bayonet, as was the case in
Louisiana W years ago or when a ser
geant shall presume to pass on the creden-
iials OF members, as was the case IN South
Carolina only a month ago.
We hear a great deal said about n presi-
dental recognition" of a state govern
ment, and the effect thereof, but it seems
to us that tho subject is generally misap-
pretended. Take the case of the dual gov
ernments of Louisiana, and how and whom
is the president to recognize the one or tie
other as the legal or de tacto government of
the state9 The acts of 1895 and 1907 pro.
vide that sin case of an insurrection in any
" state against the government thereof -
the president, after first issuing a proclo-
nation for the insurgents to dispense, shall
on the application of the legislature, or of
the governor when the legislature cannot
be convened, call forth the militia, or use
the land and naval forces of the United
States, tor the suppression of the insurrec-
ton. Now take the case of Louisiana.
Packard and Nichols both go through
with forms of Inauguration, and two legis-
latures organize as such an "insurrection"
K place against one or the other of
these so called governments, and the presi-