The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-20
THE PROSECUTIONS.
The vindicatiOn of the Law not n POIiti.
cal scheme,

ment Of the Returning Board members seems
still to be the most interesting topic of the
day. / have been closely watching the drift
of public sentiment as exhibited through the
press outside of New Orleans, and / am sure
the fears certain parties entertain about
arousing at the North a new public feeling
against our people are utterly groundless [
freely admit that there are bitter prejudices
against us at the North on the one hand and
that, on the other, one of the great results
there. Of the war has been 30 serious blunt
ing OF moral sensibility as to make successful
crime--especially il it be at all political in its
nature-in some degree admired.
| But the qualification of personal animosity
or the advancement OF politi cal fanaticisfn,
while either or both may be still paramount
with the Mortons and the Blaines and their
blind followers, can no longer be the success
full shibboleth II President Hayes and his
advisors had not found o leading sentiment
at the North in favor Of the complete aban-
donment of the Mortonian policy against the
South, and the substitution therefor Of Re-
| publican government, they never would have
| lent themselves to the change that has been
effected; 1t is childish to attribute their
pa ahss" or a eonscientouy auams Gyese
men are, politicians. they have turned
up amid the active ebullition Of the political
cauldron; they are representatives of domi-
nant political sentiment, and are en-
| are fools. l don't think this harsh epithet
can be aptly applied to them. Any man
who will calmly view the situation must adj
init that under Grant the system Of fanat-
utterly spent itself, and, God knows, the desc
lation of the tornado was complete But,
while the South was more Immediately in the
fearful swathe, the rest of the country
perienced therein has been sad enough
The rejecting portion of the Northern and
Western people have long since traced cause
and effect, and In the last election their inn
Ix<ft III
expression. No informed man doubts that
the election went fairly against Mr.. Hayes,
and that after struggle against fearful odds
North and South; and now that the reforma-
itself the evidence of a demand for change
inside even the Republican party Is clear.
Ii, then, we view the subject from a political |
standpoint, as claim we must, the fair CON
viction of the Returning Board cannot be
productive OF harsh resentment on the part Of
the Northern Republicans as whole. Dense
1y ignorant or purely fanatica partisans
cannot be convinced at ALL but people who
could prompt Mr.. Hayes to the policy he has
adopted cannot fail to see the great advantage
to the whole country Of the full judicial ex-
pOsure of a conspiracy to accomplish the per-
version of q presidential election. TO argue
for the continuance OF republic under such
a possibility every four years would be to
argue that there are four sides to q triangle.
As much as men dislike civil war, however
fully they may realize its coming horrors,
yet civil war would come.
The prosecution and conviction of these
men, then, can only rebound to the advan-
tage Of the whole country, while it would
make impossible their attempt to repeat the
crime on the soil of Louisiana; and the
present tone Of the press generally satisfies
suit will be looked for with exciting interest,
no man will be found outside the circles Of
political fanaticsm and political cowardice
who will argue against the wisdom of prosecu-
The people OF the country and of Louisiana
cannot demand or approve the conviction Of
these men IL they are innocent; they cannot
afford to have them walk free among us il
they are guilty, II they are guilty, their
mitted on the soil of the United States, be
cause 1t is four conspirators clothed in the
garb of State office, and holding the first and
dearest right Of the people in the palm of !
their hands, stabbing at the heart of the State ,
and the nation while yet the oath Of protec-
zion of both Is warm from their periured
lips
contend that we have no question before
us so grave, SO important, as the establish
nent of the guilt or the innocence of the Re
turning Board. They are either the worst
naligned men who ever suffered at the voice
Of people, or they are the most infamous
villains who ever found themselves in power
they must want their innocence to be estab-
ished If they are innocent; the State must, in ]
establish their guilt if they are
guilty.
l have no patience with the argument of
some men, that to prosecute will be to violate
IN alleged compact or agreement on the part
If certain parties not to do so. If there be
,ond signed and sealed produce it, and let
he people read it. Ii it is verbal compact,
ct the parties who made it declare it over
heir own signatures. The people know
lothing of it, never heard Of it, never author
zed it. Ii any men made it, and now de-
a are it must be be-. adhered to, let them
I it is to be abided by, it has virtue in it to
it, and for 50 high price to be
,aid by us as the shielding of the worst of
,nown criminals, there must have been a t
;overn, the State; we had achieved that at b
ne ballot.box. That guild was not the pos q
ession Of the State; we had that, full and :.
omplete That quid was not something we
ng to govern when we had no legitimate Q
tile to do so. Our Executive could not afford d
0 purchase power; besides, Hayes could A
lot afford to sell it, A bargain of this kind =
would damn both parties to it. =
No; after the fong-protracted and bitter l.
truggle in Louisiana, to leave tacit under I
landing that there should be no prosecutions
Or po!tticdt opinions or acts was simply wise;
D go further and hold the shield Of protection
etween the sworn officers Of the law and the
'orst of all criminals would have been wan
On condoning Of crime, which would inevita-
ly rebound to the dishonor of the contract >,
lg parties ana the injury OF the State.
Sensible and patriotic men cannot dwarf n
MS Returning Board question to the proper =,
ons Of the ordinary questions that come be- Il
IRE political wire-workers. We see the evil p
such action in the matter of the settlement
the presidential question in Congress, -
here every consideration Of equity and com =, =
ION honesty was ignored by partisan ma W
'rity of eight against seven; the decision was
sndered on the baldest and most doubtful W
uibbles Of the law; the intrinsic features of H
Of nyxyant xyinl fn1 and ho
loral sense of whole people shocked to it's
:
No; President Hayes owes his seat to the
congressional Commission, and not to the =.
Board. Gov. Nichols owes his l.
,at to ballots and the strong right hands
lat cast them. The conviction Of the Re-
lrning Board cannot strike the seat of the 81
resident; their conviction will only "
rengthen the position of the Governor. 81
r. Tilden tacitly consented to the arbitra- tb
on of his case. Gov. Nichols was seated by Al
IS people, and the last thing on earth Presi-
ent Hayes could afford to do was to naugu- =
To 10, l. 49,