The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-17
THE COMMISSION.

OF the political complications In whicn
this State has become involved through
the impudent attempt OF the Returning
Board to nullify the will OF the people
as expressed at the ballot box, appears
to meet the general approval OF oil
classes Of the people, and. since 1t In
wolves no sacrifice OF principle
on the part Of our governmental author
tiles, we are not inclined to find fault
with Il. Indeed, we do not know but
that we are estopped from opposing It
by the fact that, 80 far as we can learn,
the Com mission do not assume toward
our government an attitude OF superior
authority, or ask our Representatives to
commit themselves to an Interpretation
OF the constitution ut variance with the
fundamental principles Of their political
faith and Of representative government.
A few days ago, moved by the sense
Of our duty to denounce ell immoral
political trades and to urge the people
to stand firm against any and all
attempts to "bulldoze them into the
belief that they must purchase their
deliverance from thraldom by conces-
sions unworthy OF American freemen,
we challenged the Commission to assert
that the 5000 majority obtained by Gov.
Nichols must go for nothing as
against the declaration Of the Re-
turning Board; that our Legislature
was not composed Of u majority Of
the members elected to both branches
OF the General Assembly; that
our Supreme Court was not confirmed
by the legal Senate OF Louisiana. or
that the courts of this State have any
jurisdiction over the question OF the
title to office Of the Governor OF Louisi-
ana. The object of this challenge was
to show to our readers that there Is not
single flaw in tho title Of any depart
ment of our government, as at present
constituted, and that, having q govern
ment as perfect as that OF any State Of
the Union, we are not so helpless as to
req uire recognition from any extrane-
Gus quarter at the expense OF our pride,
principles and constitutional rights.
But we are glad to find that Mr..
Hayes Commissioners, notwithstand-
Ing the evident partisan leanings OF
some of them where the question OF
sympathy for one or the other OF the
contending parties Is involved, have
shown just appreciation of the true
nature Of their mission to this city and
sincere desire to contribute to the ex-
tent OF their ability to the composition
and adjustment OF the political feuds
which have driven this State to the
verge of ruin and anarchy. We mean
no offense, and It will not be taken
amiss by intelligent men, when we say
that the majority Of the Commission
certainly entertained, when they arrived
here, more sympathy for our adversaries
than for US, and would undoubtedly
have preferred to effect some compro-
mise whereby Republican ascendancy
might have been maintained In this
State. We freely admit, however, that
this very fact makes the merit and
equity which we find In the plan which
they are understood to have suggested
all the greater and more conspicuous.
Our readers know that we have con-
sistently denied the right Of any COM
mission to interfere in our political
affairs, and that while we have insisted
that the Commissioners themselves
should be treated with all the courtesy
to which their high character and per-
sonal distinction entitled them, we have
constantly, and even fiercely, resented
the claim imputed to them OF the au-
thority to question and determine the
legality OF our government and
the various branches thereof. So
long as they stood before US
in that questionable shape we
were prompt to contest every inch Of
the sacred ground upon which they APP
peared to be trenching; but now that
we are enabled to contemplate them in
an entirely different light-in the light
Of disinterested arbitrators proffering
their good offices for the settlement Of a
controversy which is a curse to the peo-
pie affected by 1t, we entertain none but
the kindest feelings for them and are
ready to meet them half way.
The plan attributed to these Commits
sioners appears to be the outcome Of a
scatesmanlike grasp OF the real situa-
ton confronting them; to every sug-
gestion of craftsmanship we take off
our hats, and II the plan proposed by
the Commission Is what we understand
it to be, we have no hesitation in saying
that we are quite willing to give to 1t our
feeble support.
THE GREAT GAINES CASE.