Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-04-11
The Louisiana Question.

The course Of President Hayes In sending a
Commission to Louisiana has been severely
criticised that we take great pleasure In publish
ing the instructions given the Commission by Sec
rotary OF State Evarts. II any one can find fault
with them, we congratulate him upon his capacity
to find fault with anything.
"WAsutSoroN ID C. AoriI ID 1877
The Han Charles n Io,crence .yosonb n U,,c,c,
John N IL1rlon yobn n Rro,oo and W,,,n.
Mac Veaoh. Commissioners.
GESrtrurN.--I am ipstructed he the presdent
| to Law before Won some observations unon tho
occasion and objects which have led him 10 invita-
YOU, as members Of the Commission about tn visit
the state of Louisiana IN undertalse this public
service. Upon assuming his office the President
finds the situation of aifairs In Ionisiana sncb ne
to Justify and demand his promnt and solicitous
attention. for this situo,lop nresents ma ono nj ITO
features tho apnaront intervention nj tho nili,or,
mower of the Ipited s,ates 4, tho domes,,c co,,.
troversies which undouhted,v divide ,ho o,ir;nns
and disturh tho harmopv of tho naonIe of thu,
state This intervention arising dnrin, tho form,
and by the authority of his predecessor throws
no present dutv unon the President excent IN ex-
anime and determine the real extent and form and
effect to which sucb intervention aetuallv exists
and TO decide M IN tho true ,apner and conditions
which should he observed in uniting an end In IL
IL is in aid of his INTELLIGENT and nront dscbarge
of this dntv that tho preside,t bas son,h, the
services nj tho Comnissio, 10 s,r,,l,, Ia, ,,oars
of its examination conducted In the state If Ions
lana. some information that may be nertinent 10
the circnmspection and securitv of anv me,sure
he NAV resolve upon. II will he readily under-
stood that the service desired of and entrusted To
this Commission does not include any examina.
ton into or report on the facts of the recent state
election or of the canvass of the votes cast Mt tha,
election. So far MS attention To that snbiect NAV
be necessary, the President cannot lint foo, ,ba,
the reports of the two houses of Congrass and
other public information at hand will disnerse
with and should preclude any original exn1orotion
| by the Commission of that field of inouirv Rut
it is most pertinent and important in coming to A
decision upon the precise question of executive
| duty before him. that the President should know
what are the real impediments to regular legal and
| peaceful procedures under the laws and copstitu
ton of the state of Louisiana by which the
anomalies in the government there presented
| may be put in course Of settlement without
| involving the element OF military power a.
| either an agent or make-weight in such solu-
| ton The successful ascertainnent of these
| mpediments, the President would confidently
expect would indicate to the people of that state
| the wisdom and mode of their removal The un-
| usual circumstance which attended and followed
the state election and canvass from its relation to
the excited feelings and interests of the Presiden-
tial election, have retarded within the state of
Louisiana the persuasive influence by which the
great social and material interests common to the
whole people OF state, and the pride of the Amer
lean character as law-abiding nation, ameliorate
the dsappolntnents and dissolve the resentments
OF close and jealous political contests. But the
PRESIDENT both hopes and believes that the great
body OF the people OF Louisiana are prepared to
treat the unsettled result of their state election
with calm and conciliatory spirit If it be too
much to expect a complete concurrence in single
government for that state, at least the President
may anticipate a submission to the peaceful re-
sources of the laws and constitution of the state OF
all their dissensions, at once relieving themselves
from the reproach of their fellow-ciizens of the
United States and from the anxieties which must
ever attend prolonged dispute as to the title and
the administration of the government of one OF
| the states of the Union The President there
fore desires that you should devote your first and
principal attention to a removal of the obstacles to
the acknowledgment of one government for the
purpose of an exercise of authority within the
state and representation of the state in its rela
tions to the general government. under section A.
article 4, of the constitution of the United States
leaving. II necessary to judicial or other copsti.
tutonal arbitrament within the state the question
of ultimate right If the obstacles should prove
insuperable from whatever reason, and the hope
of single government in all its departments be
| disappointed it should be your next endeayor Il,
accomplish the recognition of a single legislature
as the depository OF the representative will of the
people of Louisiana This great departmep,
rescued from dispute, the rest of the problem
could gradually be worked out by the prevalent
authority which the legislative power when nm.
disputed is quite competent to exert ia composnp
conflicts in the coordinate branches of the GOV.
eminent. An attentive consideration of the con
ditions under which the federal constitution and
the acts of Congress provide and hermit militar,
Intervention by the President in tile protection o
state against domestic violence has satisfied III,
President that the use of this authority in deter.
mining or influencing disputed elections in a stat,
l. most carefully to be avoided Undoubtedly. n,
was held by the Supreme Court in the case O,
|
involve such inaniry as to the lawfuness of Nh,
authority which inyokes the interference of tn,
President in a supposed pursuance of the con.
stitntion. but it is equally true that neither the
constitutional provisions nor the acts of Con.
gress were framed with any such design. Both
obviously treated the case of domestic violence
within n state as outbreak against the law
and the authority of established government
which the state was unable to SUPPRESS by its own
strength: a case wherein every department of the
state government has a disputed representation.
and the state therefore furnishes to the federal
government no internal political recognition of an.
thority upon which the federal executive can RELY
will present case of so much difficulty that it is
of pressing inheritance to all interests in Louisiana
that it should be avoided A single legislature
would greatly relieve the difficulty. for that de-
nartment of the state government il named nv
the constitution AS the necessary applicant when
it can he convened. for military intervention h,
the United States II. therefore. the disputinp
interests can concur in or be reduced TO a single
legislature for the state of Louisiana IT would he
A great stem in COMPOSING this unhappy strife