The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-06-28
SENATOR MORTON.
Letter on the Southern Question and
the Presidents Policy.

To the Editor of the indianapolis ournal:
Several weeks ago an open letter wa
addressed to me through the columns o
the New York Times, written on behal
of more than one hundred prominen
Southern Republicans stating their view
OF the political situation and invitin
mine. / have also received many letter
from different parts of the country in
quiring the condition of the Senatoria
question from Louisiana, as it stood a
the adjournment of the Senate. At tn
meeting of the Senate on the 5th o
March last. William Pitt kellogg. o
Louisiana, presented himself for mem
bership upon credentials that had som,
weeks before been read before the Senate
and laid upon the table. A motion wal
made to refer the credentials to the com
mittee on Privileges and Elections Thii
was opposed, upon the ground that Mr.
kellogg had prima facie title to 6
seat, his certificate of election being sign
ed by S. B. Packard, as Governor of Lou
isiana, under the great seal of the State
and alleging that he had been duly elect
ed by the Legislature. The question was
whether the Senate would take notice
that S. B. Packard was Governor of Lou
isiana. If he was, then the certificate
gave Mr.. Kellogg such right as under the
| general practice in The Senate entitled
him to take his seat, leaving 1.-THE legality
of his election to the subsequent investi-
cation. In argument it was shown by
the journals of the Legislature that each
House of the Legislature which elected
Kellogg had a quorum of members, GER
tilted as such by the Returning Board.
This Board was empowered by the laws
of Louisiana to examine and count the
vote, and determine who had been chos-
en- members of the Legislature, and to
transmit their determinations to the Sec
retary of State. The Secretary of State
was directed to make list of the men,
bers returned as elected by the Board
which he was to transmit to the Secreta-
ry of the Senate and Clerk of the House
Of the former Legislature, and the Legs-
lature was to be organized only by such
persons as were named in the list fur
nished by the Secretary of State A quo
rum of persons in each house thus certi.
fed as elected met on the day fixed by
law and organized each house of the Leg
islature, and the two houses met the
next day in joint convention, in accord
ance with the provisions of the Constitu-
ton, and canvassed the votes for Cover
nor and Lieutenant Governor, and de-
clared s. B. Packard to have been elect
ed Governor and c. c. Antoine Lieuten-
ant Governor. Afterward, on the day
fixed by the act of Congress for the cleo
tion Of United States Senator, a majority
Of the whole number of members so re-
turned as elected metln joint:convention
and elected William Pitt Kellogg to the
Senate for the term of six years begin
ming on the 4th day of March, 1871 On
the motion to refer Kellogg's credentials
to the committee the Democratic mem
bers voted solidly in the affirmative, to-
gether with five Republicans, and it was
adopted.
The committee on Privileges and Elec-
tions met soon afterward and the Re
publican members united in report that
prima facie S. B. Packard was the lawful
Governor Of Louisiana; that the Legisla-
ture was the lawful Legislature, and that
William p. Kellogg had been elected in |
to the act of Congress, and |
was entitled to be sworn in and take his |
seat. As a number Of members of the |
Senate were absent and the subject would |
lead TO a long debate, and there was a |
general anxiety to adjourn, the report |
was not laid before the Senate. If ma
iority of the Senate shall at the next ses-
sion be of the opinion that Kellogg was
lawfully elected by the Legislature of /
Louisiana, he will be entitled to his seat,
the events that have
since occurred. No subsequent breaking
up of that Legislature, combination or
can affect his title or de-
stroy the legality Of what took place at
that time. Though the very members
who proclaimed the election of Packard
md made that of Kellogg should subse-
luen tly declare that of Nichols and take
part in the election of Spofford, it is too
clear for argument they could not take
away rights which had vested, or make
hat unlawful which had been before law
ful Unless Kellogg voluntarily With
draws. the Senate viii have to decide the
question of his election as it stood at the
lime Of the adjournment.
The Republican Governments of Loui-
'iana and South Carolina have yielded to
orce. They have gone down before an
lrmed minority whose threats of future
violence were guaranteed by a long train
)f bloody deeds in the past. l regret
hat the real character of the transac-
ion should be obscured in the least by
investigations or negotiations.
Stripped OF all disguises and pretenses,
he simple TACT is, that Packard and
chamberlain were not able to maintain
themselves in authority, and the Govern
nent of the United States. in the exer-
Use of its discretion, refused them its
support Their Legislatures, finding
defenseless, fell to pieces, and
rom their ruins, in part, new Legisla-
lures have been constructed, whose legal
ty consists only in the fact that they ex-
st, and that there are none to oppose
hem. The law and the rights of the ma
ority have yielded to an armed and ag-
gressive minority. The Democratic par
Ly in Louisiana, an undoubted minority
the wealth, arms and military
experience, were determined to govern,
" Thatever it might cost In the way of life
Their pretended majority at the late
election had cost many lives, and was the
product of the most infamous and damn
ing of crimes. The murders and crimes
had been proved, and the blood stained
majority set aside by lawful process. The
decided that such a case
Of insurrection and violence was not pre-
sented as authorized the National Gov
to intervene, and that the con.
tending parties must be left to Their own
strength and resources. 1t was apparent
ly worked out through the presence of
the Commission, and seemed to take the
form of negotiation. Assurances were Civ
en- that the rights of all classes should be /
protected, and the Government admins
tered for the equal benefit OF all Gen
eral promises OF this kind amount to lit |
tie especially when left to the voluntary /
execution of a party which believes that /
the colored man ought not to have polit |
ical rights-even personal ireedom-and |
who have never considered him part Of |
the people. President Hayes was urged !
to give up Louisiana and South Carolina
at onca and was told IL yyas pulv a unes-
tion of time that at the next election
they would go as Mississippi, Alabama
and other States had, and it would be
better to give them up at once. Howev
er repulsive this argument, it was uniOr-
tnnatplv too true The same crimes and