The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-06
DAILY DEMOCRAT.
THE PRESIDENT AND THE RETURN.
ING BOARD,

The telegraph Wednesday morning re-
ported that the President was irritated over
the threatened indictment of Wells and An
tlerson for perjury and forgery while acting
M members of the Returning Board. We are
MT d loss to understand why the Indictment
Of two prominent and notorious malefactors
In this State should distress or irritate the
President RI Matt Wells and Tom An
derson committed the crimes Of perjury
and forgery In the discharge of grave and Inn
portant public duties, as they are charged
with having done, the President should re-
joice that the ministers of the law In Louis
lana are active and fearless enough TO prose-
cute and bring them to justice;'if they are
not guilty they are In no danger of conviction,
and there Ia no sensible reason for the Presi-
dents irritation
The solicitude Mr. Hayes is reported as en-
Pertaining about the prosecution Of these
men may lead to the Inference that, after all,
he Is not as confident of the legality OF his
title TO the Presidency az he claims TO be, and
that he Il only too conscious Of the fact that
10 make him President the Eleetaral Tribunal
found II necessary to sanction fraud, forgery
and perjury
No purpose has been expressed in this State
and none exists TO attack, or in any manner
question. Mr.. Hayes title TO the Presidency.
The object Of the proposed prosecutions Is not
political; II is simply TO bring to justice men
who have violated our laws and perpetrated
great and scandalous crimes Public opinion
demands, and public justice and deceney re.
suire. that these men shall be tried and, l.
found to be guilty convicted
IL Is a matter with which the President has
no concern and which he has no right to en-
slpavor to influence The Grand Jury OF the
parish of Orleans is the supreme authority
here and If any member of that body should
be Influenced by the President, or by any one
else. or by anything else than the facts and
the law. he will himself commit the crime of
perjury.
Mr.. Hayes wrongs himself by meddling in
this matter. If he has no better title TO the
presidency than the Returning Boards deela-
ration of the result Of the election in Louisi-
ana, he is fraud, a usurper, criminal,
unworthy the confidence or respect OF the
country Let him not rest his right to
the high office he holds on a title derived
from perjurers and forgerets, and created by
the vilest fraud. He has now better title
He held his office by virtue of the perjury of
wsllsmnd Anderson and Aliunde joe and by
that only. until he ordered the withdrawal
of the Federal troops from the capt.
tails Of South Carolina and Louisiana,
and restored to every State in the
Union the right of local self-government
When he did these things he acquired a
stronger better and nobler title to his place
the Endorsement of the vast majority of the
American people, and especially of nine-tenths
OF those who carried against him In the cleo
tion the States of Louisiana. Florida and
South Carolina. Let him then ignore the
edicts Of the Returning Board, rotten with
perjury and fraud, and rest upon the title he
has won from the gratitude and tolerance
of the country. II he does this and adj
ministers the affairs of the government
to the end in the spirit in which he
began though the Democracy can never
concede the constitutionaity of his ten
ure nor cease to denounce the wicked
conspiracy which elevated him 10 the pres
idency, they will acquiesce In his usurpation,
and he may acquire 5or himself place in his
tory among those illustrous men who, having
acquired power by irregular and lawless
measures, used it for the public good and the
promotion Of the greatness and glory of their
country.