Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-05-29

Senator, q majority of the whole number OF mem
bers returned elected, met in joint convention and
elected William Pitt Kellogg 10 the Senate for the
term Of six years, beginning the 4th of March,
1877. On a motion to refer keloggs credentials
to n committee. the democratic members voted
sody III the affirmative, together with hive repub-
licans, and it was adopted. The Committee on
Privileges and Elections met soon aiielwatd ana
the republican members united IN report that
prima facie, 5. b. Packard was the Lawful Cover
nor of Louisiana; the Legislature was the lawful
Legislature. and that Villa L. Kellogg hsd
been elected in conformity to the act OF Congress-
and was entitled TO be sworn IN aud take hls seat
A. a number of the members of the Senate were
absent aud the suffice would lead to long de-
bate and there was general anxiety to ADJOURN,
the report was not laid before the Senate III the
mqioitv of the Senate stall al the peNt session be
OF upinton that Kellogg was lawfully elected by
the Legislature OF Louisiana he Will be entitled
to his seat notwithstanding events hat nave since
occurred. No subsequent breaking up OF mat
Legs Iature, combination, or arrangement can de-
feat his tnle destroy the LEGALITY oil what took
place at that time. Though the very members
who proclaimed the election of Packard ana made
that of Kellogg should subsequently declare That
of Nichols an take part in the election OF Spot
ford il i too clear Tor argument they could not
take away the rights which had vested, OF make
that unlawful which had been before lawful. Un-
less Kellogg voluntarily wltudraws, the Senate
will have TO decide the question of his election as
it stood at the time OF adjournment.
sUBvERsioN OF THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENTS.
The republican governments of Louisiana and
South Carolina have yielded to force-ihey have
gone down before an armed minority, whose
threats of future violence were guaranteed by
long tain of bloody deeds in the past. | regret
that the real character of the transaction shoIld
be ohscured in the least by pretended investiga-
tions or negotiations. Stripped OF all DISCUSSES
and pretences. the simple fact is that Packard and
Chamberlain were not able 10 maintain themselves
in authority, and the government OF the United
States, in the exercise of its discretion, refused
them Its support. Then the legislatures finding
themselves defenceless. fell to pieces, and from
their ruins, in part, new legislatures have been
constituted, whose legality consists only in the
fact that there none to oppose them The law
and the rights Of the majority have yielded 10 an
armed, aggressive minority. The democratic
party in Louisiana, an undouhted minority, pos.
sessing most of the wealth, arms and military ex-
perience, were determined to govern, whatever il
might cost in the way of life. Their threatened
majority at the late election cost many lives and
was the product of the most Infamous aud damn
log of crimes The murders and crimes had been
proved and the blood-sained majority set aside by
lawful process. The administration decided that
such a case of instruction and violence was not
presented as authorized the National government
to interfere and that the contendIng parties must
be left to their own strength and resources. AS
surances were given thst tue rights of all classes
should be protected and the government adminis-
| tered for equal benefit to all. General promises
/ of this kind amount to little, especially when left
to the voluntary execution of the party which be-
leves that the colored man ought not 10 have any
political iights-even personal freedom - asd
which never has considered him a part of the
people. President Hayes urged to give up
| Louisiana and South Carolina at once, and was
told that IT was only question OF time; that at
the next election they would go as Mississippi,
Alabama and other States had, and il would be
better 10 give them up at once. However repul-
sive this argument, It was unfortunately too true.
/ The same crimes and violence which had wrenched
| Nj lssssippi and Alabama from the republican
party aud had so nearly captured Louisiana and
! South Carolina, would certainly succeed next
time. This was an argument of expediency, not
right and justice President Hayes but accepted
| the situation as it was bequeathed to him on the
iih Of March. The republican governments of
| louisiana and South Carolina cond only be kept
| in place by the army What might have been the
result had President Grant promptly recognized
the Packard and Chamberlain governments in
January, and declared his purpose TO sustain the
by force, 1t IS not now necessary to discuss. But
he did not do so, aud on the 4lh of March, when
Mr. Hayes came luto power, lie found these gov
ernments existing only In name, surrounded by
enemies, living only from day to day by the
presence and protection of United States troops.
Would 1t have been in the power OF the Presi-
dent 10 maintain them by the army , A demo-
cratic House OF Representatives recently withheld
appropriations for the support of the army in
OF der that II should not be used in the Southern
States. 1t was clearly unconstitutional to put
such condition to the bill, but it did, and was
likely 10 do il again at the extra session thus made
necessary. The majority Of the House, made up
of southern democrats, Lite conlederates aud
desperately IN earnest, and northern democrats
wholly subservleDt thus threatened the existence
OF the army, and had 1t in their power to destroy
it. The question was, should the President yield
to the newt bic or proceed only to In, viabe de-
fcatt There are and have been for years many
republicans 10 the north who have deprec ated the
use OF the Amy to support republican State gov
ernments in the south. The republican majOritv
10 the Senate upon the southern question is but
nominal, II II exists at all Five republican SEN
atofs voted AT the last executive session against
seating Kellogg and TO refer his credentials to a
committee, thus refusing to recognize the Packard
government; and numaer of republican Sena-
tons, sufficient when added to the democratic
party, nave steadily refused to recognize tue re-
publican state government in Louisiana since
1873 by voting against seating a Senator chosen
by It, While IN my Judgment it was clearly the
right OF the President, under the Constitution to
recognize tue packard government and support
II by arbitrary power, the undertaking would
have been futile and the failure disastrous With
divided pub &c opinion in his own party, and both
houses OF Congress against him, he would have
failed IN the end. The democratic House has
power TO destroy the army entirely, and, from nv
knowledge Of the Senate, am sure the republi-
can majority of that body could hardly be relied
on to support him in such course. We have
had so much talk about Cancellation and frater-
nty that many wellmeaning people in the north
had come TO believe that all that was necessary to
secure ira nqnility and eq ual rights in the south
was 10 Withdraw the army, the republicans to
abandon the struggle and commit the government
to the white democrats Of those States. The pro.
iessed yearnpg for peace and fraternity of these
very men who planned the massacies in South
Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi, have bean
received with disgust, intensely nauseating to the
people who understood tue facts. The painful
truth is that political murders in the south have
ceased to be shocking, and are readily justified by
energetic talk about carpet baggers, scalawags
and radical thieves. Not man has been pun
lshed Tor the butcheries at Hamburg, Ellenton
Cofax Coushstta, Mechanics Institute, Clinton.
Nicksburg or any other Of the hundred slaughters
OF republicans that might be named.
NECESSITY FOR UNION IN THE PARTY
do not believe that President HAYES intends to
destroy the Republican party and attempt the
erection OF a new ore upon its ruins. | believe
IN his patriotism and high integrity in his undi-
vlded parpose TO make the Administration a be-
nehcence 10 the country. The language of hi.
inaugural was strong and beautiful and the d, G.
iaraton of his devotion TO the great doctrines If
human nights which constitute the foundation of
the ReRY blican Party left nothing to be added or
desired. lie began the conduct Of national aft ,irs
under circumstances Of extraordinary ficultv:
tbs minds OF men were greatly divided a. 10 vhai