The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1877-04-07
INSTRUCTIONS TOTHBL0UIsIANA
COMMISSION.

Secretary EVartS wrote anu pTes6h'eo
to the members of the Louisiana Com
mission, prior to their departure from
Washington, letter of guidance or
instruction, in which the views OF the
President as to the proper course OF
procedure for the Commission are ex-
pressed. The document is of consld-
cradle length-as documents emana-
ting from the gifted gentleman now
Secretary of State usually are-but
it's eist is contained in the following
extracts:
fiji he too much to expect complete con-
currepce in a single government tor that |
ST ate, at least the President may anticipate |
a submission to the peaceful resources OF the
laws and the constitution of the State, OF all
the dissensions, at once relieving themselves |
from the reproaeh, and their fellow citl-
zeps of the United States from the anXletles
which must ever attend prolonged dispute
as to the title and the administration OF the
| government of one of the States ofthe Union.
| The President, therefore, desires that you
should devote your first and principal atten-
| ton TO a removal of the obstacles TO an ac-
| acknowledgement of one government 1of the
| purpose of an exercise OF authority wltnh
| the STATE, and q representative OF the state
in its relations to the general government,
! under section of article OF the Constltu-
| tio,, of the United States, leaving, IT neces-
| sary. to judicial or other constitutional ar
| bitrament, within the State, the question OF
| ultimate right. Ii the obstacle should prove
inseparable from whatever reason, ana the
| hone of a single government IN all ITS de-
| partments be a disappointment 1t should Dc
| the next endeavOr to accomplish the recog-
milton of a single Legislature as the deposl-
tory of the representative Will OF the people
of Louisiana. This great department. rescued
from dispute, the rest OF the problem cooio
gradually be worked out by the authority
which the legislative power, when undls-
puted, is quite competent to exert III com
nosipg conflicts in coordinate hands OF the
government
An attentive consideration of the condl-
tions under the federal constitution and the
acts of Congress to provide or permit mill
J tarv intervention by the President IN the
protection of State against violence, mas
satisfied the President that the use OF TINS
authority in determining or influencing the
disputes in a State is most carefully 20 DC
avoided.
;, | tention during your visit to New Orleans
Il will be the collection of accurate and trust
g worthy information, from the public officers
and prominent citizens of all political con
: nections as to the state of public feeling anC
4 opiaion in the community at large upon thu
general questions which affect the peacefu
and safe exercise, within the State OF Louis
lana, of all legal and political privileges con
6 ferred by the constitution of the United
u States upon all citizens. The malntenanc
l. and protection OF these rights and privilege
by all constitutional means, and by ever
~ lust moral and social influence, Is the settle
is purpose of the President in his administra
ton of the government
% Presumably, these paragraphs pre-
cisely indicate the manner in whic
IF the Commission will seek to brln
IA about a settlement of our complica
n tiorls. We shall soon have an oppol
+ tunity of observing their progress
70 the herculean task, as the body WI
r probably organize and open proceed
ings to-day.
m An amicable adjustment, founde
upon mutual concessions, would, y
Oh believe, be most beneficial to the Pc
he ple of the State, but there seems Ii
IT. tie probability of such a result. II
IL present temper of the officers and su
porters of the dominant Nichols go
ernment is to resist any eacroac
" ment or compromise tending to moo
W fy it's status or weaken it's authority