Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-04-11
The Louisiana Commissioners Receive
Their Instructions.
WASHINGTON. April Z

The following is the Presidents letter
of instructions to tho Louisiana Commits
sion:
To the Hons. Charles 3. Lawrence, Joseph r
Hawley, John M. Harlan, John e. Brown and
Wayne MacVeigh, Commissioners:
GENTLEMEs-I am instructed by the President
to lay before you some observations upon the
occasion and objects which have led him to in
vite you, as members OF the Commission about
to visit the State of Louisiana, to undertake tins
public service. Upon assuming his Office the
President finds the situation Of affairs III Louis
lana such rs to justly demand his prompt and
solcItous attention, for this situation presents
as one of its features the apparent intervention
of the military power of the United States in
the domestic controversies which undoubtedly
divide the opinions and disturb the harmony of
the people of that State This Intervention,
arising during the term and by authority of his
predecessor, throws no present duty upon the
President except to examine and determine the
real extent, form and effect To which such inter-
vention actually exists, and TO decide As TO the
time manner and conditions which should be
observed in putting end 10 1t.
1t Is to aid III his intelligent and prompt dis
charge of this duty that the President has sought
the service of tins Commission to supply, by
means of It's examination conducted III the State
of Louisiana, some information that may be
pertinent TO the circumspecton and security of
any measures that he may resolve upon. 1t viii
be readily understood that the service required
of and intrusted to this Commission does not IN
| clude any examination into or report upon the
facts of the recent State election, or of the can
of votes cast at that election. SO far as at
| teatlon to that subject may be necessary, the
President cannot but feel that tie reports of the
Committees of the two Houses of Congress- and
other public information az hand, will dispense
with, and should preclude any original explora-
II Y m ls4inu ot fell of
But 1t Is most pertinent and important In
coming to q decision upon the precise question
of Executive duty before him, that the Presi-
dent should know what are the real impediments
10 the regular, legal and peaceful procedures
under the laws and Constitution of the State of
Louisiana by which the anomalies in the Gov
eminent there presented may be put in course
OF settlement W lthout involving the element of
military power as either agent or make
weight III such solution. The successful ascer-
| taiument Of these impediments, the President
woaid confidently expect, would indicate to the
| people OF that state the wisdom and mode of
! their removal.
The unusual circumstances which attended
/ and followed the State electon and canvass
from is relation to the excited feelings and in
terests OF the Presidential election may have 10
! tarded within the State of Louisiana the per-
suasiyc influences by which the great social and
material interests common to the whole people
1 If a state, and pride of American character rs a
! Idw-aDldlng NaIlon, amehUrdte ulsdppoIntmeutS
| and dissolve IcsentmCuts of close and Jealous
! political contests, but the President both hopes
and believes the great body OF people OF Louls-
ana are now prepared to treat the unsettled re-
salts of their State election with IA calm and
conc,liatOry spirit. Ii ii be too much to expect
a complete concurrence IN a single Government
for that State, at least the President may antic-
| pate Il submission to the peaceful resources of
/ the laws and Constitution of the State of al
| their dlsseusIons, at once relieving themselves
| from reprUaCh and their teilOw-citzens If the
! United states from the anXleties which must
ever attend n prolonged dispute to the titls
! ana administration O. the Government OF one Of
| the States OF the Union.
The President, therefore, desires that YOU
/ sho-ild devote your first and principal attention
| 20 n removal of the obstacles, to an acknowledge
| ment of one Government for the purposes of an
exercise of authority within the State and a
representation of the State in it's relations to tho
! General Government under Sec 4 of Art 4 of
! the Constitution of the United States. leaving il
! necessary to the judicial or other Constitutional
arbitrament within the State the question of ulti-
! mate right. If these obstacles should prove in
supcrable, from whatever reason. and hope of
! single Government in all its departments be dis
/ appointed, It should be your next endeavor to
| accomplish the recognition of a single Legsla-
ture az the depositary of the representative will
| of the people of Louisiana. This great depart
/ Ulcnt rescued from dispute, the rest OF the
! problem could gradually be worked out by the
prevalent authority which the Legislative power,
! when undisputed, il quite competent to exert in
| composing conflicts in coordinate branches of
! the Government.
! An attentive consideration of the conditions
under which the Federal Constitution and acts
| OF Congress provide permit military interven-
| ton by the President in the protection of the
/ State against domestic violence has satisfied the
! President that the use of this authority in de-
| lcrm ting or influencing disputed elections in a
| State rs most carefully 10 be avoided. Undoubt
| edly, rs WAS hrd by the Supreme Court in the
| case of Luther rs. Borden, the appeal from the
State may involve such an inquiry az to the law
/ tulnes- of authority which invoked the interior.
4 encc If the President in supposed pursuance of
the Constitution. But 1t j. equally true that nei-
Their Constitutional provision nor acts of Congress
/ were framed with any such design Both OBJ
viously treated case of domestic vi,-
! lcnce within a State rs of outbreak against the
! law and authority of the established Government
/ which the State was unable 10 suppress by its
! own s.Iength-a case wherein every department
/ Of the State Government has disputed repre-
/ scntatlun, and a STATE therefore which furnish
/ ~ 10 the Federal Government no interval poiti-
/ o'l recognition of authority upon Which the
Federal Executive can rely will present case of
/ So much difficulty that it is OF pressing impor-
tlucr to all Interests In Louisiana that II should
! b. avoided. single Legislature would greatly
J relieve this difficulty, for that depart mcut If the
\ state Government Is named by the Constitution
rs the necessary applicant, when it can lie con-
yencd, for military inter, eutiou by the United
States. IT, therefore the disputing interests can
/ concur in or he reduced TO single les islature
/ Tor the State of Louisiana II would be grand
/ step In composing tina unhappy strife.
/ he President leaves entirely to the CommIs-
! sion the coucylato.y influences which, in their
/ Judgment, formed on the spot, may seem to
/ them 90 coudu,e 10 the p opo Ell end. HIS own
4 d-tc mirauon that only public considerations
should inspire and att nd this effort TO give
. peace Is cEiuned 10y his selection of Commits
SvnrrS v.o otter 10 the country in Their own