New-York tribune., 1877-07-09
WASHINGTON.
LOUIsIANA'S MISTAKE.

THE VIOLATION OF HER PLEDGES ENDANGERlSG
THE CHANCES OF A DEMOCRATIC sENAToR-IN-
DICTMENT OF SHERMAN AND MATTHEW'S RU-
MoRED.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, July S.-Among the sensational
stories received here from New-Orleans within the
last day two is that the managers of the Last
Ditch element of the Democracy in Louisiana in
tend to have Stanley Matthews and Secretary John
Sherman indicted as accessories to the alleged
wrongful acts of the Returning Board Moderate
Democrats for Louisiana now in Washington do not
believe that partisan malice can drive even the Bour-
bon faction 10 such extremity.
Whether this story contains grain Of truth or
not there can be little doubt but that the position
taken by the extreme faction of the Democracy in
Louisiana Will have very injurious effect upon the
prospects of Judge Spoford. the new Demo-
cratic claimant for the SenaOrship of that
State. Indeed, there is already evidence that
the new features of tho Louisiana question
have given the Democratic managers in the North
some concern, for it has been ascertained that tee
grams have been sent from this city to New Orleans
by prominent Northern Democrats warning the
Bourbons that their course would be very injurious
to the prospects of Judge Spoord. The fact already
reported that the Senate Committee Privileges
and Elections before the adjournment of that Body,
special significance in view of the late developments.
That vote was strictly party one and George +.
H0ar, who was member of the Electoral Commis-
son and had Just been elected TO place on the Com
mitlee voted in the affirmative. The decision of tho
was based upon the assumption that when the u. ,.
Senator was elected the Packard Legislature was
regularly organized body, and tn only legal Legis-
ature of Louisiana and that it did not and does not
matter what became of the Legislature after having
exercised the constitutional and legal right of choos-
ing Senator. The Republican managers of the Sem
ate in advocating the admission of Kellogg will, it
is said assume the position taken by Senator iIoar,
and insist that il enough for the Senate to know
that the body clectng a Senator was organized in
accordance to the laws of the State and of the
United States
This case will be one of the first to be considered
by the Senate but no Republican Senator is sangune
enough to believe that it will be disposed of at an
early day in the session. If the past experience of
that body is criterion, months will be spent III dis
cussng the Louisiana question before vote will he
reached; and the Republican majority is now so sim
that any attempt to sit out" debate on this ques-
ton and force vote without adjournment would
undoubtedly fail.
Gov. Brown of Tennessee, one of the members OF
the Presidents Louisiana Commission and Gen. Geo.
A. Sheridan of Louisiana both called upon the Pres
idcnt Saturday and it is reported denounced the
action Of the BOurbOns in Louisiana as gross viola
ton of the spirit If not of the letter Of the pledges
given by them.
Democrats now in Washington whose relations
with Governor Nichols and his friends in Louisiana
are intimate and who have means of knowing what
is going on there and the real sentiment of their
party friends in regard to the proceedings against
the Returning Board declare that in their opinion the
members of the Board will be convicted and that
the general feeling among the Democrats of the
state is such that Governor Nichols will dare not to
pardon them.