The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-04-18
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Thc Louisiana Trouble.

The Louisiana Trouble.
The Commission seems to be making
little progress in the adjustment Of the
Louisiana muddlc. There Il no disguis.
jpg the fact that the decision Of the case
involves serious embarrassments. Ac.
eording to the received Republican idea,
s B. Packard was elected Governor Of
that State. Indeed, Democrats and Re-
olblicans alike admit that he was IA
much elected Governor AZ Mr.. Hayes
was elected President. Now, ii the Gov.
ernmenloilhe United States is to guar.
snty to each State republican form Of
Government, why should not the Presi.
den, recognize Packard at once, and II
necessary sustain him by putting down
any rebellion against him? This, to the
superficial mind, would be the direct and
Constitutional way out OF the business.
Bat little further reelection will lead us
to conclude that forms OF law are necessa-
~ elements in republican form OF gov.
enmen;, ln New York city men have
for years held office because they had
been declared elected by due and regular
forms oIlaw. II. b. Banning,o Cincinnati,
will enter the next Congress because he
has been certified elected, and will DO re.
cOived on that certificate, 10 one contest.
ing, although it is known in Cincinnati
that he was no. elected by the msjority
Of his District.
Now in Louisiana We have no one at.
tempting to settle this question by the
forms OF law. The Returning Board-n
legal body-made legal return OF Ger.
tain legislators. The Legislature az such
has never legally canvassed the vote for
Governor, Neither Governor has per-
!ect legal title to the post he claims. No
writ Of quo warranto is served by either,
because neither one admits the other 10
be legally seated. And il one admitted
The other to be in possession OF the Office,
there seems to be no court whose de.
cisions would be respected. Nichols
court was made by coup de e,at. Pack.
ard's court seems to have expired by
limitation. Such thing as abiding by
the decision Of couris does not enter the
brain or heart Of these excited parlizans.
Besides all this it seems pretty thor.
oaghly established that the intelligence
and property Of the State stand with
Nichols, and that ignorance and poverty
stand with Packard. 1t seems, too, that
the government OF Louisiana has been
oppressiye-that the taxpayers have not
tor years had say in the things which
affect seriously their domestic and gener-
al prosperity.
twill be seen how difficult is the prob.
lem Of solution. To decide for Packard
DO jure is to decide to sustain govern.
ment at the point Of the bayonet. TO de-
eide for Nichols de facto ia to admit that
an election carried by shot guns is Re.
publican in form. To decide for either
now to decide without the forms OF
law.
The trouble with these Southern peo.
pie ia that they do not 60 By Law but By
passion. They determine to rule or
ruin. In any Of the Northern States the
Louisiana trouble would have been settl.
ed in less than month by forms Of law.
There would be passion and hot blood to
be sure, but all would bow to the majesty
Of the law.
II the knot can not be united let it be
tlL Set the egg on end even il it is
necessary to crack 1t. How the Presi-
dent will cut tile knot, or what force he
will use 10 crack the egg remains to be
'een. But in whatever way it is done
the patriots Of the nation will acquiesce
and thank God for peace, while possibly
the partisan politicians OF both parties
will seek to make out OF it capital for the
stump. We believe Mr.. Hayes will do
right according to his best judgement,
fearless Of criticism by Democrats or
Republicans.