The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-06-05
SENATOR MORTON.

SENATOR MORTON.
nIs Ssatensent ~ views on The
seasherm Qasssisa.
Lsutssana ana south Carsiiaa Ise-
pasliesn Gsverunaenis Yielded
an Force.
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. May 24.-To the
Edit)r Of the Journal: Several weeks
ago an open letter was addressed To
me- through the columns of the New
York Times, written on behalf OF more
than 100 prominent Southern Republi-
cans, stating their views OF the politi
cal situation, and inviting mine. !
have also received many letters from
ditferent parts Of the country, inquir.
ing the condition Of the
sFsAromAL QUESTION PROM LOUISIANA,
as il stood at the adjournment Of the
Senate. At the meeting Of the Senate
on the 9Th OF March last William Pitt
Kellogg, OF Louisiana, presented him
self for membership upon credentials
that had several weeks before been
read before the Senate and laid upon
the table. A motion was made 90 re-
fer the credentials % the Committee
on Privileges and Elections. This was
opposed, upon the ground that Mr..
Kellogg had prima fEeie title To q
seat, bis certificate Of election being
signed by s. u. Packard. AS Governor
Of Louisiana, nnder the great seal OF
the State. and alleging that he had
been duly elected by the Legislature.
The question was, whether the. Senate
would take .aotice thai a. b. Packard
Was Governor OF Louisiana. II hs
was. then tue certificate gave Mr.. Ksl.
logg such right.as under the general
practice In the Senate entitled him To
take his seat, leaving the legality of
his elscIion 10 subsequent insestigs-
ton
II AhGuNEyr II WAS sSowS
by the Journals % the Legislature that
each House Of the Legislature which
elected Kellogg had quorum Of mem.
bers. certified a. sueh by the Return-
ing Board. This Board was empow.
cred by thu laws of Lonisians 10 ex.
| anime and connt the vote. and deter
mine Who had been chosen meu bers ol
the Legislature. and TO transmit Their
determinations to the Sscretsry oi
/ State. The Secretary Of State was di.
rected TO make list Of the members
returned a. elected by the Board
which he g.s to transmit 10 the Secre.
tary and Clerk OF the House Of thf
former Legislature, and the Legisla
ture was to be organized only by sucl
persons as we're named in the list fur
/ nished by the Secretary Of State, A
quorum Of persons In each House thu
certified as elscted met on the day fix
ed by law and organized each HOUSE
Of the Legislature. and the two Houses
met the next day in Joint Convention
in accordance with the provisions o
! the Constitution. aad canvassed th'
votes for Governor and Lieutenant
Governor, and declared 8. b. Packard
Co have been elected Governor aud Q
g. Antoine Lieutenant Governor. Al
terward. on the day fixed by the act o
Congress for the election OF UniteS
Statos Senator. q majority Of the who'll
number Of members 30 returned a
elected met in Joint Convection anu
ELECTED WILLIAM PITT KRLLooo To Tn
sLy1rr
for tho tern OF ak years beginning oi
the ath day OF March. 1877. On tn
motion 20 refer Kellogg's ctedential
10 the Committee, the Dcmocrati
members voted solidiy in the afilrma
tive, together with I've Republicans
aud il was adopted.
Tho Committee on Privileges an
Elections met soon afterwards, and th
Republican members united in repor
that prlma facie 3. b. Packard was ia
lawful Governor Of Louisiana: that TX
Legislature was tho lawful Legislature
aud that William L. Kellogg had bee
elected in conformity TO tho net q
Congress, aud WAS entitled to be swor
in and take his seat As nunbsr q
Members Of tho Senate were absent
aud the subject would lead 10 lon
debate, aud thsrs was q general ankle
ty adjonrn, the report was not laid bs
fore the senate. III najority of tb
Senate shall nj the next session be {
the opinion that Kellogg was lawful
elected by the Legislature Of LouiI
lana,
Hg WILL Be LSIIrLEp 10 MS SEAT.
notwithstanding tie events that has
since occurred. No subsel luent brsal
ipz-np OF that Legislature combini
ton, or arrangement can afi.et bis I
tie, or destroy the legality OF wis
: took place st that tame. Though I'll
very members who proclaimed the ale
/ ton OF Packard aud made that OF Ne
. 1 II. ...l..AnA..fIU
I If Siehols aud take part in the ele
ton Of Spohord. 10 u too clear Tor
] sament they. could not take avs
! rleLts which had vested. or make tn
E unlawiul Which had been before asfn
. Unless Kellogg Voluntarily Withdraw
= the Senate Will have To decide the que
}, linn of his election as IL stood at II
c time oi the adjournment. -..rr 4.
J The. Republican Governments
q Louisiana sui bonlh Carolina ba'
4 welded TO iofea They have. gOi
e ,lown before Rn armed minority, who
r threata oi future yiolence were qua
IA antsei by a long train Of bloody dee
J; la the past. j regret that the re
q character Of the transaction should
y obscurod In the least by pretended !
d yas.igations or negotiations. 5tnpp'
u II all iisguises and preteuses, the ali
, pie fact il, that Packard aud Ohambe
II lain were no, able TO maintain theI
Al selves in snthonty, aud the Cover
q ment oi the United States, in the e
>. ercise of its discretion, refnsed tbs
r tie support. Their Legislatures, iln
il ing themselves defenseless, fell
"a pieces, aud from their ruin. In pa
h new Legislatures have been constru'
ed, whose legality cOnsists only Ia Z
fact that they exist, and that there 9
none to oppose them. The Law a.
/. the rights of the majority have vie
Ie cd to
D. AZ AIo4rp AND AooRrssIvc NiSohIrl
or The Democratic party IN Louisiana,
= undoubted minority. possessing
10 most Of the wealth. arms. aHd militl
is experience, were determined TO COVE
&c whatever ID might cost in the way
ie Tie. Their pretended maisrity nj
u late election had cost many hives. o
~ sas TIE product Of the most infsuna
~ and dasnniug of crimes. The murd
e aud crimes had been proved. aud
- blobd-stsined, majority sot s.iae .
u lawful process. The AdmiDistrati
u decided that such a cate ~ iusurr
Is ton aud tiDlenne was Dot presented
" authorized the National 0ogeTnm
Is 10 intervene, aud that the oonteudi
'ls parties must be lst % their O
- str.ogth aud resources. u was app
70 entity worked out through tie preso
" 81 the Commission. aid seemed 10 d