The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1877-05-31
SENATOR MORTON.
The Presidents Plan a Doubtful One.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, May "a, 1877.
To the Editor Of the Journal:
Several weeks ago an open letter was address
ed to me through the columns of the New York
Times written on behalf of more than one hun
dred prominent Southern Republicans, stating
their views of the political situation and invit-
ing mine. l. have also received many letters
from different parts of the country insuiring
the condition of the Senatorial question from
Louisiana, as it stood at the adjournment of the
Senate. At the meeting of the Senate on the
5th of March last William Pitt Kellogg, of
Louisiana, presented himself for membership
upon credentials that had some weeks before
been read before the Senate and laid upon the
table. A motion was made to refer the creden-
tials to the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tons. This was opposed on the ground that
Mr.. Kellogg had prima-facie title to seat,
his certificate of election being signed by S. Is.
Packard, as Governor OF Louisiana, under the
great seal OF the State, and alleging that he had
been duly elected by the legislature: The
notice that s. b. Packard was Governor of
Louisiana. If he was, then the certificate gave
Mr.. Kellogg such right as under the general
practice in the Senate entitled him to take his
seat, leaving the legality of his election to sub
sequent investigation. In argument II 1rds
house of the Legislature uhfch elected Kellogg had
q quorum of members certified as such bY the
returning board. This board was empowered
by the laws of Louisiana to examine and count
the vote, and determine who had been chosen
members of the Legislature, and to transmit
their determinations to the Secretary of the
make list of the members returned as elected
by the board, which he was TO transmit to the
Secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House
or the former Legislature, and the Legislature
was to be organized only by such persons as
| were named In the list furnished by the Secre-
ese ii Tins eerad qe eec Pe per- n tS eGeH
| fixed by law and organized each house of the
Legislature, and the tlCO houses met the nsrt day
IN j07t convention, in accordance Nth the pro
Uisions of he constitution, and canvassed the
votes for Governor and lieutenant Governor,
| and declared s.. b. Packard to hare been elected
Governor, and G. c. Antoine, Lieutenant Cover
| nor. Afterward, on the day fixed by the act of
Congress for the election of United States Sem
ator, a majority Of the toIiOe number of members
| so returned as elected met in joint contention
and elected William Put Kellogg to the Senate for
| the terIn of six years beginning on the 4th day
of March, 1877. On the motion to refer Kellogg's
credentials to the committee the Democratic
members voted solidly in the affirmative, to-
| gether with five Republicans, and it was
The committee on Privileges and Elections
met soon afterward, and the Republican men,
| bers united in report that prima-facie
S. ID. PACKARD WAS THE LAWFUL GOVERNOR
... ...; g. OF LOUISIANA, ... ss.... 3. ....
that the Legislature was the lawful Legislature.
and that William p. Kellogg had been elected
In conformity to the act of Congress, and.was
entitled to be sworn in and take his seat. As
number of members of the Senate were absent,
and the subject wouid lead to q long debate,
and there was general anxiety to adjourn, the
report was not laid before the Senate. If a ma
jority of the Senate shall at the next session be
of the opinion that kellogg was lawfully elect
ed by the Legislature of Louisiana, he will be
entitled to his seat, Notwithstanding the events
that have since occurred. No subsequent break
ing up of that Legislature, continuation or
arrangement can affect his title or destroy the
legality of what took place at that time
Though the very members who proclaimed the
election of Packard and made that of Kellogg
should subsequently declare that of Nichols
and take part in that of Spoford, it is too clear
for argument they could not take away rights
which had been vested, or make that unlawful
yoI%ntariiy withGra%s. the Senate viii Sare 70
decide the question of his election as il stood at
the time of the adjournment.
THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT OF LOUISIANA
AND SOUTH CAROLINA HAVE YIELDED 10.
FORCE,
have gone down before an armed minority
whose threats of future violence were guaFan-
teed by long train of bloody deeds in the past.
regret that thereal character of the transaction
should be obscured in the least by pretended
DISCUSSES and pretense, the simple fact is, that
Packard and Chamberlain were not able to
maintain themselves in authority, and the goo
eyTlment of the United States, IN the eDereise of
Its discretion, refused them its support. Their
Legislatures, finding themselves defenseless,
fell to pieces, and from their ruins, in part,
new Legislatures have been constructed, whose
legality consists only in the fact thatthey exist
and that there are none to oppose them. The
law and the rights of the majority have yielded
70 an armed and aggressive minority. The
Democratic party in Louisiana, an undottbted
minority possessing The most Of Che soedl, arms
night sse Mss
life. Their pretended majority at the late cleo
ton had cost many lives. and was the product
OF tne mos. infamous ana damning OF crimes;
the blood stained majority set aside by lawful
process. The administration decided that such
case of insurrectien and violence was not pre-
sented as authorized the National Government
TO intervene, and that eoBtending parties must
be left to their own strength and resources. 1t
was apparently worked out through the pres
form of negotiation. Assurances were given
that the rights of all classes should be protected
benent Of all. General promises of tins kind
amount TO little, especially when left to the
voluntary execution of q party which believes
that the cOlored man ought NOS to have political
rikhts-even personal freedom, and who have
never considered him a part of the people.
President Hayes was urged to give up Louisiana
only question of time; that at the next cleo
ton they would go as Mississippi, Alabama, and
other States had, and it would be better to give
them up at once. However repulsive this argu-
ment. it was unfortunately too true. The same
crimes and violence which had wrenohed, Mis-
sissippi and Alabama from the Republican par
ty. and had so nearly captured Louisiana and
South Carolina, would certainty succeed the
next time. This was an argument or expedien-
eyLnet of right and justice; President Hayes
Queathed to him on the 4th of March. Republi-
can governments In Louisiana and South Caro-
Lima could only be kept in place by the Ss army
dent Grant promptly recognized the Packard
and Chamberlain governments In January, and
declared his purpose to sustain them by force,
It Is not now necessary to discuss; but he did
not do it, and on the Attn or March, when Mr..
Hayes came into power, he found these govern
ments existing only in name, surrounded by
enemies, living only from day to day by the
presence and protection of the United States
troops,
s.Weuld It have been in the power of the Presi-
dent to maintain them by the army? A Demo-
cratic House OF Representatives recently with
held Appropriations for the support OF the army
except on the condition that 10 should not be
used IN the Southern States. IL was clearly un- |
constitsItionalto put such a condition into the |
bil, but 1t did. and was likely to do 1t again at
the extra session thus made necessary. Tho I
majority OF the House, made ~. OF fQ9thern |
Democrats, late eonrederates, ana desperately
ID earnest, and of Northern democrats wholly |
Subsequent, thus threatened the existence OF |
the army, and had IL In their power 20 destroy
10. The question was. should the President J
yield 70 the Inevitable, or proceed only 70 iney.-
table defeat? 49, 80
There ere and have been for many years Re-
publicans IN the North who have deprecated the |
hse of the army Tor the support OF Republican /
State governments In the South. The Repphll- /
-. r, iorltv I'm the Senate urOn South err QSles-