Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-06-06
Senator M0rtOn's Letter on the South
ern Question.


ter in the New York Times and To numer-
Gus private letters, has addressed a long
letter to The journal, which is condensed
below
He saws when the credentials of VIM. Pitt
Kellogg were presented to the Senate in
March they we're referred to the Committee
on Privileges and Elections, which Commit
tee did not make a report, though the Re
publican members were prepared % report
that 5. b. Packard was, pri,ad focie, the law
full Governor of Louisiana, and therefore
competent TO sign the credentials IF Kellogg
a. Senator lie says II a majority of the
Senate shall, at the next session, be Of the
opinion that Kellogg was lawfully elected, he
viii be entitled TO take his seat nOtwth-
standing the events that have since occurred.
Unless Kellogg Withdraws, the Senate will
have TO decide the question OF his election
The Republican Governments Of Louisiana
and South Carolina have yielded TO force have
gone down before an armed minority whose
threats Of future violence were guaranteed
by a long tram Of bloody deeds IN the past.
Stripped Of All DISCUSSES and prctcnsc, the
simple fact is, that Packard and Chamber
lain were not able to maintain them-e in
authority and the Government Of the United
States, in the exercise of its discretion, re-
fused them its support Their Legislatures,
finding themselves defensecss, fell to pieces,
and from their ruins, in part, new Lcgisla-
lures have been constructed, whose legality
consists only in the fact that they exist, and
that there agc none to oppose them. The
Democratic party in Louisiana, an undoubt-
ed minority possessing the most OF the
wealth, arms and military experience, were
determined 20 govern, whatever it might
cost in the way Of life The Administration
decided that such a cas- of insurrcctiOn and
violence was not presented as authorized
the National Government TO intervene, and
that The contcndiug parties must be left To
their own sire 9Th and resources II was
apparently worked out through the pres
cuCc of the Commission, and seemed TO lake
the form Of negotiation. Assurances were
given that the rights of all classes should
bc protected, and the Government admins
tered for tile equal beaeit Of all.
General promises of this kind amount to
little, especially when left 10 the voluntary
execution of party which believes that the
color man ought not to have political
rights-cycu personal frccdUm--and who
have never considered him part of the pco-
pie. President Hayes was urged to give up
Louisiana ana South Carolina 1T once, and
was told 10 WAS only question OF time, that
at the next election they would 90 ~ Mis-
sissippi, Alabama and other States had, and
II would q sctter 10 give them up AZ once
However re-usivc THIS argument, il vas I'M.
fortunately 80 true TIE same crimes and
violence whig1 had wrcnchcd Mis-issip-
pi and Alabama from the Republican
party, and had 50 nearly captured Lou.
i-ana and South Carolina, would GER
tuiuly succeed the next time Repub lean
Governments In Louisiana and South
Carolina could only DC kept in place 10y the
army. Would ii have been in the power Of
the President Ia maintain them by the army?
A Democratic House Of Representatives re-.
Gently withheld appropriations for the sup
port Of the army, except on the condition
that 1t should not be used in the southern [
States. 1t wa clearly unconstitutional 10 I
put such q condition iuto the bill, bat it did |
and was likely TO do it again AT the extra [
session thus made necessary. The majority I
OF the II huse made up Of Southern Demo
Gratis, late Coutcdcratcs, and desperately in
earnest, and OF Northern Democrats wholly /
thus threatened the existence Of
the army, who had il i'm their power TO de- .
stroy It, Tho question was, Should the Pres
den yield 20 the inevitable, or proceed only /
to inevitable defeat
There were and Mad been for many years,
in the North who have dcpre-
Gated the use Of the army for the support of
Republican state Governments In the South.
The Republican majority In the Senate upon
) pulhcru questions was but nominal. il it
existed ut all. 4 number OF Republican
sufficient, when added to the Dem
ocratic members, TO constitute a majority,
have steadily refused to recognize the Re
publican State Government in Louisiana
since 1913 hy voting against seating q sen.
alter chosen by H. With Il divided public
opinion in his own party, aud both houses
OF Congress against him. he would have
fuiird in tau end.
lhc Democratic House has the power to
destroy the army utterly and, from the >tua-
tor know ledge Of the senate, he was sure a
Republican majority in that body could
hsir la Ia. 1, 'itI a : Cd him, d, -,l.I a
course, We have had so much talk about
cancellation aud fraternity that many well.
meaning people in the North had come to
believe that all that was necessary to secure
tranquility and oqu / rights N the South
was TO withdraw the army the Republicans
TO abandon The Struggle, and commit the
Government to the white Democracy Of those
States. The proie scd warnings for peace
and fraternity of the very men who planned
the mass0eres in Louisiana, Mississippi and
South Caro- ina have been received with
gush intensely uUusratiug to people who nm
dcrstand the facts,
He docs not believe that President HAYES
intends 80 desert or destroy the Republican
party and attempt the erection ola neW one
upon its ruins The language of his inau-
gural was strong and beautiful, and he dec.
lawtion OF his devotion to the great doctrines
of human rights, which constitute the touu-
datjon OF the Republican party, left moth
ing 10 be added or desired. Mr.. Hayes
was elected as a Republican. and viii
be Republican President, not I'm a
mere pa n way, but in the sense of deyo.
ton to krpuhilc0n principles and the main
tcnaucc of the Republican organization by
placing political power in the hand, of wur-
thy aud qualified Rcpubli ans Poli.ital
principles 30 not execute themselves; they
require party 20 do that,
Tie presents The Republican party as
grand aud juulSp rsaolc mstnlmcnta.jty for
carrying into operation the rue principles
OF government aud human rights
Il WAS thu Republican urg.uilIltur. COM
solidatyd and disciplined with great labor,
that carried the country through the war,
preserved The Uniou abo isurd slavery.
placed the amendments in the Con, tuition,
and THAI now stands tine guardian of the VA