The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-12
THE LOUISIANA CASE.
President Hayes Letter of Instructions
to the Commission.

The following is the text of the Presi-
dents letter of instruction to the Louisi-
ana Commission: -. ~:
WASHINGTON, April 8, 1877.
10 the Hon. Charles B. Laurence, Joseph
r. Hawley, John NJ. Harlan, John
C. Bro,nn and Wayne Mac Nsgh,
Commissioners:
GENTLEMEN am instructed by the
President to lay before you some observa-
tions upon the occasion and objects which
have led him to invite you as members of
the Commission about to visit the State
of Louisiana to undertake this public
service. Upon assuming his Office, the
President finds the situation Of affairs in
Louisiana such as to Justly demand his
prompt and solicitous attention, for this
situation presents as one of its features
the apparent Intervention of the military
power of the United States in the domes-
tic controversies which undoubtedly di-
vide the opinions and disturb the harmo-
ny of the people of that State. This
Intervention, arising during the term and
by the authority of bis predecessor,
throws no present duty upon the Presi-
dent except to examine and determine
the real extent and form and effect to
which such intervention actually exists,
and to decide as to the time, manner and
conditions which should be observed In
putting an end to it,. It is in aid OF his
intelligent and prompt discharge Of this
duty. that the President has sought the
service of this Commission, to supply by
means of its examination conducted in
the State of. Louisiana some information
that may be pertinent to circumspection
and security Of any measures he may re;
solve upon. twill be readily understood
that the service desired of and entrusted
to this Commission does not include any
examination into or reportupon the facts
of the recent State election, or of the
canvass of the votes cast at that election.
So far as attention to that subject may be
necessary the President cannot but feel
that the reports Of the committees of the
two houses of Congress, and other public
information at hand, will: dispense with
and should preclude any exploration by
the commission of that field of inquiry.
But is most pertinent and important, in
coming to o decision on the precise ques-
ton of executive duty before him, that
the President should know what are the
impediments to regular, legal and peace
full procedures under the laws and consti-'
tuition. of the State of Louisiana, by which
the anomalous government there presen-
ted NAV he pft in course Of settlement
without Involving the element Of military
power as an agent or make-weight in
such. solution. The successful ascertain
ment of these,impediments, the President
would confidently expect, would indicate
to the people of that State the wisdom
and the mode of their removal The
usual circumstances which attended. and
followed the State election and canvass,
from its relation to the excited feeling
and interests of the Presidential, election,
may. have retarded within the State Of
Louisiana the persuasive influences by
which the great social and material inter-
ests, common to the whole, people of
State and the pride of the. American
character as law-abiding nation, ameli-
crate the disappointments and dissolve
the resentments of close and Jealous po-
litical contests; but the President both
hopes and believes that the great body OF
the people of Louisiana are now prepared
to. treat the unsettled results of their
State election with. q calm and coneilia-;
tory spirit. If it be too much to expect
q complete concurrence ina single gov
ernment for.that State, at least the Pres
ident may anticipate submission. to the
peaceful resources, fthe laws and the
constitution of the State of all their dis /.
satisfaction, at once relieving themselves
from the reproach and their, fellow-citizens
of the United States from the anxieties
which must ever attend a prolonged dis 4
pute as to the tit'e and the administration
of the government of any one OF. the
States. of the Union The President,
therefore, desires that you should devote
your first and principal attention to re-
moval of the obstacles to an acknowledge
ment of one government for the purpose
of an exercise of authority within the
State, and representation of. the State
in its relations to the. General Govern
ment, under Section 4 Article 4 of the
Constitution of the United States, leav-
ing, if necessary, to judicial or other COM
stitutional arbitrament within the State
the question of ultimate right. If these
obstacles should prove inseparable from
whatever reason, and the hope of single
government in all its departments be dis
appointed, it should be your next endeav-
or to accomplish the recognition of a +.
single legislature, as the depository of the
representative will of the people Of Lou.
isiana. This great department rescued
from dispute the rest Of the problem
could gradually be worked out by the
prevalent authority which the legislative
power when undisputed is quite compe-
tent to exert in composing conflicts in
the coordinate branches: Of the govern
ment. An attentive consideration of the
conditions under which the Federal Con-