The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-10-31
LOUISIANA In THE SENAT L.


appropriation at its last regular SEES
sion for the support of The Army,
except with proviso that the Army
should not be employed in the South
ern States, to which proviso the Sen
ate would not agree, has been in SEES
sion two weeks, and the Louisiana
case in the Senate seems to be as far
from q sett cement az it has been at
any time during the last four years.
This continued denial Of representa-
ton of any sort TO a sovereign State
in the most important branch of the
United States Government, is to the
whole people of the State most inter
ested, and we believe, TO majority
of the good people of this Nation
also, becoming not only monotonous
and tiresome, but assuming the form
of injustice and persecution. Since
Kellogg resigned to run for Governor
in 1874, his place has been vacant,
Notwithstanding that Pinchback and
Eustis both of whom represent the
authority of the government whose
de facto head he was recognized to
be, or different branches of that gov
eminent were claiming the place, and
one or the other must have been en-
titled to the seat, on a primaa tacie
showing, or if neither of them were
entitled TO the seat then Gen. Nc
MILAN who represented the Meme
ry State government ought to have
been seated. There does not seem
to US to be any escape from the one
or other of these conclusions, yet the
Senate refused the place 10 all Of
them, and for four years Louisiana
has had but one representative in the
Senate. West has gone out by the
expiration of his term, and Judge
Spodord has been elected in his stead
by the only Legislature in Louisiana,
aud his credentials are certified by
tue only Governor in the State, and
still the Senate refuses to admit him
on even the prima .tacie showing
pinchback has renewed his claims
aud the fight is now between he and
Kellogg on the one side, and Spodord
and Eustis on the other, for the two
Senatorial places 10 which Louisiana
is entitled, and out of which she can
not he kept by any preteDse of right
and justice. The dispatches indicate q
disposition on the part of the Re-
publicans to do half way justice by
seating Kellogg and Eustis, and in
chat plan it is not difficult to discover
their wish to avoid recognition Of
the Nichols State Government which
has accredited Judge Spofford alone
of The contestants. Our recollection
is that Mr.. Eustis was not reelected
by the Nichols Legislature, but as
Kellogg refused to give him his ere.
dentials, it may be that Gov. Mich.
oils supplied that defect in his title
TO the Office. At any rate there is no
dispute as TO Judge Spoaord; he de-
rives his only claim from his elec'
ton by the only legal Legislature, af.
ter the settlement of all doubts and
disputes between the Nichols and
Packard Governments, and we be.
lieve a large number of the Republi-
cans in the two Houses Of The Legis-
lature voted for him.
The conflicting claims are before
The Senate Committee which are en-.
gagged in taking testimony and hear
ing arguments, and it is intimated
that they are likely to stay there, un-
less the Democrats who are in mi
nority Of only three or four, can get
enough Republican votes to take the
cases out of the hands Of the Com
mittee. Judge Thurman made such
a motion. but q show of hands salts
fed him that it would be defeated and
be had TO consent TO lay his motion
on The table. The present outlook
is not favorable for an early settle
ment of the question, and after the
report Of the Committee, if one
should be had at an early date, it
will still be in the power of the Re.
publicans in the Senate to delay &C.
tion on the report indefinitely.
In this attitude of affairs the duty
of the Democratic House of Repre-
sentatives seems TO be plain and i'm
peratfve. They should not dictate
to the Senate what contestants they
should seat, but they ought at once
to take the position that unless the
Senate did settle the question at
once, as all other such questions are
settled, by seating one or the other
set of claimants on a prima. 5acse case