New-York tribune., 1878-03-21
country content to have Democracy intrusted
with pOwer7
TIE LOUISIANA BUSINESS.

General Anderson has been released by de-
cision of the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
The President and Governor Nichols thus
escape, for the present, very unpleasant
responsibility, and it is well that the Court
has decided so sensibly The Louisiana busi-
ness is not very lovely affair at best. Presi-
dent HAYES made great deal of trouble for
himself and for his party, if he sent to the
South The gentlemen who represented the kc-
publican party at New-Orleans. Some OF them
were judicious and prudent; but some, 1t APP
pears. were not, and their performances have
caused great deal of unnecessary scandal.
1t does not appear that the President did
ANYTHING, or authorized anything to be
done, which may not be frankly stated
without fear, and yet rumors OF bar
gam and sale have filed the air ever
since this unfortunate Commission went south
ward. 1t was not proved that General An
derson was guilty of any offence. Ills triai
was farce. The verdict returned was
enough in itself to show that the jurors had
not acted solely upon their belief as to his
guilt or innocence, and the subsequent rec
concentrations, by the foreman OF the jury
and others, made it the more clear that his
case had not been considered fairly ana WITH
out prejudice in the jury-rOom. Very few
will regret the decision which gives him hb-
erty: very many will feel that his incarcera-
ton for so long time, on grounds finally
held invalid by Court not too friendly, was
a gross and manifest injustice.
From the first, it has been palpable abb
surdlty to suppose that the President, or any
of his immediate advisers, had taken any such
step as to place themselves in the power OF
Louisiana Democrats Only the most crazy
partisanship could have prompted such be-
lief, and the men who entertained 1t. ana
have been vOciferOusly proclaimlng 1t Tor
nearly n year, have only advertised their own
idiocy. There was no occasion for any bar
gain of the sort All the help desired from
Democratic members OF Congress could OBJ
viously have been obtained, and actually
was obtained, by a mere reiteratlon OF the
previously declared opinions of the President
in respect to the Southern question. lie had
said. when no was nominated, what he
Thought about the Use of force in the Southern
States. and no conceivable bargain" could
have involved on his part more than rcpetl-
ton of that part of his letter OF acceptance
On the other hand, If anybody was willing to
trust his private assurances on that SUBJECT
that person must have been far more ready to
place confidence in the declarations OF pur-
nose which he had made before all the world,
and at time when such declarations might
have cost him many votes.
When the history of the Louisiana business
is written, it will probably appear that GER
tain local aims had great deal to do with
the conduct of the Returning Board. ANY
man of sense can see that there was no Occa-
sion whatever for forgery Of returns on ac-
count of the electoral ticket. The Board had
unlimited power to throw ont whatever par
ishes or parts of parishes it pleased, and the
changes actually alleged TO have been made
in returns from Vernon Parish did not affect
,he result in the State. They did affect, how
ever. certain local elections, and II fraud was
committed in respect to those returns, it Is IN
the highest degree probable that 1t was com
mitted solely with reference TO the election oI
certain legislative or local candidates. 1t Is
not proved, however, that General Anderson
was cognIzant Of any such fraud, and his con-
victon and Imprisonment have been prompted
by narrow and malignant spite which re-
fleets no credit upon the party now control
ling in Louisiana.