New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-13
dramatic, to say the least; but we see no ike
lihooI that it is going to become tragic.
THE LOUISIANA BUSINESS.

THE LOUISIANA BUSINESS.
The trade of "visiting statesman" does not
seem attractive. The labor and the wear ana
tear of mind involved are altogether dis-
proportional to the slender rewards Messrs.
Sherman, Matthew's and others who visited
Louisiana. to witness the counting OF the eiec'
toral votes, have boiled over with indignation
because of the conduct of unregenerate alu
unreconstrlcted Democrats of that State, ana
we are compelled to say that their Indignation
oppears to have much cause. The proceedings
i'm the trial of Anderson are calculated to ex-
cite the Indignation of everybody who con-
sders the rightful, impartial and decent adj
ministration of justice important to republican
freedom.
The verdict equity withs Recommendation
"to mercy" in itself shows under the crcum-
stances that something was wrong for If a
man had perpctrated forgery of an election
return, or, in violation of his oath, had
accepted such return as genuine knowing 1t
| to have been forged he could not have been
recommended to mercy by anybody OF sufficient
intelligence and decency to fit him for jury
boz. The declaration of two cOlOred jurors, that
tbey were led to concur in the verdict, not
believing the prisoner guilty, because they
were told that the recommendation would make
the finding equivalent to an acquittal, SHOWS
that a very dishonest as well as malevolcnt
spirit prevailed with more intelligent men,
bers in the jury-rOOm. The sworn statement
| that prior to the trial one of the Jurors ha'i
declared that the accused should be convicted,
and the formal objections to the manner
of drawing the jury, go far to sus-
tain the claim that there was not IN
tended to be fair trial. The rulings
of the Judge were far from Justice,
and his previous record. as a defaulter
TO the Government in the sum OF $6OOOOo,
raises the question whether such a case was
brought before a Judge of such character be-
cause no other could be relied upon to con-
Wet. The trial itself, without any Indictment,
and upon mere information supported by no
evidence. ought not to have been possible in
n civilized State upon charge of such ma
ture. Indeed, the entire proceeding Is dis
credited by the formal and recorded DECLARE
ton that under the Nichols Government there
should be no prosecution for political offences.
Finally, the evidence does not appear, even IN
the absurdly partisan reports sent from New
| Orleans to have brought home to Anderson
any knowledge of the alteration OF returns.
That the returns had been altered by some
body, for partisan purpose, is not denied
Whether it was done by Littleiield, i'll order
t. give Democrats ground for disputing the
election, or by Anderson or his associates,
rests wholly upon the testimony OF Littleheid
"A confessed scoundreI. if his evidence is true
But Anderson and his associates had full
power under the law to make any de-
sired change in the result by throwing out
returns, without riskng the forgery of any,
while the Democrats who obtained the use OF
Littleield had no power to resist the decision
of the Board unless they could fasten upon 1t
some charge of fraud. On one side, there was
no motive for crime, and Anderson was man
of property and honorable reputation. On the
other side, there was n strong motive Tor
crime, and Littlefeld was the sort of man to
be a tool And yet his evidence is held to
prove Anderson guilty of the crime.
| The case il yet To be heard IN other courts,
and there is yet question whether State
Government, which was supposed to have
some decency, will intcrpose its pardon in n
case so extraordinary in character, and 80
plainly i'm violation of its declarations before
the world. The people of Louisiana have not
had any hand in this business. as yet, and it
remains To he seen what their government Will
do. But if it does badly, and they do
badly. the fact remains that the Constitution
provides for Louisiana government resting
upon the will of the people, and not upon
United States bayonets. Any community
which toleratcs the conviction and punish
ment of a substantial citizen, at the demand
of rabid partisanship, and upon such trial
and such evidence as appear in this case. will
suffer quite enough before all is done.
IL is the opinion of some heated persons
that "thc President will change his Southern
'policy." We suspect that he will not under
take to employ any powers which he has
declared unconstitutional, nor depart from a
course which rests upon the belief that III the
ED government by the people will be better
| and yet rid of evils sooner, than government
bv force. If he thinks it proper to quiet some
| of the "gush" which the public has heard
| from persons around HIM, and to put INTO the
waste basket schemes for building up patriot
ism at the South by the resurrection of dead
politicians, perhaps his course will be equally
| effective and much better understood by
Northern voters. Meanwhile, If the Governor
| of Louisiana cannot set foot upon rascally
| craftsmanship, he is not fit for his place.
| THE MORAL IVFL UENCE OF LEGS.
The old controversy between the pulpit and
| tbe stage has been renewed in London, under