Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-06-01
THE OBJECT JoF INVESTIGATION

Many oppose the resol ution Of 8dT Pot
tor, believing that the object in view
is to unseat Hayes md, inaugnIate Til
den, and that such an attempt would
revolutionize the government. The
whole proceedings show that the 4Demo-
Gratis do not propose to disturb Hayes
title. fraudulent as it is known is he. II;
the. Democratic CAUCUS OH Tuesday night,
Hon. Casey Young, Of this district, de-
sired an .naeanival expression on this
poin:. The discussion which Colonel
Young's resolution elected, Indicates
thp t there is no disposition op the parto
the Democrats to depose the usnrPer.
They concede what has been done can
not be- unilone, because it has been done
in accordance with the forms of law by
a commission for which tho Democrats
voted and recommended to prevent civil
war. Then the question is daily asked,
what good can result from he investi-
gation7 The Appeal has already dis
cusse:. this point which is forcibly sta
ted in tho following extract from the
Baltimore Sun: "The very fact that
Mr. Hayes cannot, as we believe, be law
fully disturbed in his office, and that
it would be unwise to attempt to dis
turb him, makes it only more important
that tho means by which he was induct-
ed into the prcsidency-the frauds by
which the office was given hiln-should
be thoroughly exposed. The disgrace
which will follow, and which will ineyi-
tably attach to every man who had part
or lot in these frauds, or who he's COLI
sciously or knowingly been benefited by
them, will morally speaking, be worth
all the trouble of Investigation, if Con-
gress can spare the time for it. Even if
Congress should SO far neglect its duty,
which We will not anticipate, i,s to ads
jouru without making proper provision
by legislation OF by tho submission OF
constitutional amendment, it necessary,
for preventing and determining future
controversies and difficulties in regard
to counting the electoral votes of the
States and asccrtainipg the result, the
mere exposure of the frauds which at
tended the last election will have q
wholesome effect in lettering from any
attempt ut their repetition. The pow
ers and duties ofthe two honses of Con-
gress and of the president OF the Senate
in regard to the returns ought to be so
clearly distinguished and defined by
law as to leave no room for future con-
troversy upon these points. How far it
is necessary Or wise to clothe any Off
Ger, or any tribunal, outside of the States
themselves, with power to go behind re-
turns and decide upon grounds and tes-
timony dehors, or, to use Justice Bradley 3
now famous word, 'aliunde tho returns,
is separate and independent question
in regard to which there is great deal
to be said both ways. Meantime, how
ever, as we have said. investigation,
properly conducted can do no harm. If
there is q disposition i'll both parties,
among Republicans as we'll as Demo-
Gratis, to order such investigation, SO
much the better. The investigation will
be less partisan in it's character. No
.loubt much of the testimony will be that
OF accomplices and participants in the
frauds prompted to their disclosures
by Disappointment and chagrin st not OBJ
tanning preferment from the present ad-
ministration. Such is usually the ma
ture of the tes stimony in such cases of
conspiracy. The public will know how
To make due allowance for the motive OF
the witnesses, and we'll weigh their tes.
mony for what it is intrinsically worth.