The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-03
THE RETURNING BOARD CASE.
A PRACTICAL TEST or THE "sOUTH-
ERN POLICY No uNTERvEnEsCE
WITH STATE AUTONOMY.

PRACTICAL TEST or THE "sOUTH-
ERs POLICY No INTERFERENCE
WITH STATE AUTONOMY.
The COfiectOrship-why CDnk Eng's COm-
mIttee Did Not report Against VIII.
liamson-The Brazilian Mail Llne-A
New Orleans Prima Donna.
Especial Correspondenoe OF the Democrat
WASHINGTON, january %, 1878.
The late furry In the Custom House demon
strates what the hopes and expectations Of
THE RETURNING BOARD
were, and the order Of the Attorney General
shows what the views Of the Admnistra tion
are upon the subject Of the rights Of States
end the relations OF the local autonomies of
the Union to the central power. The news
which reached here yesterday afternoon, that
the Custom-House in New Orleans WIS being
used as place of refuge by criminals for pur-
poses of defiance to the laws OF Louisiana,
caused u decided flutter In political circles.
Men OF all parties said Here, now. is
A. PRACTICAL TEST or THE SOUTHERN Policy.
Let's see whether Hayes will strain point to
protect the men to whom he owes his place"
The traditions Of Radlcalisrn were In favor
Of the criminals who aad barricaded the Col
lector's office. The practices Of Grantism
rose up in an unbroken array OF precedent to
sustain the employment Of the forces of the
United States to defeat the operations of local
law. But Mr.. Hayes did not trouble himself
about the traditions of Radicalism or the pre-
cedents OF Grantissn. When notified OF the
state Of affairs in your midst he remarked
that "the Attorney General would attend to
that matter" and proceeded to the other mat.
ters Of business that were before him Even
Devens did not take long time for reflection
He did not consult any book containing the de-
cisions Of Durell nor did he turn to the text of
the enforcement acts In the General Statutes
He simply reached for his wellworn copy Of
the constitution, perused the article and Soc
ttOns defining the powers of magistrates and
the duties Of executive officers; whereupon
he sent Il brief telegram to Jack Wharton,
mildly intimating that the rebellion OF the
United States against the State Of Louisiana
must be crushed at all hazards. He did not
use that language in his dispatch, 1t Is true:
but he did employ terms to that effect in
speaking of the matter Immediately after he
had sent his telegram
THE BEHAVIOR OF THE LOUISIANA AUTH Oh
was spoken Of ut The Department of Justice
as altogether dignitied calm and proper; but
that OF the Custonl-House people was repro
bated in the strongest terms, and Gen.
Devens' only hesitation was as to the terms In
which he should couch his instructions In order
to indicate the general policy Of the Admins
traton as well as 10 settle the specific diff
Guilty in question. The language OF the tele-
gram sent to Marshal Wharton was there
| fore made general and may be regarded as q
standing order to United States officials to
'cease obstructing the execution Of writs OF
the State courts"
There is reason to believe that
THE ACTION or DEPUTY ToMLINsoN
was the result Of advice from the Radical lead
ers here, who. are opposed to the Presidents
policy, and that the design was to create o
conflict between the State and the United
expect the summary treatment which they
met. They believed that there would be e.
"stdtus gno:" that correspondence would be
opened between the White House and Gov.
afforded Blaine to repeat his speech Of last
spring. The theory was that Hayes, who is
known to be annoyed at the prosecution Of the
Returning Board, and who, at one time, re-
ga,rdeed that action as contrary to the
isiana Legislature on the subject of
"pOlitical persecution" would embrace the
opportunity Of Saturday to communicate his
views on that subject to Gov. Nichols. Some
| of the Radicals went SO far as to say that Mr..
Gov. Nichols setting forth the views above
| referred to. But in point Of fact, there was
no fuss whatever. The whole matter was
| quietly turned over to the Attorney General,
afnI n
| ters ON the strict letter OF the law Not g.
word was said about
THE POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THE CASE.
The members of the Returning Board re-
ceved no more consideration on account Of
the peculiar nature Of the offense with which
they stood charged than IL they were SO many
horse thieves who had sought the shelter Of
the Custom. House by hiding in its coal-hole.
The failure Of the programme to involve the
Administration in the manner above ind-
Gated is a bitter draught OF the very dregs Of
the cup OF humiliation and chagrin which has
been commended to the lips Of the Radicals
during the past ten months. The attempt Of
the Returning Board to make a sanctuary OF
the Custom House was, in fact, the last resort
Of the enemies Of Mr. Hayes, and
BLAINE
says 1t was test Of the sincerity OF the
policy of conciliation, and that the decision of
the Attorney General indicates that the Ad-
mean unconditional surrender. But what will
they do about it? The experience of Blaine
and his coadiutors teaches them that
they can neither browbeat Hayes nor
influence public sentiment in the North.
The fact that the New Hampshire
Republican Convention indorsed the Admins
tration and spat upon Bill Chandler before
the ink was quite dry upon the latter's
indictment OF the Administration, leaves the
| Radical soreheads without even peg of pos
sibility to hang q hope on. Every plan they
devise comes to about the same sort Of grief.
Perhaps they will eventually conclude that
| the state OF siege has been raised and that
their occupation Is gone When carpet-bag-
gers are 30 longer protected by the walls OF
custon-houses, and when revenue cutters
have no longer any rights which sheriffs are
bound to respect, it may we'll be concluded
that reconstruction is complete. One OF the
papers here speaks OF the Attorney Generals