The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-28
|srrpAL INTERrERENOE IN STATE
ELECTIONS.

GENERAL Assembly should not adjourn
Eant passing resolutions, such as have been
,tsd by the Legislatures OF several South
GATES. condemning and protesting
,st Federal interference in State cleo
-- No more dangerous innovation upon
n I'D established usages has ever been at
..stod than that which was embodied In the
.srcement act and the other appropriate
..slasjon" passed by the Republican Con-
.s.saa. under the pretext Of enforcing the
s.unth amendment. There is not one
..,d IN this amendment, or any where
IA "A the body Of the constitution
q sustify any such legislation or any man.
- q supervision or control by the Federal
ssvernment over the exercise Of the right OF
Image. This is a matter which belongs as
.,elnsjyely to the States to-day as 1t ever did.
~ State confers 1t, restricts 1t, regulates It's
.suxclee, and to the State alone are persons
| .-.nousible who illegally interfere with its
| ~ exercise by legal suffragans The fif-
Isoth amendment merely declares that the
mt to vote shall not be denied or abridged
| x the United States or any State on account
4 race, color or previous condition of servi-
Lie. It confers no power on the Federal
Envernment which 1t did not possess before,
snVnd that OF annulliDg any restriction
! nd on the conditions named.
I The amendment provides against Interior
80 with negro suffrage on the part OF the
! United States and the States. and leaves the
rnles to deal with individual law-bl eakers
rbefore.
Not long since Mr.. Edmunds, the Senator
hum Vermont, introduced set Of resolutions
ndorsing the enforcement bill, and affirming
~ odious doctrine it embodies. These reso-
haons were promptly met by the Democrats
set of resolutions, presented by Senator
Morgan, of Alabama, denouncing the doctrine
,dvanced by Edmunds, and asserting the ex-
clusive rights of the States to regulate, con-
trol, enforce and protect the elective franchise
The result was that even the Republicans
m the Senate were forced to repudiate Mr.
Edmunds and his resolutions, and they were
withdrawn from the Senate after several in
eeectual efforts on the part OF their author to
bring them to vote.
Already the Legislatures OF three States
nounced the doctrine advocated in the Ed
munds resolutions, and shown up the dangers
that must result from the usurpations OF the
Federal government In Its interferences in a
matter under State control Certainly there
d not single State In the Union which has
suffered as Louisiana has from this out
rageous assumption on the part Of the Fed
eal government. For years our citizens ex-
ercised their dearest and most sacred fran
chise under the espionage of the most no
t0rious and ruthless moss troopers Of the
army, and beneath the very shadow of bayO-
nets. Every election that has been held In
the State since the days of reconstruction has
been followed by the heartless and remorseless
persecution Of our people. Hundreds of them
have been arrested and subjected to great
indignities and outrages, and to-day there
under indictment under the very laws the
Republican members Of the United States
Senate have absolutely refused to declare to
be constitutional and which they are afraid
10 demand the enforcement Of.
Was ever more shameful spectacle pre-
sented to the ciuilized world? Here are hun
dreds OF our people dragged to this city as
outlaws from the remotest parts Of the State.
and yet the party which placed upon the stat
ute books the laws under which they are pur-
sued dare not face an indignant country
with demand for the enforcement of the
laws OF their own making, or even an affirma-
lion of the doctrine which caused their enact
ment. There have, happily, occurred in
history few instances of such eonsummate,
such despicable cowardice as that of these
Senator's, who, while so tender of their own
rputations, besiege the President with clam
ors to enforce against the people the very
laws they dare not approve.
They know that the end of such things has
come, and they are solicitous to escape the
wrath to come. There can be no manner of
doubt as to the partisan purposes of tbs pros
ecutions now pending, or Of the partisan spirit
with which they are being carried on. It is
. conspicuous fact that not single Repub-
lican or single negro has been proceeded
against. The only persons arrested have
been white men and Democrats, and for them
None has the law been framed, and they are
me only persons who come under Its pro-
Visions. Certainly the Democratic Legisla-
lure OF Louisiana will not allow this fact to
70 unnoted or the outrage to escape de-
lunciation. 1t is only necessary for the
Legislature to pass resolutions formally in
lersing those presented la the United States
senate by Senator Morgan, and demanding
he Immediate repeal of the Federal election
avs.
This should certainly be done. The time
has come when We should demand that the
'xercise OF our franchises as freemen shall no
onger submit us to the pains and penalties
u outlaws and the partisan prosecutions of
officials.