The daily gazette., 1880-03-25
From the N. Y. Sun.
The KeILOgQ-ISpOfOrd Case.

10 his minority report from the Com
nittee on Privileges and Elections, Sen
Ator Hoar says that TO unseas Kellogg of
Louisiana would be as great a crime as
the rebellion. Kellogg entered the
senate through an arrangement that
looked very much like corrupt bargain
whereby he and Butler were admitted
II the same time. 1t is we'll to refresh
our memories concerning this peculiar
case.
The present Administration, with the
concurrence of leading Republicans,
have gwen the highest proof that they
regard the Legislature that elected Kel-
iogg to the Senate as fraud and a sham.
At the general election of 1881 Louis
ANA, Packard, Republican, and Nichols
democrat, were rival candidates for
Governor. The notorious Returning
Board OF that State counted in Packard,
with Legislature to match. Nobody
ever supposed they were legally chosen
rhls so called Legislature elected Kel-
ogg 10 the Senate. Nichols clai Med TO
have been duly chosen Governor. He
TOOK the oath of office and drew around
MIN Legislature of like mind. This
deadlock in louisiana continued for
Two or three months, and was almost
hidden from public view by the far
more serious question between Tilden
electoral votes of four States.
Soon after Hayes was quartered In the
White House, he sent corps of visiting
statesmen to Louisiana to lift the en-
barge from its Government, and see II
u motion. They went armed with n
letter of instructions from Mr.. Eyarts,
the DC Jocto Secretary of State. This let
ter was one OF the most marvellous doc.
uments that ever enanated from a pub
lie functionary. Its logic was as incom-
prehensible as its sentences were inter
mi nable,
Wayne MacVeagh and the other be-
wildered statesmen read IL from top TO
'stt0tn, and from bottom to top, but
could make neither head nor tail of 1t
lack Bunsby not being accessi BILE az
IN interpreter, they called for more in
structions. Mr.. Evarts sent then
mother letter. 1t was a little palmer
han the first. 1t seemed to nudge the
visitors in the ribs, al If saying, "Donr
you see We want you to elbow Pack
a. d and his bogus Legislature into III,
| meet, and by hook or crook worm ii
| Nichoils." They took the hint, and die
| the Job. A new Legislature was tbeI
| Ormed out of the fragments of tn,
other two. E 1t was made up of white
md blacks, of Democrats and Republi
ans, and was composed only of persons
| WhD were conceded on all sides to hav,
been legally chosen by the people. Thii
was the Legislature that elected Spof
ford to the Senate.
AT the extra session of 1877, Spofford
Dpeared in Washington to take hi
seat. Kellogg had been there before
him. just then Butler, Democrat, wa,
ella ming q seat from South Caroin ma
while one Corbin, Republican, wa
insisting that 1t belonged to him. Thi
long, bitter qusdraDgular controvers,
was terminated on the last day II No
| vember, 1877, by the admission Of Kel
lOgg and Butler, arm in arm This re-
suit was secured by what appeared 10 bs
| a contract, which had been formed by
Senator Edm1nts on behalf of the Re.
ouhhcans, and Senator Thurman or
behalf OF the Democrats. 1t was carrie ed
through by two carpet-baggers, Como
YER Of Florida and Patterson Of South
Carolina. They both voted to admit
Kellogg and Butler. This sufficed to
s9at the former by twn majority and the
latter by one Conover voted for Butler
to save kellogg, and Patterson voted
for him to save himself from the peni-
| teniiary.
Packard was not disposed to submit
quietly to this thin mble-riggiDg arrange
ment. In several vehement speeches he
showed that if he had not been dulv
elected Governor, then Hayes had not