Year: 1868

at Washington.


The municipal trouble at New Orleans has
been summarily settled by the orders of Cen
eral Buchanan. Mayor Conway has entered
upon his duties as the successor of the ex-
Mayor, who, as appointed by General Sheri-
dan, at first refused to recognize the authority
of General Buchanan, which, after all, was
final in the case by virtue of the simple fact
that it is military authority alone which is su-
preme in the premises. For the same reason
as the ex-Mayor, as having been appointed by
General Sheridan, the old Chief of Police also
declined to surrender his Office until relieved
by military authority. He did not recognize
the Mayors authority as sufficient to remove
him. The old Recorder of the Third district
refused to vacate without military orders,
which were promptly furnished to the newly
elected Recorder upon application at head
quarters. All the newly elected Aldermen,
except one, and quorum of Assistant Alder
men, have been qualified. What is specially
noteworthy in the resistance Of the New Or
leans radical oficeholders to the military
authority that has compelled them to vacate is
this-that not the slightest objection or COM
plant was made by them or by their friends
against the exercise of military authority to
which they originally owed their Offices. 1t is
the old story of the difference between my bull
goring your OK or yours goring mine. Military
authority is an angel of light if it wieds its
sword in favor of the radicals; but otherwise
it is demon to be doubly damned.


A similar inconsistency is manifest in the
views of the radicals respecting the contested
election case in Washington. Mr.. Bowen, the
republican candidate, having been sworn in as
Mayor in violation of the city charter, the con-
servative members of the City Council were,
on the 1lth instant, excluded by the police
from their regular places of meeting, and re-
pairing to the basement of the City Hall, held
joint meeting, at which they elected as
Mayor, Gd interim, ex-Alderman T. 4. Lloyd
On the other hand the radicals have invoked
not only the aid of the police, but also, in Mr..
Stewards bill, the direct interference of Con-
gress, in order to enable them to carry out
their schemes. Thus they do not hesitate to
avail themselves of the strength of ''the powers
that be" when that strength can be diverted to
their own favor


The apathy of the American public in view
of arbitrary interference on the part of govern
ment, either by military authority or by police
force, with municipal and individual rights,
may be accounted for as one result of the
stunning shock which our late civil war gave
to all our previous habits Of thought and
action. The rigorous necessities of war con
strained us to submit to many things to which
we would never have dreamed of submitting in
time Of peace So long as the reconstruction
of the Southern States shall be postponed the
sword must virtually rule there as the symbol
of federal authority. But when reconstruction
shall have been consummated, and the nation
shall rejoice in conservative President and
conservative Congress, acting harmoniously to-
gether, we may hope that the American people
will learn again their old lessons of self-gov-
ernment and that their former jealousy of
either military or police interference with their
municipal aud individual rights will revive.


THE OPPOSITION TO CHAsR.-The opposi-
tion to the nomination of Chief Justice Chase
by the national party comes principally from
the rankest of the radical organs. The demo-
cratic and conservative papers all over the
country are gradually declaring in favor of the
movement, and the wisest of the opposition
leaders are yielding to the popular pressure