Year: 1874

The case of Louisiana differs widely from
the problem in Arkansas. At Little Rock
there is no reason thus far for any inter-
ference by the Federal Government except
barely to preserve the peace. At New-Orleans,
on the other hand, Congress is confronted by
a difficulty for which it is bound to find So
luton. BY the action of the President State
Legislature aud Governor, having at least
the appearance of regularity, were turned out
of office, and rival claimants were forclbly IN
stalled in their places. Both governments,
sending Senator's TO Washington, appeal
to Congress for recognition, ana the
Senate must decide between them. The
duty has been shamefully deferred. More
than q year ago an exhaustive report upon the
situation was presented by a Committee OF
the Senate, and long discussion followed
but the rival claimants for the vacant seat are
still cooling their heels in the lobbies of the
Capitol. 1t was shown in that report that the
existing government in Louisiana was estab-
lished by military interference, for which
there was no other color of justification than
the void orders of a court which had no Juris-
diction 1t was made clear that the usurpation
was only sustained by force, against the
earnest remonstrance of the people; and
stanch supporters Of the President bitterly
denounced in Congress the infamy of the pro-
ceedings and the base political motives which
promoted them. Yet still the confessed wrong
goes uDredressed.


We do Senator Carpenter the justice to say
that he has tried hard to relieve the people OF
Louisiana from the despotlsm that has been
put upon them. He seems to be honestly
ashamed of the part the Administration has
played in this scandal, and he wishes justice
to be done without regard to partisan advan-
tages But the remedy which he offers will
not cure the disease He proposes to suppress
some of the more troublesome symptoms, and
to leave the inward disorder as bad as ever.
Too much Federal interference has been the
curse of the reconstructed States. 1t lies at
the bottom of the disorder in Arkansas, the
quarrel in Alabama the misery and sorrow in
South Carolina and until the people OF inc
South are allowed to settle their own affairs
in the methods prescribed by law they
can have no peace or security. How
does the case stand2 Illegal interven-
ton by the Federal authorities has ousted the
only government of Louisiana which held
valid credentials of election. The facts are
undisputed. The wrong is not denied. The
obvious remedy seems to be to reverse the
lawless action of the President, withdraw
Federal support from Mr.. Kellogg by recOg-
nizing the Senator elected by the McEnery
Legislature, and leave the people of Louisiana
free to install the officers of their choice.
But no. says Mr.. Carpenter McEnerys elec-
ton was not altogether nice there was a
good deal of fraudulent voting on both sides J;
let us call it a failure all around, and order a
new election. Thus Mr.. Carpenter comes
back to the same bunder which caused the
original trouble. He puts the State under the
tuteage of the Federal Government, just as
Grant did; and invites all Southern politi
clans hereafter, when they are dissatisfied
with the result of an election, to hurry to
Washington and get an order for a new deal


Of course there may be cases of an election
so thoroughly fraudulent so hOpelessly vitiated
clear through, that none of the candidates can
be said to have been chosen But there is no
reason to pretend that the last election in
Louisiana was sham of that character. The
cheating, taking the most liberal view of It,
was not half as great as that by which Will
liam NJ. Tweed secured the electoral vote of
the State of New-YOrk for the Democratic
candidate in 1868; and Congress has no more
excuse for ordering new election in Louis
lana now than it had for ordering one in
New-York then. The only safe and eflectual
remedy for these Southern disorders is to be
found in the regular operation of the laws
Extraordinary and violent measures adopted
at Washington, whether by Congress or the
President, Can only aggravate the evils they
are ostensib)y designed to cure.


THE ERIE ACCOUNTS