Year: 1877

personal indulgences men cannot be made
moral by legislative edict.


SELF GOVERNMENT RESTORED TO


THE SOUTH.


As We maintained at the time OF its ap-
pointment, 1t now turns out to the satIsfac.
ton of every one that the Louisiana Com.
mission went thither solely to ascertain the
actual condition of affairs there, aud to re-
port the comparative merits of the conflict
ing governments as representatives of the
popular will, and not with any intention
OF inquiring into or determining the ques-
ton of title TO the office Of Governor. The
President, recognizing the fact that he was
clothed with no constitutional authority to
interfere with the equities in such a case,
found his only lawful course TO bo in de-
veloping the truth in reference to the exist
ence Of adequate government to enforce
the laws and maintain the public peace.
and finding such, IN leaving the concerns
Of the State in its keeping. That this was all
there was for him to do Is demonstrably clear.
1t was incompetent for him to consider
the equities Of the case, because he is
vested with no power to decide them; and
II he has no authority to decide that the
title of q de jure Governor should prevail
over that OF the do Jdeto represen tative Of
the office, he Is Of course bound to accept
the official evidences of the latter's legal
right as conclusive of the controversy, in
common with all the world. Hence there
was no escape from the complications of
the situation but by recognition Of
the dc tdeto government. which is virtually
done when the troops are Withdrawn. 1t
Is, Of course, not formal recognition Of
the NICHOLS government, because such an
acknowledgment Of its existence Is made
only by official intercourse, which has not
as yet become necessary; but it is none the
less an actual recognition Of that govern.
ment for IL the efficient operation of
government was not conceded the presence
Of the troops would be continued as con-
servators Of the peace in its stead. So, 1t Is
a misapprehen sion to say that the President
has not recognized the title Of HAMPTON
and NICHOLS. in Withdrawing the troops,
for he hes done SO just as 'effectually as he
will have done when he formally ad.
dresses either Of them as Governor
through the medium of official communI-
cation. And, therefore, when PACKARD
talks of "holding out" until the Presi
dent is compelled 10 decide between the
claims of the two governments, he mani
tests very faint knowledge OF the true
case, in fact no knowledge at all of its
merits. The President has already done
the act he proposes to challenge by his en-.
durance, and some one should inform him
that when a sufficient number of his legs
lstors have gone over to the NICHOLS body
to make 1t the Legislature of the State,
from that moment they are bound by the
action SO taken, and thereafter there can be
no other legal Legislature within the State;
aud any members thereof or other persons
attempting to organize another body
styling itself such will be guilty OF mis-
demeanor. Solong as no quorum Of either
body was found present members could go
back and forth at pleasure; but the moment
either of them became the Legisla.
ture, by the presence of quorum
in both branches, those then pres ent were
shared, and there is no release for them.
1t will be idle, therefore, for PACKARD to
undertake q reorganization OF his Legisls-
ture for the purpose Of electinga Senator
and transferring the war to Washington,
as it will be for him to think that any
amount OF "holding out" will result in
more complete recognition of NICHOLS.
No solemnity of form will give additional
substance to the title NICHOLS now
holds, but II PACKARD is curious enough
to see such q solemnization Of the acknowl.
edgment to create any trouble in the State
he will, doubtless. be gratifed by the
fullest evidences of the fact.


The result Of tho whole business is that
all the material questions at issue in the
disputed States are as fully and unalterably
determined now as they ever can be, and
that II packard expects to keep him
self any longer before the public by further
demonstrations he will early find the mat.
ter impracticable, and take himself out Of
the way before he is spurned aside. If he
does not he lacks certain qualities which
have been attributed to him.