Year: 1873

Durell under the enforcement act,
where would Congress be if it were
to overturn the Kellogg government
by ordering new election? Would
not the legislative and judicial depart
ments then be in direct collisionq The
fact is, Congress, by passing the en-
forcement act, recognized an election
contest to be settled by the courts; /;
that is to say, the question is a judi
cial one, and the determination OF the
courts is to be carried into effect by
the machinery Of the courts, and en-
forced, if need be, by the executive
arm of the government. What right,
then, has Congress to assume q juris-
diction conferred by itself on the fed
eral judiciary7 What right has it to
step in and settle a pending litigation
in the federal courts authorized by it's
own law9


1t is one Of the gravest questions
which Congress has ever had before
it, and that body may well pause
before establishing SO revolutionary
precedent. If it sets aside an cleo
ton in Louisiana because one set of
candidates were defeated, it may be
called on to set aside an election in
any other State by the defeated can
didates there, and such defeated can
didates have it in their power to bring
about the very state Of things which
forms the pretext and ground of their
appeal to Congress. Who is to blame
for the present condition Of affairs in
Louisiana? Why, the very McEnery
Democrats who are now knocking at
the door of Congress for recognition
and relief. They have stood off from
tho United States government in an
attitude of discomfort, like petulent
children, for the last four years. They
would have nothing to do with public
affairs except to enter in secret spec
ulations and schemes Of plumber with
Governor Warmoth and his friends,
and then they entered into an alliance
with him to carry the election against
the Republican candidates by illegal
and dishonOrable means. Beaten at
this game, they come to Congress and
make their adversaries deliver up the
stakes. If Congress were to crafty
them, it would have to settle every
election contest hereafter in the same
way. =.-... .s


The question is national rather
than a local one, and the effect of the
interference Of Congress in this case
would be most unfortunate in the
Southern States, the majority of whose
people I mean the whites) are as dis
contented and unrepentant rs ever,
except when their candidates for Office
are successful, and then "all is love.
ly." There is large class Of valua7
bic citizens in the Southern States who
are tired of the Democratic leaders
and Democratic party, and are ready
for new organization; but they are
held by the tyranny Of q merciless
public opinion, growing out Of preju-
,lices which it is time should disap-
pear. Congress owes something to
independent men of the South vino
dare to speak and act like freemen.
They are the true Republicans, using
the word i'll its larger Specification,
and as employed by photographers.
If Congress should give any encour-
agcment to these discontented Demo-
cratic leaders of the South, it will
simply be paying q premium for the
disbandment of the friends Of the gov
ernment and their ostracism from
society. It is an undeniable fact that
no Southern man can join the Repub-
lican party without incurring the risk
of being, as it were, outlawed by the
community. Those who are courage
ous enough to do this have to he pre-
pared to meet every kind of mean in
suit. Is Congress going to foster this
tyrannous spirit in the South by aban-
doning the class of men to whom l
allude7 A LOUISIANA DEMOCRAT.