Year: 1873

|


But this Congress ought not to adjourn
without taking some action on the bill
!, in reference to Louisiana reported from
! the Committee ON Privileges and Elec.
| tions. 1t was very evident that if Con.
gress adjourned without action there
| would be imminent danger of blood
shed. In that State there was now a
government de frcto so-called, based


upon no valid election, standing there
with no support but Federal bayonets;
and If Congress should adjourn without


making provision for the difficulty, one


of two things must happen-either
there would be conflict between the
two governments, or else the President
must continue to give the support of


Federal troops to the government
which has been set up by their aid. It
would hardly do for Congress to adjourn
and leave the government of Louisiana
to be upheld by Federal bayonets
through the summer, and listen to tho
cuphonious criticisms which would be
heard from one end of the country to
the other. The atmosphere around the
Capitol was 4 little feverish now on the
subject of Investigations, and it might
be thought that the Senate should not
be behind the other branch of Congress
in purging itself; and if it should hap
pen to get hold of the wrong man that
would probably be regarded as inciden-
tai, to the great question of purging. 1t
might be we'll, therefore, to put off that
case till the December session.


Mr.. Morton-I think the Senator from
Wisconsin might have deferred his ar
gument on the Caldwell case until that
case should be properly before the
Senate. This bill which he urges us to
take up is a bill for the reconstruction
of Louisiana, II bill involving such vast
considerations that think l am justi-
fed in saying that the Senator knows
it cannot be passed through this body
alone this session, not to speak of the
other house.


Mr.. Carpenter said that he and Mr..
Morton had often helped to pass bills
of as great importance as this by sitting
Il little late on the morning succeeding
the beginning of the discussion.


MIR. Morton did not concur in this
opinion. He thought this was Il bill
involving more difficult questions than
any that were involved in the recon-
structiOn of the rebellious States. In
reference to the Kellogg government
being upheld by Federal bayOnets, he
said that there was not now single
bayonet sustaining that government.
Troops had been called in at one time,
but there were none now there except
a small garrison, which has been there
constantly, and has nothing to do with
supporting the State government
There is now in Louisiana Il State
government in undisturbed operation
i'll every part of the State, and that
government will run it's course for the
next two years unless its power be
taken away by Congress.


NJ. Thurman raised the point that
the discussion Of the Louisiana case and
the Caldwell case was not in order. If
the Louisiana matter was to be discus
sed he wished to take his share of the
time.


Mr.. Morton said the point was very
good, but it ought to have been made
when Mr.. Carpenter began the discus
sion.


Mr.. Trunbull said it would be very
unfair to stop tho discussion at this
time without allowing some reply to
be made to the remarks just dropped
by the Senators from Indiana and Wis
consin, and he was proceeding to reply
when Mr.. Sherman called him to order.


Tho Chair (Mr. Edmunds) overruled
the point of order. The question before
the Senate was an amendment to the
agricultural college bill, and he could
not say whether Senators did not mean
to connect their remarks with that
subject. ELaughter.l


Mr.. Trumbull said it ought to be in
order to ascertain whether we have
States in the Union before appropriate
ing money or land to build colleges for
them. He agreed with Mr.. Carpenter,
and with a majority of the committee,
that government had been set up in


Louisiana by the usurpcd authority of
a United States district judge, and this
government SO set up had been sustain


ed by Federal troops ordered there by
the President. The committee had
concluded that Durcll's action was ut
terly void and without authority, and
entitled to no respect, yet the President
had recognized and sustained it. He
did not agree with MIR. Carpenter that
the President was blamcless in the
matter.


Mr.. Carpenter said the President was
obliged to remain in Washington at
tending to his duties, and when he was
informed by telegram, as in this case,
that a Federal court had rendered Il
| certain decree which was to be resisted,
| it was his duty to sustain that decree.
He could not review the action of Il