Year: 1875

The Conditions Of the Compromise.


Besides the stipulations expressed on thu


face Of the arrangement known as the Wheeler


adjustment, there were certain unwri.ten con


ditions, without which, it is safe to say, the


compromise would never have been ratified by


the Democratic caucus. Il is absurd to sup


pose that the Democratic members who urged


the adjustment, and those of their constitu-


ents who supported it, desired only the resto-


ration of nominal numerical majority in the


House of Representatives. They had tight


to demand that the violent act by which that


majority was nullifed, should be repudiated,
and that the House should be reconstructed
in its original integrity. If they abandoned


this position, surrendering at the same
time the pretension to exercise certain
constitutional powers by which the Kellogg
usurpation might have been subverted, it was
only in order that they might achieve the re-
forms which popular opinion SO imperatively
demanded The friends and supporters Of
the adjustment always claimed that this was
their purpose in urging the measure. The
public were persuaded that this was its object.
without this Interpretation no arrangement
could have been made. Public opinion would
have condemned contrivance which surren-
dered all for which the struggle had been
maintained in exchange for powerless ma
jority of representatives, chosen in New
York by a committee Influenced by no other
motive than the wish to relieve the Republi-
can party of troublesome and dangerous
question.


Hence, in all the negotiations and discus
sions which preceded the consummation of the
adjustment project the point was urged that
unless some guarantee could be given that the
more odious measures contrived by the Re-
publicans would be repealed, no arrangement
could be perfected. On the other side it was
said that although the necessity for the repeal
of those measures was conceded, the conces-
sion could not be expressly stipulated, because
the admission would alarm and ALLEVIATE the
members whose support was
to carry the compromise into effect.
At the same time, every assurance was
given that the State Government would
cooperate in the proposed measures
of reform, and especially in the modification
Of the registration and election laws So
earnestly was this point insisted upon on one
side, and so distinctly were these assurances
given on the other, that the repeal or the
essential modification of the Questionable
laws may be fairly considered condition Of
the adjustment absolutely binding on the Re-
publican party.


We now call on the gentlemen who con-
rived the adjustment, and who carried it
through the Democratic caucus in the face of
he protests of large proportion of their
TO demand fulfllment of its un-
written conditions. If they hope to achieve
my good results by their work-if they
expect the consequences Of their &C
ion to Justify their course - they will
zee to it that the public be not deceived in
his matter by delusive promises. The Demo-
cratic party of Louisiana demand the aboIi-
ion of the infamous system by which, in the
name of the law, the rights of the citizen are
destroyed and the sanctity of the ballot-box
lesecrated. They demand that there shall be
10 more Returning Boards invested with ju-
iicial powers and the right to make and un-
make Legislatures-to elect one candidate or
o defeat another. They demand that the
oethods contrived by the Republican party
o perpetuate their ascendency in defiance of
,ublic opinion and in spite of the
'otes of the people, shall be aban-
loned at once and forever. And
hey look to their Representatives in the Leg
stature to insist upon compliance with these
demands. Let US see whether the Senate and |
he Governor will refuse to accede to them,
nd thus vitiate the spirit, if not the letter of
he adjustment. We know that the House
lone is powerless to enact or repeal a Law;
ut we know also that the House is possessed
constitutional powers, the exercise Of which
lay compel compliance with the just require
tents of public opinion. Should the Senate
ecline to cooperate in measures of reform,
le House may refuse the supplies of money,
ithout which the government can not
9 carried on. This power should be used
ithout fear or hesitation, in case the Repub-
IN party insists on retaining on the statute
ooks the odious laws which have already
rought so much evil and brought so much !
iscredit on the State. The people demand
ir election and fair count next year, and IS
icy are satisfied that fair count and q fair t
ection are not possible under the Returning q
ard system. The House of Representatives I
in possession Of the power to compel full t
lment of the public wish in this respect J
et the House avail itself of that power. h


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