Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1873 — The Louisiana Muddle. [ARTICLE]

The Louisiana Muddle.

What a howl would go up from the papers opposed to President Grant’s Administration if, in case of a contested election in any State, the- judiciary should decide in favor of one set of candidates and the President should sustain the other! What caustic denunciations we should read of the crime of overriding the courts with military-power! Yet this is exactly what General Grant would have done had he recognized the McEnery faction instead of the Kellogg faction in Louisiana. Tlie regularly constituted 'courts, both State and Federal, decided that Kellogg was elected Governor of Louisiana, and that McEnery was not. This left abiding National Executive no alternative but a recognition of Kellogg when two rival State governments presented themselves, each claiming to be lawfully constituted. Yet President Grant was not satisfied, hesitated to interfere in such a muddle, evidently believing it a doubtful question as to which party had really carried the election, and 'distinctly urged Congress to take some decisive action relative to the question before'its adjournment. responsibility or the trouble of determining which of the two rival State governments was the legal one. "’tn the absence of any decision by this supreme authority the President could only confirm the action of the courts by recognizing the Government which they had declared legally elected, whatever his own opinions might be respecting the election. This being the case, there should be an end of the tirades against President Grant for his action in the matter. If the Kellogg Government be an usurpation, then both the lower courts in New Orleans and the Supreme Court of Louisiana, the judges of which were duly appointed by Warmoth long before the present troubles were apprehended, and indeed before that functionary had allied himself with the McEnery party,_as well as the United States District Court, are primarily - responsible for the sanction which it has obtained, and Congress alone-is responsible for its continuance. It is usual in civilized countries, where law aifd order prevail, for the regularly declared decisions of legally constituted courts to be- respected .until, reversed by some higher tribunal. This being true, the McEnery party of Louisiana, whether their grievances be great or small, have no legal and honorable course but to bide their time and peaceably obey the powers that be, until their case can be adjudicated either by Congress or the Supreme Court of the UnitedL States. President Grant has no alternative but to sustain the said powers that be when duly called on for .that purpose, and help them to put down any domestic violence by whomsoever fomented. And the honest newspaper press, regardless of party lices, unless they desire to make matters Morse and precipitate a rebellion, Should hounsel accordingly. President Grant’s proclamation, published in another column, ordering all “turbulent and disorderly persons to disperse and peaceably retire to theft respective abodes within twenty days,” in order that there may be no necessity for employing the army against them, is in the interests of- peace and order, and as such should be sustained.—iVnKy’* Prm.