Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1877 — LOUISIANA. [ARTICLE]

LOUISIANA.

The Letter of Instructions to the Louisiana Commissioners. Washington, April 3. The following is the President’s letter of instructions to the Louisiana Commission: . To the Hons. Charles B. Lawrence, Joseph R. Hawley, John M. Harlan, John C. Brown and Wayue MacVeigh, Commissioners: Gentlemen —1 am instructed by the President to lay before yon some observations upon the occasion and objects which have led him to invite yon, as members of the Commission about to visit the State of Louisiana, to undertake this public service. Upon assuming his office, the President finds the situation of affairs in Louisiana such as to justly demand his prompt and solicitous attention, for this sitoatioii presents as one of its features the apparent intervention of the military power of the United States in the domestic controversies which undoubtedly divide the opinions and disturb the harmony of the people of that State. This intervention, arising during the term aad by authority of his fredecessor, throws no present duty upon the Resident except to examine and determine the real extent, form and effect to which such intervention actually exists, and to decide as to the time, manner and conditions which should be observed in putting an end to it. It is to aid in his intelligent and - prompt discharge of this duty that the President has sought the service of this Commission to supply, by means of its examination conducted in the (Mate of Louisiana, some information that may be pertinent to the circumspection and security of any measures that he may resolve upon. It will be readily understood that the service required of and intrusted to this Commission does not include any examination into or report upon the facts of the recent State election, or of the canvass of votes cast at that election. So far as attention to that subject may be necessary, the President cannot but feel that the reports of the Committees of the two Houses of Congress, and other public information at hand, will dispense with, and should preclude, any original exploration by the Commission of that field of inquiiy. But it is most pertinent and important, in coming to a decision upon the precise question of Executive duty before him, that the President should know what are the real impediments to the regular, legal and peaceful procedures under the laws and Constitution of the State of Louisiana by which the anomalies in the Government there presented may be put in course of settlement without involving the element of military power as either an agent or makeweight in such solution. The successful ascertainment of these impediments, the President would confidently expect, would indicate to the people of that State the wisdom and mode of their removal. The unusual circumstances which attended and followed the btate election and canvass from ita relation to the excited feelings and interest: of the Presidential election may have retarded within the State of Louisiana the persuasive influences by which the great social and material interests common to the whole people of a State, and pride of American character as a law-abiding Nation, ameliorate disappointment!! and dissolve resentments of close and zealous political contests, but the President both hopes and believes the great body of people of Louisiana are now prepared to treat the unsettled results of their titate election with a calm and conciliatory spirit. If it be too much to'expect a complete concurrence in a single Government for that State, at least the President may anticipate a submission to the peaceful resources of the laws and Constitution of the titate of all their dissensions, at once relieving themselves from reproach and their fellow-citizens of the United States from the anxieties which most ever attend a prolonged dispute as to the title and administration oi the Government of one of the States ot the Union. The President, therefore, desires that yon should devote your first and principal attention to a removal of the obstacles, to an acknowledgment of one Government for the purposes of an exercise of authority within tfae State, arid a representation of the titate in its relations to tbs General Government under Sec. 4 of Art. 4 of the Constitution of the United States, leaving, if necessary, to the judicial or other Constitution!!] arbitrament within the State the question of ultimate right. If these obstacles should prove insuperable, from whatever reason, and hope of single Government in ail its departments be disappointed, it should be your next endeavor to accomplish the recognition of a single Legislature as the depositary of the representative will of the people of Louisiana. This great department rescued from dispute, the rest of the problem could gradually be worked out by tfae prevalent authority which the legislative power, when undisputed, is quite competent to exert in composing conflicts in co-ordinate branches of the Government. An attentive consideration of the conditions under which the Federal Constitution and acts of Congress provide or permit military intervention by tfae President in the protection of the State against domestic violence has satisfied the President that the use of this authority in determining or influencing disputed elections in a State is most carefully to be avoided. Undoubt ediy, as was held by tbs Supreme Court in the case of Luther u. Borden, tbs appeal from the' State may involve such an inquiry as to the lawfulness of authority which invoked the interference of the President in supposed pursuance of the Constitution- But it is equally true that neither Constitutional provision nor acts of Congrem were framed with any such design. Both obviously treated a ease of domestic violence within a State as of outbreak against the. law and authority of tbs established Government which the State was unable to suppress fay ita own strength—a case wherein every department of the State Government has a disputed reuce-

sil a Bute, therefore, which fnndshOt to thapedi-ral Govctoment no internal political medrinition of authority apart which the fcdmfkxrcntim can rely will preaent a ease of ■ much difficulty that it ia of pressing importance to all intaMlt*in Louisiana that it should be avoided. A single Legislature would greatly relieve this difficulty, for that d-rertroent of th« ffitoE Bgrni hie ;»1 maamdUp tUfWtitHUua as the necessary applicant, when It can be convened, for military intervention by the United Btates. If, therefore, the disparity interest* can concur in or be reduced to a rlngfe Legislator* for the Btate of fnniaiana, it would be a grand sfep in corhpoalng this unhappy Strife. - The President leaves entirely to the Commission the conciliatory influences which, in their ssresisafca ftsirawj: determination that only public consideration* should inspire and attend this effort to jrivf ascen deucy ib liOuifiAuß to thitiirH bcuou? to peace ia driaoed by Us selection at Commusi oners who offer to the country in their own character every guarantee of public motives and methods of transaction which they have undertaken. Tour report of the result of this endeavor will satisfy the President, be does not doubt, of ths wisdom of his selection and his plenary trust in the Commission. i. . A second and less important subject of attention during the visit to New Orleans will be the collection of aooorate and .trustworthy information from public officers and ‘prominent citizen* of all political connections as to the state of public feeling and opinion in the community at large upon general questions which affect the peaceful and safe exercise in the Btate of Louisiana of all legal and political privileges conferred by tho Constitution of the United Btates upon all citizens. The maintenance and protection of those rights and privileges by afl Constitutional means, and by every just, moral and social influence, is the settled purpose of the President in his administration of the Government. He will hope to learn from your investigations that this purpose will be aided and not resisted by the substantial and effective publio opinion of the great body of the people of Louisiana. The President does not wish to impose any limit upon your stay in Louisiana, that would tend to defeat the full objects of. your visit. He is, however, extremely desirous to find it in his power, at the earliest day compatible with a safe exercise of that authority, to put an end to even the appearance of military intervention ia the dom is tic affaire of Louisiana, and he await* your return with the confident hope that your report will enable him promptly to execute a purpose he has so much at heart. The President desires me to add that the publication of the results of your visit he shall hope to make immediately after their communication to him. i. ,1V I have the honor to be, with great respect.

your obedient servant, (Signed)

WILLAM M. EVARTS.