Montana, Louisiana And Alabama

Virginia Uity and Helena are both anxious to be the capital of Montana Territory. Hithorto, tliey have had the honor turn and turn about. An obliging Legislature has aeveral times submitted the question to the popular vote, and the vote has generally been in favor ot' the city which did not happen, at thiit moment, to be the seat of tlio law-making power. A few weeks ago tho final vote (tbr tho time) being was taken. It was very close. The first report showed a small majority for one city. There is 110 doubt that tliis report was correct. We bolieve that neither city denies this. Wheu the official returns were made, however, it was found that the vote of one county was exaotly transposed. Instead of 300 to 2ó for one city, it wasreturned as 300 to 2ö for the ofcher. The letter of of the iaw forbade going behind the official figures. Yet they wore mauifestly wrong. The transposition of this uouiity vote transposed the majority from ono city to the other. In this dilemma, Attorney General Williams was appealed „ TT.. 1 1 . .i tu. lio wnB nsneu do usw me poweis ol the general goverunient to aulhorize a recouut. After duy considerution tbe Attorney-General replied that tho government possossud no power wtiatever in the case, and that nothing could be done. Mr. Williams' failure in the Credit Mobilier suit has not inspired anybody with a high degree of confidence in his legal acumen, but it is nevertheless strange that he should have forgotten in this case precedents which, as he helped to créate them himself, should have been freeh in his memory. We will mention fwo. The Attorney General, upon reoalling them, will doubtlesa basten to changa his Montana decisión. In Louisiana, a Federal Judge, backed by Federal bayoneta and Attorney-General Williams, went behind the legal, official returns and kicked them into outer darkness. Not satisfiod with thie achievement, he then manufactured imaginury returns, which made William Pitt Kellogg Governor of Louisiana. ïhis rejec-v tion of official returns haB since been sustained by the whole power of the Federal administration; under the advlce of Attorney-Geueral Williams. In Alabama, in 1872, a legal and illegal Legislatura met. The tirst was Conservativa. The second was Republican. The latter hastily ordered the issue of $3,000,000 of bondg, which were as hastily put upon the market. Though thoy were all sold the State has never received a cent for them. Attorney General Williams interfered in this case, rocounted the official returns, and made up a fusión Legislature, which has since ruled Alabaina. He made the recount and patched up the compromiso on one condition. This was that the validity of the $3,000,000 of bonds should no be disputed. The Montana case diffors frora that of Alabama in haviug no monoy in it, but the principie involved is the same. It is certainly strange that the general governinent do that in a State which it not do in a