The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-07-08

Gubcrnatorfal Exemption from Account
ability TO Law.
The more violent Of the Mississippi papers assert
the novel doctrine that the Governor Of State is not
liable to criminal prosecution. for offences commit
ted ont Of the State, against the laws of either
o.hef State, or Of the United States. We are sor-
ny to see the Mobile Herald endorsing this doctrine.
The moment Governor leaves the boundaries
Of his own State and enters the territory of an
other State, his official immunites cease--he is
simply regarded as an ordinary citizen. Suppose
the individual holding the office of Governor of
Wisconsin were to visit New Orleans, and while
here be engaged in an affair Of honor-that he should
be indicted for the offence, does any one pre-
tend that he could successfully plead in bar, thathe
was the Governor of Wisconsin; and that he could
be subjected to the laws Of Louisiana only after his
successful impeachment from his office, by the ac-
ton of the Government Of Wisconsin What
clause in the constitution of this State exempts
from the operation of its laws any person found
within its territorial limits So, too with regard
to offences committed against the enited States
What course it would be proper % pursue In regard
to an offence committed against the United States,
within particular State By its Governor, need not
now be examined The only question is, whether
the individual who holds the office of Governor Of
Mississippi is exempt from the action Of the Fed
eral tribunals, for an alledged offence charged to
have been conanaistEd IN the State of Louisiana.
Is the grand jury of Louisiana to say, Well, the
evidence before us is enough to require us to find
an Indictment against this person. but he is the Gov
ernor q Mississippi, and, therefore, we must not
do our duty The Herald says, that if General
Quitman is amenable to the laws of the United
States, the Constitution of Mississippi! affords
a remedy-and thenit gravey points out this rene
dy The President of the United States is to have
him impeached by the House of Representatives of
Mississippi, and removed by the Senate, and then
forthwith he will be liable to the criminal laws of
the United States, for offences alledged to have
been committed out Of the State of Mississippi
But how is the President to receive official ipfor
nation of the preparation of the offence? The
grand jury Of Louisiana have no right to find true
bill against his Excellency, and we know Of no
statute which points out the mode to communicate
to the President Of the United States the fact that
a Governor Of one Of the States, ont of his own
State has committed offence against the statutes
Of the United States. The statute of 1918 is d.
rected against any person and against any cit
izen or citizens" We have examined the statute
carefully, and can find no exception in favor Of
Governors. But the Constitution Of Mississippi
makes the exception Well, that is discovery in
politics, equal to Paines new light. In our gno-
rance, we had thought the States had dvested them
selves of certain powers, and conferred them on
| the Federal Government and that in regard to
their exercise, the States were poweress The
clause in the Constitution of Mississippi, which re.
quires the removal of the Governor before he can
be tried criminally, refers necessarily TO offences
charged to have been committed by him against
the laws Of his own State. Now, as to the expe.
diency of the prosecution Of Gen. QuiIman The
grand jury of the Eastern District of Louisiana
have deemed it their duty to find bill against
Cen Qmtman, at the same time they found bills
against gentlemen Of this State the equals in char
acter, position, etc, of that gentleman If the
prosecution is continued against them, why should
he be exempted? We do not understand this
comfy or courtesy. Is he so big fly that he can
break the meshes of the law, and the editor of
The Delta is to be held Auttering while that huge
venomous spider, Uncle Sam, is to suck out his
blood The great democratic principe which lies
at the foundation Of social and political institu
tons, the primary formation, is the equality in the
eye OF the law, of all our citizens In the church
and even in the grave yard there are distinctions,
and the saint in lawn sits in the broad aisle and
near the pulpit, while the saint in homespun, seats
himself in another quarter and as to the grave
yard who does not at glance see, the aristocratic
section2 But the courts of law, and the vast
cahedrals of the Catholic Church, are open to ALL
and the Prince and the beggar, the Governor and
the Editor, knee alike in the one, or stand erect in
the other, Equals.
So far from deprecating the prosecution of Gov
ernor Quitman having tendency to weaken
the bonds of the Union, we look on it as one of the
most speaking illustrations of the democratic prin-
cipes of our Government, that no man, however
exalted his position, is above the law. In the
words of the District Attorney, we say, if there
is evidence to impcate the Secretary of State9or
even an in,9tviduaI occupying higher position,
let that evidence come QUIT will do my duty