The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-03-29
ranks.
JUSTICE AND TIE PEOPLE VIM
Dictated.

Justice, law and popular sovereignty have
at last been indicated, and the chosen Of the
people occupies the Office Of sheriff Of New Or
leans. It is to be hoped that this result will
administer reproof to the violence which
sought to defeat the will Of the people by un-
paralleled oatrages The breaking Of ballot
boxes, the overawing Of inspectors, and the
expulsion Of good voters and citizens from the
polls, and other cxccsses-the object Of which
was to defeat and suppress the expression Of
the popular will-hayc proved Intellectual.
Those who attempt to avail themselves Of such
infamous expcdcnts will only succeed in link
ing their names with the infamy from which
they would profit. They cannot enjoy their
ill-gottcn emolumcnts; they can attain honors
by no such means.
Judge Cotton yesterday decided that John
NJ Bell was sheriff Of New Orleans, and order
ed the pretended sheriff to deliver over to him
the books, records and instruments Of the sher-
ifs office. A suspcnsive appeal was moved
by Hufty's counsel, and the case being evident
ly one which was not appealable, SO as to sus-
pend the execution Of the order, the appica-
ton was refused and there remained no re-
course for Hufty but to give up an Office which
it was an outrage for him ever to hold. There
is no other sheriff in the parish of New Orleans
now but John NJ. Bell. The prompttudc with
which this vexed question has been decided
reflects no little credit upon our Judicary y,
and shows that the machinery Of our Courts is
sometimes quite direct and efficient in remedy
ing wrong and sustaining right.
There are some good citizens who have
doubted the policy and propriety Of the meas
ures by which Hufty's usurpation has been re-
sisted and prevented. These persons do not
bear in mind the enormity of the wrong which
had to be remedied, and the impossibility OF
reaching them in any other way. They attach
too much Importance to the verdict of jury,
or Of the majority of a jury, which they know
was wrong, contrary to law, to the evidence,
to right and justice. The high power confer.
red upon the Legislature for the removal of all
officers, by majority Of the votes of both
Houses, was never intended to be employed
but in extreme cases. And such case was
presented. II such case can be imagined, it
is that upon which they did act.
Not content with creating reign Of terror,
and by On organized system Of violence deter
ring hundreds of citizens from the polls, the
runians who appeared on the fifth of November
to take possession Of the city, having discover
cd that, in spite Of all their plans, there was a
majority against them in the boxes of two
wards, adopted and consummated the dcspe.
rate cxpedient of rushing in upon the polls OIL
these two obnoxious precincts and breaking
the boxes and destroying the ballots BY q
nice calculation the destruction of those boxes
wherein Bell had q majority of over 800
gave Hufty n majority of seren! And thus
Hufty was retnrned-and by a partizan ma
jority of a jury was confirmed as sheriff. Mark
There was no prctext of any fraud or Illegal
ty at the precincts ntruded upon. The inspect
ors were of the Hufty party. The vote was {
small one, and the most stringent and severe
system of challenging was employed Th
was the outrage that had to be punished nne
remcdied. Every effort was made to reach i
by Judicial process, but in vain: And at las
the Legislature, as the only recourse left, exer
cised the power conferred on it by the Consti
tuition, and on the grounds, fully proclaimed
removed the individual who had reached hi
Office by such means
We state these facts for the information Q
those honest minded people abroad, who hay
been led to regard the measure as an unltr
and unauthorized one.
There is curious condition of affairs in on
city. Nearly, if not quite one-half of our cit
zens are of the naturalizcd class. OF our res
dent and permanent population, the proportio
of foreign born is still greater, These peopl
are, under the Constitution and laws, entitle
TO vote and hold Office; and the Democrat
party, standing by the Constitution and tn
laws, maintains these rights. A new part
has arisen, composed of the mass of the oil
Wing party, few renegade Democrats, an