The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-11-15
NO. 90.

MAYOR HISS" ALIAS WATERMAN, OF NEw ORLE-
Ns.-fhis public iunctonary has gained for himself
an unenyahle noorety. in consequence Of the many
high hand d and aagitious outragcs committed by
nus order and undcr his sanction at the late election
in New Orleans. Prominent among these was the
search OF the Charity Hospital for firearms, during
progress Of which, two Of the Sisters Of Churty
who were leaving that institution for the purpose Of
attending mass, were torcibly prevented by the po
lice. Nen'a' as the r. n. press of tina, city had be-
come in justfyng act of public violence and mur.
der, public indignation has compelled even some Of
them to peak out in condomnatory language of this
transaction. Hear the Bulletin
The SEARCH At THE CHARITY HosPrrAL-We
were not aware that any inqusiton had been
made at the instance Of the city authorities,
OF the wards, Offices and private apartments of
the Charity Hospital, until we saw a notice to
that effect in one Of our city contemporaries yes
terday, and a still more detailed account in
another evening journal 1t appears from
these and other statements which we have
heard from different sources, that the Mayor,
on the morning Of the election, upon complaint
made under oath, that the aliant believed that
arms and munitions of war; were concealed
within the Charity Hospital, or in certain
houses in the ncighborhood, did issue his search
warrant, authorizing and requiring his officers
to enter into the said Charity Hospital, and
other houses pointed out, and there diligently
search for said arms and munitions of war. 1t
further appears that this warrant was execut-
cd and the return made by the officer that
after diligcnt search, nothing was found.
Whether the prcrogativc belongs to the
Mayor, of institnting search of the houses
anc apartments of individuals, for objects and
purposes OF public policy, as, for instance up.
holding and preserving peace and good order,
is purely II question of law, and one which can
be easily determined If he has transcribed
his powers, he, like any other citizen, is amen
able to the law, and may he punished as
trcSpasser for violating private rights
Assuming that the Mayor has this right in
regard TO the mode and manner in which the
duty shonld be exercised, there can be no DIFF
ference of opinion. A search warrant is not n
penal or rindictire process, bnt simply an in
qnisitoral one. When, in such cases, the
strong arm of the law interposes, it should be
done gently and diScreetly, and the service,
which at all times, is an nydious one, should
be performed with the greatest prudence and
forb"arance. II, aS is represented, in the execu-
tion OF this process, the apartments exclusively
devoted to the Sisters Of Charity were voat-
ID, and their privacy intruded, upon---a most
sricvous wrong was commtted; gross out
rage was perpctratcd under color of law, which
is altogether inexcnsablc. And if, further as
has been stated in the public papers, "two of
the Sisters, when on their way to their morn.
lng devoiions, were rudcly stopped outside the
gate and made to return to their apartments"
we have no hesitation in saying that it was not
only trcspass, and consequently Illegal but
that il was III lnmanly, brutal act.