The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1857-05-30
A KNOW NOTHING PAPER IN DIS
GTrTSE

per is Know Nothing paper in disguise. 1t takes
the very same view. and uses nearly the same argu
mcnts of all the other Know Nothing papers. that
have spoken against this law. and certainly has been
able TO throw no new light upon the subject. II
takes good care TO make specifications except in
general terms. II says the "Legslature arrogated
TO itself the power to pass laws to say that sperin-
tendant and two commissioners should lord 1t over
the ballot boxes" without attempting to shew in
what particular. further than by assigning. that If
man was accidcntly drawn into quarrel. he would
he pounced upon and driven from the polls and in
generated at the very moment he was going to eyer
else tho most sacred right Of freeman. Now is no,
this all nero assumption. without the shadow of
sound reason to sustain IT, II assumes that an OIL
Ger created for the express purpose Of protecting
cizeps in their most sacred rights Of suffrage would
upon the most tr0ng prctcncc. deprive them of its
exercise. II assumes that the superintendent and
his deputies would all necessarily be dishonest men,
capable and willing TO act as tyrnns. and wantonly
outrage the rights of citizens. We think every one
should at least presume that the Governor would
appoint gentlemen of known character for honesty,
and fidelity. as well as sound discretion. TO carry
ont the provisions of law whose object, was alone,
to secure the good people Of New Orleans in the cy
crcsc Of their political franchise. II Il but fair TO
presume that such men would act in good faith. and
should not be denounced as tyrans and dospo.s, be-
fore they have ever given any reason upon which TO
ground such m opinion The Times is hard run for
an argument when it jumps to such illibcral con.
clnsions based upon such unreasonable assumptions.
Again our contemporary finds fault with the law.
because the Legislature thought proper to give the
superintendent power to call upon the people in
case Of necessity for assistance. and in ease any one
should refuse, who should thus be called upon. he
should be liable to he fined. and in default OF pay
ment to be imprisoned That this il a strong feature
in The bill We will not pretend to deny but the state
Of things in New Orleans for the las, two years call
ed for a strong remedy. This power to call upon
the citizens for aid. and in case of refusal to fine and
imprsion them on certain conditions was necessary
to the proper enforcement Of the law. Alike power
now exists in the hands of the sheriff of every parish
in the State, to call upon the people to aid him in
the execution Of certain wrs. in case of necessity
and upon refusal neglect, auch persons liable
to fine and imprisonment The truth is these argil-
ments are trumpcd up reason to oppose the bill,
when in truth and fact, no good reason exists. The
Times and all the other Know Nothing papers Of
New Orleans know very well If that law Is carried
into effect and the people be allowed 10 exercise in
safely their legal and constitutional rights as cit
zens on the day Of election. that their Know Moth
ing party is in minority. They know very we'll
and knowing, seem to be unwilling TO arrest the
evil, that elections in New Orleans are farce As
these things nure TO the benefit of the Know Nothing
party they are willing they should remain as they
are. This accounts for all their fiery Indignation
againts the election law.
The Times among other smart things says that
'the citizens of New Orleans, possess more intelli-
genee than q million of State Legislatures" This
may be In the estimation of the Times: but it does
not follow that the rest of the State is devoid Of
common sense and do not know their own rights as
well as the people Of that great commercial city.
This awogatng to themselves such preponderat-
ing amount of intelligence on the part of the Know
have every thing their own way at elections and
thereby to govern the rest of the State. We are
very sure the Know Nothings of New Orleans feel
quite competent to govern the State without the aid
assistance of the Democrats either from the coun-
try city Their excessive modosty we opne
would not rebel at the idea We take no exceptions
to The high opinion the Times has of the intelligence
of the people of New Orleans for we are willing to
eOHcPue lnhin PfcNt ~ ms particular, DllI we are
unwilling that they shall have any exclusive prvi-
leges over the people Of the country thereby or
that they should set down the people Of the country
as all ignoramuscs. We think upon impartial exami-
nation, the people of the country will be found TO
possess comparatively rs much intelligence the
city.
The Times should be we'll aware. that the New
Orleans election law, though ii may be bad one.
can be repealed at the next, or any succeeding Leg
stature. Then why not take the usual course, and
bring public opinion to bear against it If it be
very odous as that paper would have the people be-
lieve. To counsel revolution and mob.vocncc.
against the sovereign power of the State, constitu,
tionay expressed is what no public journal should
do. None but Know Nothing journals ever did do
so in this country of equal rights and privileges,
where public opinion corrccs all errors Of legisla-
ton without resort to violence, at the ballot box,
when fairly appealed to and left free to act.
So much for the Times and its denunciaton of the
New Orleans Election Law
"a" The Baton Rouge Advocate informs us that
John Slide was in that city on Monday last, but
had left for West Baton Rouge
~. Senator Butler of South Carolina. died of