New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-02-09
THE SOOTHING SYSTEM.

THE SOOTHING SYSTEM.
II is latter ID soothss than to aggravate
to alay d storm than to raise q storm. me uooa
Book-we wish it was more generally studied saah u,
is-says ",Assoft answer turneth away wrath, put
grievous words stir up anger - ..--..
There is volume Of wisdom in the above quotation
IT should be read and pondered by the whole world
Universal benefit would follow universal reading.
And, werethe inspired precept practced by the hu'
man race, we might well say that the millennium had I
arrived But the millennium hasn't arrived, nor is it
likely to arrive, for indefinite space of time Still
the quotation is the less holynone the less val
uabe-none the less entitled to the generation Of all
mankind. Therefore, although we do not expect it
will meet with entire practical acceptation-ths age
being very wicked age, and man prone to evil as
the sparks fly upwards'its reproduction in our col
umns may be fraught with larger or lesser amount
of good. gg- q s'
"a soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous
words stir up anger We commend this salutary pre-
cept toour legislators at Baton Rouge whenever they
turn their attention towards egslating forthe city of
New Orleans-a city that while its skirts are not en-
tircly clear of crime has been cruelty calumna
ted and more causeessly abused than any other city
upon the snrlace of the globe.
|
here for two or three years cannot be denied, but
that it has been than in other large cities Of the
Union is grossly untrue. Crime, of all grades, has
become rife throughout the land. Neither is it con-
fined to the cities. A spirit of Generalization has
spread all over the country Not even the remotest
and qnietest rural districts have escaped. Whether
this is a visitation of Providence on account of our
manifold sins as nation, or whether it is mania
peculiar to age that is too fast for genuine health
full progress is not for Us to speculate upon, much
less determine. We can only depore the fact and
suggest remedy.
The worst feature of this condition of affairs is the
| attempt that has been made to throw all the odum
upon particular political party. Never was an
attempt more unjust and unrighteous and could the
whole truth, Invested of the mists of prejudice or
partiay on either side, be made known, it would he
found that both parties have many transgressons to
answer for, and that the sin would be pretty equally
divided between them. Especially is this the in
the wantonly maligned city of our residence. Let
the whole truth come outlet nothing be extenuated
nor aught set down in mace-and we verify believe
the illuminated party would show fairer record
than the eliminating party.
Various remedies have been suggested in the Legis
lature, and different bills are pending, having in
| contemplation harsh, if not unconstitutional and
despoc procedures towards this devoted corporation
All of these uncaled for, unnecessary,
and calculated to aggravate the very disease they
propose to heal. While in Baton Rouge last week,
distinguished member of the ascendant party spoke
to us at length on the subject, and honored us by
asking our opinion, stating that it would have due
weight with him. We gave it to him frankly and
honestly, and we here repeat the substance of our
answer: We told him that what New Orleans now
tho at
ing system that had been too persstently and sys-
tematcaly pursued that the moral sentiment of the
city, if left alone, would regulate ITSELF and apply
proper corrective to acknowledged abuses that the
American party reprobated violations of law as
strongly the Democratic party but that they could
do nothing as long as they were denounced by the
wholesale with unsparing malignity that the domi-
nant party having the power to do what they wished
should exhibit magnanimous, instead of a perse-
cutting spirt-should strive to calm the political
waters, instead of agating them, and should be con
tent to await in patience few months for the re.
mainder of the trophies Of victory to fall into their
hands INCREASINGLY, without exciting bad blood, pro
noting STRIFE engendering discord stirring up con
tention, causing enmties and awakening all the bad
passions to which frail earthly nature is subject
that despotic legislation could only do harm without
accomplishing one solitary particle OF good that the
employment OF an armed force on election days, aE
recommended in more than one quarter, would in
evtably lead to bloody collisions while the letalont
plan-the soothing system recommended by US
would soon right the community, and accomplish
quietly aud peaceaby all the sautary ends aimed at
We hold to the opinion of which the above rs
meagre sketch, still. Let elimination and recrimna
ton cease let the Legislature avoid the enactment
of extraordinary statutes and the public mind of the
city will speedily settle itself and right ITSELF Ba
let force be employed, let outrage follow insult, ant
wrong caumny, and the laws of the present Legisla
ture, no matter how strngenty worded, or how op
pressivey framed, or how shrewdly designed, will be
as impotent for public good the faintest moaning
of Graded infant.
The idea of force CRATES aggravatingy upon the
hearts of the people. They will not endure it. i
should not be tolerated in our halls of legislation fo
a moment
In conclusion, we ask our legislators to bear il
mind that a soft answer turneth away wrath, bu
grevous words stir up anger For the sake of thu
feeling OF common brotherhood that should extend
from extremity Of the State to the other, an'
which will soon extend, if firebrand is thrown lie
the Legislature act moderately, prudently, magnani
. mously and judiciousy, and all will be we'll