Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-12
We are truly sorry that a mistaken zeal for

abandoned satellites from the censure to which
their infamous crimes SO justly subject them
Union & American.
The Union and american Of yesterday makes
the foregoing remark In relation 10 our con-
demnation of the New Orleans Vigilance
Committee. and defence of the American city
government. The PATRIOT places less conf
dence in the charges of completely with crime
and criminals, made against the authorities of
the Crescent City, than it did in the thousands
of falsehoOds and ISLANDERS, originated and cir
culated against the pro-slavery men in Kansas
by black republican abolitionists, and other
black hearted rascals and ruffians who have
defied law and disgraced the annals of the
territory. We have in the case of the stand
ard bearers of Southern institutions in Kan
sas, seen how men, maintaining their rights,
and discharging their duties, could be made
to feel the stings of detraction, obloquy, deri-
sion, and partial disgrace, in the eyes of even
honest citizens; and we are not unprepared
to distinguish truth from the clamor OF pre-
JUDGED and interested partisans, and the APP
prehensions of timid and misguided, but up
right, men in New Orleans. The fact that
the Vigilance Committee, protesting desire
to punish crime. and to put down law breakers,
became themselves criminals and law break
ers, had nothing in it to recommend them to
The evil example of respectable men
usurping the reins of government, and con-
stituting themselves law, judge, jury and ex-
ecutioner, we have no words for but condem-
nation. Much less is there anything in their
example. for our appreciation, when we consider
that there is good reason to believe that the
wire-workers, the contrivers, the suggesters of
the movement were secretly prompted by de-
sire to beat down the American party and place
the city government in the hands of sham demo
Gratis and renegades. Others, in their zeal to
sailloefore the wind may approve al this-the
PATRIOT begs to be excused. Americanism
may be under cloud-we love it not a whit
less for that. We are as much opposed to
abolition rufians, sham democratic hullies riot
ers,and shoulder hitters, American Thugs and
Plug Uglies, and gamblers of high and low
degree, whether they strut in broad cloth
and WOO their victims to ruin in private par
lors, or dress in humber garb and gamble in
the commonest hell, as any body but there
are laws to punish them, and let those laws be
enforced. Let the private citizen. instead of
counselling Vigilance Committees, discharge
the obligation he owes to society, in seeing
that the laws are executed. OF what avail are
efficient police, sheriffs, and stern, unfinching
judges, if the citizen, acting in the capacity
of juror, allows his sympathies to blind him
to the letter of the law. We are persuaded
that crime will always meet its punishment,
If the citizen will never swerve from his duty
as a CONSERVATION of the public good. The
large cities of the United States are over-run
with bad men-criminal of all grades-emp
tied upon them from European prisons They
are at the bottom of nearly all the murders /
assassinations. and riots, that take place; and |
of what avail is it, that policemen arrest and |
bring them to trial, if any portion of the |
people, for political purposes, aid them in es-
Gaping the penalty of their crimesH
The charges of the Vigilance Committee and |
their allies against the municipal authorities !
of New Orleans, were, we believe, generally |
unfounded. On this head we subjoin an ex-
tract from the n. o. Crescent of the I'd inst writ
ten before the demonstration by the Vigilance
Committee from which it will be seen that
the authorities have done their duty efficiently |
The facts set forth in this article by the Ores
cent have never been dsproved
If we can understand anything of the mo-
tives that actuate the independents" from |
the multifarious, miscellaneous, promiscuous |
and reckless outgivings and assertions of their |
newspaper organs they claim that they should |
be invested with the administration of the |
city government, on something like the follow |
ing charges against the government that has |
prevailed for the past few years. BY attempt |
ing to bring obloquy upon faithful and |
honest administration, they seek to become the |
administration themselves. They would run |
before the people, not on their own merits, or
the merits of any party, but upon the dement's |
of their neighbors. We will now proceed to |
specify their charges as lucidly as the pressure
of time. absence of material, and lack of room |
will admit.
l. They charge that the present administra- |
ton has not met the requirements, of its po- |
sition, aud that therefore, change should be |
made.
2. That the police is inefficient and corrupt, |
and affords little OF no protection to the lives
and property of citizens.
3. That the public debt is charging while |
the taxes are increasing.
4. That the commerce of New Orleans has |
been affected by the alleged injurious state of |
things,an that ruin will ensue unless a change |
8. That real estate has deprecated ruinous-
ly, all owing to the administration of the |
party mathematical.
6. That the administration Of criminal just |
ice is lax and inefficient, and must be re-
formel
7. That the assassinations and murders that |
have been committed are calculated TO bring |
lasting disgrace and ultimate destruction up |
on the fair fame of the city.
8. That their candidates are the very men |
to effect the much needed reforms, and that |
the American candidates, it elected, will per-
petuate a rule of anarchy, bloodshed and cor
ruption and
j. That the American party is responsible
for all the the outrages that have been com
mitted. and should, consequently, be held up |
to public adherence and detestaton.
These, in brief, are the leading allegations
in the indictment brought by the .Indepen-
dents" through their organs, against the |
American party. We shall proceed TO examine
them serlItegn, and to show up their falsity, |
sabsurdity aud injustice. We call on our read |
ders, and candid, unprejudced and impartial |
voters, to examine the refutation we shall
make, and govern their future accordingly. |
We shall make no statement that can be sue |
cessfuliy assailed. aud We challenge our OPP
ponents to the issue of truth.
The first charge of inefhciency against |
the administration of Mayor Waterman will |
not hold the water OF truth for instant, rs |
. any independent" wishing for correct in- |
formation. can ascertain by applying in the |
proper quartet. The records OF hss office, and |
his messages to the Common Council. demon
. strate that no city in the Union is, or has |
been blessed with the services of more
efficient or honorable chief magistrate.
The charges against the police are equally |
uncalled for, unjust and untrue. We DEFY |
, any independent" to show any other city on |
the broad surface of Gods globe where the |
same number OF policemen have made 30 many /
arrests, and brought so many criminals before /
, the bar of the criminal court Tor punishment.
Acts speak louder than words" We chal-
lenge the production Of the record-we want
no more unsupported assertions. Our police