New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-06-19

Mr.. Joseph Howell, who was second in authority
in the late Vigilance Committee publishes an
other card in the Natchez Free Trader, Of wednes-
day last, We commend it to the attention OK those
persons who still pretend TO believe that the socalled
"Yigiance Committee" had any other object in view
than the success Of the Independent ticket:
Editor Free Trader:
Sir Having published card which, in the opin-
ion OF many, does not exactly explain our position
as the Vigilance Committee Of New Orleans, and in
justice to myself and other citizens Of New Orleans
who composed said Committee. would beg leave to
give full history Of organization in as few words
as possible, and only ask the calm and cool considers
ton Of every good citizen before condemning our
The city Of New Orleans for years back, has been
infested by party OF outlaws and assassins who have
been used for the purpose Of intimidatng legal yot
es at the polls they have been In greater or less
measure protected by the city authorities who were
either too weak to arrest and punish or were ident
fed with the outlaws themselves. In either case
this system of intimidation bad reached It's culminat
ing point, and although we as good citizens, fully
appreciated our position, we knew that desperate
diseases required desperate remedies. Thus resulted
the organization Of the Vigilance Committee, which
was follows:
We pledged ourselves on our sacred words Of honor
that we would, as an organized band, on the day of
election attend the polls and protect each and every
legal voter in the exercise Of his franchise respect
i've OF party that il those who were noted and well
known as the outlaws and assassins in our city,
should interfere In the exercise Of said franchise we
would seize and punish them as directed by the Ex
ecutive board OF our Committee. So far all well;
no right.mnded or reasonable citizens could blame
u.s. Unfortunately, however for ourselves, the gen.
uemen composing our Executive Committee allowed
themselves to be used as tool Of the Independent
party, and placed us in the position Of awbreakers
instead of law-abiders
The first act of this committee was to induce Cap
tain Duncan to take possession the City Arsenal
tan illegal act) the next to arm the foreign citizens
OF New Orleans, thus creating the impression that
we were advocating collision between the foreign
and native vote, and were 10 be used as political
tools; whereupon, every one connected with the
Vigilance Committee whose real and heartfelt wish
was simply to assist and benefit true and legal voters
as have said before, irrespective of party and
only to rid our city Of outlaws, and finding as we
| did, that through the improper course of our oscn
Committee, that ice had been misunderstood by our
fellowcitizens at once broke up our organization.
In submitting the foregoing remarks TO the public
act without advice, my own individual response
bty but with the certainty that each and every one
of our Committee, who, truly, firmly and faithfully
was willing to abide by the oath we took, will, in
every sense, sustain and endorse this statement.
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