Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-06-08
Tile EXCITEMENT AT NEW ORLEANS.

united with their dupes, some FIVE years ago. to Or
gsnize political combination, in defiance of every
dictate of civil liberty and moral truth, the great ana
good men Of the country did not fail to foreshadoW
the inevitable disasters which must ensue from a
shameless remuneration OF common honesty. And
since The dark lantern and the test oath have been
employed in our mdst to incucate spirit of religious
intolerance civil prescription and dishonest conceal
ment of political associations, have not ceased o
reap plentiful harvest of fraud and violence. The
guilty have sown the wind the innocent ss we'll as
the guilty continue to reap the whirwind. Arson and
murder have become the ordinary instruments by
which to compass election rsuds until in some of our
large cities, the life and property OF every peaceful
and honest citizen are continually endangered. In
Baltimore and New Orleans, where Know Nothingism
has acquired the sscendancy, it is impossible to Sc
cure far and psscefu election The tmid are dr. J.
ven from the polls. The brave and the resolute are
assassinated in the streets Officers to conduct cleo.
ous arc appointed for the very purpose oftampering
with poll books. The very police, whose duty it is to
repress disturbance, become the ringeaders OF out
rage. This state of things not only iusfes, but re
auires voluntary and orcible resistance. Force has
been employed already in more than one instance
with moderation and efficiency.
One little instance deserves permanent historical
record. When Know Nothingsm was in its highest
vigor-when it could boast thorough and universal
organization throughout the land-when it could
count beforehand $4,000 pledged voters in the most
conservative State of the Union-a nest Of the consp
rators were busy Matching treason at midnight, in
small town in Indiana. They were interrupted by
the sudden entrance of few determined men, who
overpowered them and seized all the evidences at
hand, Of the conspiracy. These were pubshed-tbe
purposes and Vaccinations Of the whole secret con-.
clsve were brought to light, and the Know Nothing
party soon ceased TO command an efficient national
organization. Since then, has done little more than
to create local grievances. But these grievances
have increased in magnitude and intensity until they
too demand torcible repression, by violence thou
sand fold greater than has yet been resorted to. The
possible extent and consequence nsy be imsgined
from the following publication made in New Oreans,
on the :ird instant:
CITIZENS OF NEW ORLEASs:-After years of dis
ORDER outrage and unchecked assassination the peo
pie, unable and unwilling either to bow down IN un
resisting submission 10 set of ruians, or TO abandon
the city in which her business their social sympaihies
and their affections cluster, have length risen IN Their
might, have quietly taken possession OF the arsenal
and the buildings Jackson square, and have eafao-
Iished there the headquarters of a Vigilance Com.
mttee, pledging each TO the other TO MAINTAIN Inc
rights inViolabe of every peaceful and abiding
ctzen restore public order, abste crime, aud e1pel
or punish, as they may determine such notorious
robbers and assassns the arm OF the law, either
from the indelity OF its public servants or the netti
cheney OF the laws themselves, has lett unWhipt OF
justice.
In the present the ordinary machinery OF police
Justice is superseded-tbe Mayor and the Recorders
"a we understand, yielding up the power which they
confess their inability to exercise for the preservation
of the public peace and the security OF property ana
the Vigilance Committee will therefore, Professionally
act in their stead, administering to each ana every
mslesctor the punishment due to his crimes ~lnou'
heat, rejudice, or Political bias.
All citizens who have sympathies win thls move
ment who think the time has come when new VT,
leans shall be governed like all other weordereo ana
civilized communities, will report themselves, with
out delay, At the principal office, wnere tne cnhrac't
of this movement will be explained and the deerihi'
nation of the people more iully made known. -,
All has been done noselessy thus FAR. All VII!
continue noiselessly, dspassionarly ana justly pu
the ruians who have dyed our streets win the gore
of unofendng citizens and spread terror among the
peaceabIe, orderly and well disposed, must rare on
perish.
So the people have determined. V0r popu roz
Uti.
We frankly avow an unfegned sympathy with The
spirit which thus prompts resiatance to state ot s
fairs that pervers all the functions of government
And whether for good for evil the violence which
ensues ia unavoidable 1t is the natural reactlVe re
suit Of fraud and tyranny. But, while We commend
this spirit Of nsurrecton and recognise ts outbreak
AZ the natural consequence CT corruption, we canno
commend the wisdom Of lynch law assoclntIons.-
However righteous may be the origin of such associs
,ons, they bear within themselves the seeds of weak
ness and of abuse. They are necessarily stamped
with two Of the odious features OF Know othiDgsn
itsef They are secret in their organization and ir
responsible in the exercise Of all their functions
Where ia the guarantee that the Vigilance COMMITTEE
of New Orleans will not themselves turn oppressor
and lose sgh of reform 10 the eager pursuit OF retr
bntionl Such was the result of the organization o
the Vigilance COMMITTEES of San Francisco; and, in
deed. the very paper before bears evidence of 9
similar tendency, The result will be, we doubt not
mutual and well.earned recrinination and revenge
until reformers and anti reormers will be equally in
volved in corruption and murder.
There ia another and better course of action TO
the advocates ofreform If the corporate authortle
of New Orleans shall persist in criminal co'opera
ton with ruffiansm, or in equally criminal negii
sence of it's outrages let the order loving citizens
the town petition the chief Executive of the State fo
assistancs IL the Governor of Louisiana shall fail Il
correct the abuse he is unworthy of his trust and cal
be solsrnnly impsachsd for negligence of hs duty
This course OF procedure mus eventuate in tempora
ry remedy. Indeed the Executive officer who fails t
recognise and correct, on his own responsibility, ant
without the necessity OF formal complaint, such re
neated wholesale atrocities have attended the eec
tiops in Baltimore and New Orleans, should immedi
ately be subjected 10 legal trial.
! But this exercise of mere Executive authority i
insufficient for thorough and radical reform. 1t Cal
| do much to remedy-but little to prevent recur
renee of msgovernment. The Legislative Depart
men. must perform its duty. 1t must provide al
| affective police. numerous enough to preserve IN
peace, and finally responsible to State authority
The reprehensbe attempt to build up soveregntie
| within sovereignties-to leave our overgrowi
cities entirely to their own resources OF sefgovern
ment and misgovernment, should be seriously die
| counteuanced. This feature Of our State Govern
ments has been almost entirely neglected. 1t
consideration opens wide range OF discussion, whic
should command the grave attention of all our le
RiSRtOrs WuOse uuty Pio''uo oRo'nos'"9 Pe~S
liar rutfisnsm of large cities, by efficient police regu
lstions. The evil has grown to be a crying sin
There scarcely large city in the Union where ever
man ia not entirely dependent on his own indvid
nal facility for sefdefence, if he were left withou
protection among tribe Of ssvages. The cities ar
| incompetent to govern themselves. The Stale
should govern them.
Finally, we recommend all good citizens to kee
an eve on the Know Nothing organization, which
doubtless, still exists. The organization is not g.
general nor dangerous as it was formerly. But "
have still secret political organization in our mds
which may, at any time, be enlarged by secret efforts
Watch this serpent BROOD and crush the head Of ever
snakeling that ventures in the daylight, or csn at an
time be found sheltered in the darkness OF culver
1t is the poison of these reptiles which s still circt
lsting in New Orleans.
BOARD OF VISITORS OF THE VIRGINI
MILITARY INSTITUTE.