The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-05

49, ~ InD .u.H saF
The refusal of Gov. Fenton, of New York,
to yield to the numerous efforts which have
been made to obtain the release from the
State prison of Edward Ketchum, is very sug-
gestive of the kind of political fame which
Northern governors of the present epoch think
it prudent to cultivate. The circumstances
Of this refusal are such as to leave not the
least doubt that Gov. Fenton feels assured
of treading the path of eminent popularity
while he remains infexible to the solicitations
of class of people reputed to be rich and
aristocratic for executive clemency towards
one of their number. The Albany Evening
journal, defending the course Of the governor
in this matter, remarks that the confinement
of young Ketchum in Sing Sing prison 80 has
been an occasion of the utmost chagrin to
the aristocracy with which he was connected,
and for his release from imprisonment such
efforts have been made as are rarely put forth
on behalf of a criminal" Here the animus
of executive infexibility plainly crops out.
Almost unconsciously perhaps, but none the
less inexorably, Gov. Fenton is bent on pun
ishing aristocracy as crime in itself, to
which the forgeries of Ethe desperate young
Spectator were merely incidental and cumu-
lative. This conclusion is further strength
ened by the prodigal clemency of the COVER
nor in respect to criminals about whom no
odor of aristocracy hangs when they enter
Sing Sing. Men convicted for all sorts Of
~.,l~o~ o~.,,,s,o1,&x rxus1fx- awe Nauv VorJ
journal, of such acts as 'could only be COM
mitted by persons of brutal and degraded
nature, wretches sentenced for life for rapes
on children, have been released by the easy
clemency of Gov. Fenton." Yetyoung Ketch-
UNI, irreproachable in personal morals, hav-
ing, in a frenzy of speculation, forged certain
gold checks, is precluded from the pale Of
pardon, or mitigation of sentence, by the
faint of aristocracy. In all this may be seen
an ominous symptom of the perversion of the
democratic sentiment. The exhibition re-
calls the days of sans-culotte ferocity in
France, when to have the fame of an aristo-
crat was Synonymous with being a state
criminal doomed to the guillotine.
There are some intelligent colored people
who think that what the Democrats mean by
"var of races" as probable consequence
of radical policy, is deduction from con-
fessed determination never to allow equality
of rights to the negro race. Now this is a
grave error. The policy of suddenly enfran-
chising large numbers of ignorant people
may well be doubted and a wise statesman
ship would even recognize, if not consult the
prejudices of dominant race. But it is not
from any such equality that danger of collision
is to be apprehended. The real peril arises
from the fact that the minority race appear
resolved to establish an oligarchy by means Of
DISTINGUISHING large proportion of the white
people. The trouble is that the Dryades
| street Constitution instead of establishing
| equality, establishes the worst sort of inc
quality. 1t is contrived expressly to maintain
| political power in the hands of a party-and
that party composed mainly Of race which
is greatly in the minority as to numbers. II
make this tyranny the more odious, private
rights are denied, and system is devised
which, under the name of public liberty, il
really violation of those cardinal doctrines
Of individual and personal right which arr
the basis of all public liberty. No thought
full man can believe that the white people o
this State will consent to be permanent,
ruled by a minority composed of negroes ant
itinerant adventures and the colored peo
Pile themselves will finally discover that il
engaging in such conspiracy, they hav'
aroused very natural antagonism among
the whites.