The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-08-21
A PLEA FOR PEACE.

To protest against the metropolitan police
bill is 10 plead for peace. We have retrained
from detailing its more execrable features, de-
string not to infame further the public mind,
and hoping that the measure would be volun-
tarlly abandoned by the Radical majority in
the Legislature. But the tabling yesterday in
the Senate of the protesting resolution of the
Common Council indicates, we fear, settled
purpose to push the bill to final enactment
and to put it in operation at all hazards. Mean
time let us hope that those who have hereto
fore urged it for partisan reasons, will not be
altogether blind to arguments which lie
against it from their own partisan stand
point.
To maintain that the proposed organiza-
ton is needed for legitimate purposes of
police is simply preposterous And even
if it were otherwise unobjectionable, it
would be highly inexpedient and UNJUST in
view of the additional burden which its cost
would impose upon an already overtaxed
population. The fact is that, viewed from the
position of its Radical supporters, there are
no present grounds whatever upon which it
may be justified outside of political consider
atoms And are there any overpowering rea-
sons of this nature to demand the adoption of
the measure? Let US see.
Unconstitutional in its most distinguishing
features, unprecedented in the history of Lou
isiana, the new system will encounter popu-
lar temper, and social conditions and habits,
so unprepared, so uncongenial, not to say so
hat aEC ths mat
elapse before it can, in the most favorable
event, 60 into force in such a way as to have
the intended political effect in the metropoli-
tan district proper and through the State at
large Now, as the only political object
which could induce its Inauguration, in present
circumstances, must have reference to the
presidential election, the time is clearly too
late to admit of its being made available in
this relation. Surprising the bill to become
law by the end of the present month, the in
terval of eight weeks before the election
would hardly suffice for arranging and ma
turing the prehminaries to final organiza-
ton for efficient enforcement
But admit, for arguments sake, that the
period is not too limited The Radicals,
nevertheless, may rest assured that as an ex-
pedient designed to operate to their advantage
in the coming election in this State, the
measure must prove a failure, perhaps a
terrible and disastrous failure. For it has be-
come the firm conviction of our Democratic
citizens that they are largely in the majority
in this State, and they have arrived at the
deliberate and stern resolution that this
majority shall not be defeated of expression
at the ballot box by any continuance of fraud
or force which the Radical faction in this
State may array against them. Should a
numbering metropolitan police, such as pro-
jected, precipitate itself upon the iron edge of
this resolution, most assuredly something
would be badly smashed, and, mostly
assuredly, it would not be the voting phslanx
of the Democracy. Mark the warning.
Therefore, regarded exclusively from a
Radical standpoint as a partisan measure,
the proposed organization would be in effect
not only nugatory in a political aspect, but
highly dangerous to the peace of the State.
Will not the Radical Legislature spare our
alton, and outrage? Let them only reflect.
Ii the Democrats achieve national victory
in the presidential election, if Radicalism is
hurled from power at Was hington, no such
device as the one in question can long save
the Radical regime in this State from sharing
the fate of the central usurpation from which
it derived its existence. On the other hand,
if Grant obtains the presidency public
affairs, national and local, will enter upon
new epoch. There will be no longer, it is
likely, Democrats or Republicans, Conserva-
tives or Radicals; but only subjects or slaves
of common despotism. The faction now
ruling in this State, if it survives, will need
no metropolitan police as warlike enginery
against political opponents. 1t will continue
to exist, or will perish, according to the fat
of central authority.