The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-16
q. aad for that reason am in favor Of !. and sh.

bSrel haySl soid env thjnel upon this hill except
from the fact that the senator from Csddo has
ssen a 10 ndvoosss Il, IN which resPeet - diGses
the is same party. am ffes to accord to him that
since he has obtained his seat here he has endesv-
ored to oct with his best judgment; for that very
reason, - he has At to advocate this measure,
deem i nssss:sIy to ssy sS@s,n,as y ssspoass
who spoke before him (4r. Thompson) Representa-
country constituency committing Of four par
ishes, Inhabited BY people who have always borne
the reputation Of beng hw-abiding citizens IN
the war, and since. They are four parishes which
belong to the interior Of the State. /, sir, as
representative Of the city of New Orleans claim
some reputation for its Inhabitants, and say that
they have the same objections to this measure -
the country districts which Senator Thompson
I believe. sir, that now is before aIl other
periods NOT the time for class leGislstion; be-
the period to enact laws which smsnate from
party SPIRIT laws which might be good II they
are properly construed, and may become very
bad laws when they are improperly construed,
comes law what viii be the consequencesi The
governor win appoint In each parish Of the State
Z constable. Who viil that constable be A par
tisan. That constable WI have the right to ep-
point more deputies, and who will these deputies
be Partisans. Then what do You accomplish
bv the act? A party measure. What will be the
conse quences Of Its enforcement! Az the gentle
&, Ssa. SSs
fore our eyes IN this very city. The metropolitan
police bill became . Law. Before its passage gem
temen upon this floor argued III excelIencies.
a. after believe s';ss ss myself .ss OrS saSs
excellencies that would accomplish good II pro-
perry executed. But what ID the consequence Of
that measure? The public press has stated the
fact that the board Of police commissioners have
~~~w~~ S~e~ "A Avn - s<n
am told to-day that the police board has retained
in Office ss superintendent man dstasteful to the
population Of this city. What b the consequence
Of this measure! The people Of New Orleans are
their homes their wives, their children their pro-
perry, and their liberties, are being entirely left In
the hands Of Q partisan police. This, sir, il Q
similar measure. II will be considered In the same
manner; II win be carried out in the same man
in the interior Of the State to protect themselves
against partisan acts Of this constabulary force.
Yesterday. sir, election was held in the city Of
Philadelphia, ioyal' city in the Republican
and pisons line e. not Inhabited By rsbsl."sUd
there q collision occurred. Whyf Because the
mayor Of that city In the exercise Of his prerogs
tive, appointed special police and because the
tiopaI rights. Appointed Additional sheriffs. These
two forces, emanating from different authorities,
colided, and riot was the consequence. There
was no charge Of rebellion, no elimination, no
general accusation against the /" loyalty" Of the
occurred in the city Of New Orleans Tomorrow,
or in the parishes Of the State, 1t would be at
trbuted to the rebellious spirit Of the people Of
Louisiana, and not to natural causes, such a.
brought about the riot in Philadelphia. ~
believe SIR That since have taken my seat
upon this foor,1 have endesvored to represent
my constituents In o. mild and conservative Q
manner % possible. have endeavored, sir, to
abstain from violence Of every kind, and have en-
deavored to add my little mite to the prevention
Of this class legislation st all times. But now,
above all other periods, feel that it IL necessary
to say: Gentlemen, this il not the time for party
legislation. We have had enough Of it and
remember, II b the last feather that breaks the
when the last battle had been fought and lost, the
people who sympathized and participated With
the Confederacy, scbmissively bowed to the decree
Of fate. Those that had borne arms in defense Of
what they considered right, submissvsly weuied
their way to their homes. They admitted that
they were conquered. They admitted that the
great arbitrament which had been left TO the
sword had been decided against them. They
tn cir syocations and become Q free and united lif
nH en- altogether satisfied people. They relied
upon the promises which had been made during the
war-promises officially made BY the president Of
the United States, time and again-promises based
upon solemn enactments of Congress, which they
thought would be binding upon the victor as well
as the vsnquished. They felt sir, that the Con
etitution Of the United States was upheld, and
that the supremacy of the Union was established.
They felt safe and secure In these professions,
these promises and these laws; but now, gentle
men, ask you how are these promises acted
out! The promises Of the executive and Con.
gress were alike forgotten. 1t seemed as If they
lated; for from the moment that the war was
ended Q different policy was insugursted by the
party in power. The Constitution was forgotten
the Union made q secondary consideration; q
party legislation commenced. and has been
continued until this day, for which there was no
necessity. The people of the South were sub
missive-they favored peace and order, and all
they aeked was to be treated with that consdsrs.
ton which the party in power itself professed.
rules the State of Louisiana was triumphant every
where itruled the Southern States BY the force
of arms it ruled the North by overwhelming
political majorities In almost every State. Where
islation II was because the tempter whispered In
the ears Of this triumphant party, that 1t was not
caused by the Constitution or the pledges IL had
made-that the people of the South we're deserving
of no consideration. l have heard it said upon
this floor, Mr.. President, that the people OF the
South were entitled TO no consideration, because
they had dared to lift their hands against the Union
of the States. ! have heard 1t said upon this
foor-and have endeavored not to respond be.
cause / thought 1t would be ill.tmed- that we
bnt that we must always yield to the will Of the
conqueror. Gentlemen, such sentiments coming
from those that belong to the victorious side. are
not alone impolitc, but, must say, they are dis.
honorable. There is no virtue, sir that 80 much be-
comes man Is to be liberal TO those that under
oppression. There is no virtue that so much be-
CON es man Is to honor foe whom he has van,
quished. And had that been the course Of the
dominant party the argument advanced by the
gentleman from Caddo would not be held out to-
day. Had such been the course of the dominant
party peace and order would reign Throughout, the
Ste Of Louisiana its agricultural interests would
thrive with the same splendor as before the war
its commerce would whiten every sea, and peace
and plenty would again smile upon our land. Bat
the domiDent party listened to the tempter, aud
yielded its assent. That was its great sin. That
virtually accomplished what the people Of the
South tried but failed to do. The course of the
Republican party has virtually destroyed the Con.
stituton in ten States Of the Union and
threatened its authority in all the rest. |
That course Of the dominant party, Mr.. Presi-
dent, has established upon this continent milf
tary despotism more fervent. more despotic more
tyrannical, than any that can be found in Hunga-
~, Poland or Ireland. Now. sir, is IL by the pur
susnce OF such course that you expect to get
peace! IL it by such measures that you intend to
conciliate the people of the Southern States? Is