The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-24
WHO BRING IT ON :

II man loads gun, sets us lriSSeh W ene
hair point, draws back its hammer to full cock,
and then puts it in the hands of an idiot or
maniac. who is responsible for its subse-
quent discharge and any fatality that may re-
sult? If combination of men place under
much frequented thoroughfare torpedo
so arranged that the conclusion of a random
footstep NAV cause it to explode, who is
responsible for the disaster to life and prop
erty that may ensue?
EVERYBODY sees where the responsibility
lies in each case. If murder is done, the
euilt appertains, in the first place. and in a
paramount degree, to him who prepared and
bestowed the gun, or to them who constructed
and laid the torpedo.
HSuppose, nevertheless, that person charged
with the mischief inflicted by some fatal con-
trivance such as indicated, should claim i'm
punity on the ground that he did not pull the
trigger of the gun, or did not, with his own
hands, fire the train of the torpedo. Nay,
suppose that he should even charge the guilt
upon the luclless individual who happened
to be in the way of the idiot or the maniac
when recklessly playing with deadly irearm,
or upon the inadvertent passengers who hap
pened to cause the explosion of the torpedo
by the conclusion of their random footsteps.
The absurdity and the impudence of such
plea and of such an accusation would be too
much either for the gravity or patience of
judge and jury.
Yet the impudence and the absurdity would
not be greater in that case than they are in
the case of the criminals who have contriyed
the mischiefs which are now Detailing, or
threatening to befall every State, every city,
every county or parish comprised in the
black circle of the reconstruction horror and
| infamy.
| The peace is broken and thickening dan
| gers impend in Georgia, in South Carolina in
Alabama, in Louisiana, in Arkansas. The
| caldron of trouble boils and Kisses. Every
| ingredient that can increase the bitterness,
loathsomeness and venom of its witch broth
is daily contributed to it. Fuel is constantly
added to make it hot and hotter. The land
is sown broadcast with dragons teeth, and ON
every hand conbustible and explosive
materials are deposited and disposed so
that spark, even the friction of men
coming and going, of men at work or
in the pursuit of pleasure, may cause
explosion and conhagration. Social dis
cords and antagonisms, social instability
and misery are deliberately organized
And who are the contrivers of this atrocious
condition of things? What do they say
when the peace is broken, when rioting is
rife, when States verge upon anarchy and So
ciety is forced to final and desperate strug-
gle for existence? They disclaim all respon-
sibility for the inevitable results of their
Ubiquitous contrivance They are the men
who lay the guilt of every consequent evil
upon those who become the victims of their
wickeduess, OF upon those who fight
manfully against their incendiary and
murderous devices. They audaciously
assume the functions of both Judge
and accuser. In Georgia they demand
that law-abiding community shall be put
under ban and subjected.to dragonade, be-
cause it dared to give efficient assistance to a
peace-offcer of the State in dispensing an
ignorant and brutal mob of negroes, headed
by blackhearted and cowardly whites. Here
in New Orleans similar mobs, under similar
leadership, hold high revels through the city,
uttering obscene cries and ferocious howls,
sacking houses, assailing, wounding and kill
ing peaceable people, firing pistols and
brandishing torches, threatening to extermi-
nate citizens with the first and to destroy the
houses of the city with the last. And what do
the meters and organizers of these scenes do,
when such tumult and excitement as those of
Tuesday night are produced? How do they
behave at the sight of this development OF
their infamous work They propose to Gin
vestigate" the matter and place the response
bility where it belongs. Think of it! These
criminals, wretches stepped to heart and
brain in the foremost and basest criminality
of the time, say that they will fix the criminal
responsibility in this case. What would be-
come of justice in London if Newgate were al
lowed to usurp the office of Kings Bench
How must the cause of peace, of law and or
der, of individual and social rights, and Of
honest industry and material property fare III
Louisiana left to the final decision of crew
OF carpet-baggers and scalawags?
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