The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-09-13
The Torch.


from their leaders than those publicly pro-
mu gated SO far, the mob Of half crazed
negroes might think themselves under
orders to commence the work in case of a
casual fight between two drunken men or,
o few adventures, having no interest at
stake, and moved with that admiration for
the sublime which made Nero long to see
Rome in flames, might get up a fusilade of
fire arms with blank cartridge, and forth
lighted and applied.
1t is useless to say that such a proceeding
would not be permitted by the party leaders
because it would react against them at the
North. Their history shows that the most
overwhelming proof would be forthcoming
to convince the Northern public that the
whites were the aggressors, and brought
the ruin on themselves.
| One of our contemporaries thinks that
| the leaders referred to would not permit
things to go so far as the actual destruction
of the goose that lays their golden eggs
but when the cacklings of that goose are
about to wake up the nation to its danger,
there is no telling what they might do.
Besides, though these leaders might not
intend literal execution of their threat,
how could they guide the storm of brutal
passion once let loose in horde of semi
savages, drunken and seething with excite
mentq
1t is equally useless to argue with such
men on the grounds of justice and humanity.
You might paint the scene-women crazed
with terror or stupefed with despair
children lost in the whirl Of afrighted hu-
mainly and vainly crying for their mothers;
frantic efforts to save some little property
from the devouring element; infrm and
sick people abandoned in the confusion
and left to the flames; hospitals emptying
their sacred treasures of helpless humanity
on the street; churches with their lofty
steeples wreathed in fire; confusion, ruin,
and death everywhere-and they would
say that rebels deserve no better.
Tell them that much of the property here
is owned by ACKNOWLEDGEMENT French,
English, Italians, etc.-and that at any rate
the destruction of their interest would be
highly unjust. They will reply, at least
mentally, that party exigency cannot hest
| through the histories Of all great civil wars,
where States, cities, and families were
divided against themselves; you might
| show them that such an atrocity was never
perpetrated, even when the streets have
flowed with blood-but men who, with
unblushing impudence, fasten themselves
| like leeches ON a community which openly
despises and abhors them, would rot be
shamed by unfavorable comparisons with
former outrages.
Nothing can moro clearly demonstrate,
than such threats, two points that ought to
be very damaging to any party which
makes the least pretension to justice and
reason. They show, on the part of white
leaders, total absence of property interest
in the city which they pretend to repre-
sent, but contemplate destroying with such
cool complacency. Or the part of negro
followers in the Legislature, such threats
show, as the New York Herald has re-
marked, the total untitness of that race to
legislate.
We have little confidence that any mo-
tives based on such reflections as these,
would weigh at all against the "Torch -"
policy. But there is one element in the
community, the presence of which may
battle this amiable mood of our imported
rulers. There is good deal of property in
the city, and some of it very valuable,
owned by colored people who were free
originally. Many of this class have been
temporarily deluded into the service of
adventures whom they really despise,
but their delusion may be the safety of the
rest. No mark can be put on their door
stills to turn aside the fiery destruction,
and, consequently, adue consideration for
them will probably be virtual insurance,