The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-29
GOV. wARmorHs VETO,

When Gov. warmoths veto message was
read in the House, it was received with loud
expressions of dissent and disapprobation
from some of the colored members. Some of
these distinguished representatives of our
governing class even denounced the COVER
nor as an apostate and traitor, worse, if
possible, than johnson, and threatened him
with impeachment for exercising the veto
power in this case. Now, we cannot accuse
the colored members of any very extraordi.
nary delinquency, in thus declaring the gov
ernor worthy of punishment for having
exercised a constitutional prerogative apper-
tanning to his Office because the example
set at Washington by the white Radicals in
the case of the President naturally influences
the ignorant allies of whom Radicalism makes
use In the South. The fidelity with which
congressional example has been followed de-
prlves us of the right to bestow any censure
on the negro followers and imitators, that is
not equally deserved by their white masters
and leaders. In this respect, therefore, there
is no distinction to be made between whites
and blacks. But what does prove the utter
lncapacity of the blacks-even of those repre-
sentative blacks who have been armed with
the law-making power-for dealing with the
o'uoliOn 10 INC uorOO S,..-,,-vIsv- -vI1
Gov Warmoth for saving them from calamities
more terrible than any that have ever befallen
their race The passage of the social rights
bill in the Legislature might have been anti
cipated. 1t was required by the masses who
compose the Republican party of Louisiana,
and whoare too ignorant to know that custom
cannot be altered by statutes, and that i. is
impossible to enforce an act of legislation in
face of a hostile public opinion, and who have
been taught to believe that private rights exist
only at the mercy of an accidental government.
The members of the Legislature-especially
the black members-probably felt constrained |
to pass a bill embodying the views and wishes |
OF the black people ; but they ought to have |
known that if the bill ever became law. the at
tempt to enforce it could lead only to the most |
disastrous consequences. If they possessed /
any sagacity, any foresight, they would |
have welcomed the governors veto as
the salvation of the State from untold
evils. Ifthey were ftto conduct public affairs
they would have entreated the governor to in
terpose his veto between their legislation and
the dire results which would be sure to flow
from it. Instead of this, however, some of
them appeared to be intensely enraged against
The governor, and one of them even went so
ar as to declare that if these rights were With
held from the blacks, they would take them
~ force, and that the black race is prepared
or conflict, on this issue, with the whites.
'ould insanity go further than this? Could
ignorance be more dense? Could anything
ner more conspicuous commentary on the
otal lncapacity of the blacks to deal with ;
ubhe affairs? 1t is time now to LET these ;
eople know the truth. 1t would be folly to 8
eep silence any longer after such threats are
lade. 1t is time to tell them that whilst the =
hlte people have no design to deprive them Q
their rlghts-that is to say, of privileges n
Inch can, In any sense, be called rights i
ey Will never admit these so-called and mis- o
lied Led rights: The privileges which tis- sy,a,
q no rights at all They are, in fact, lust &
10 reverse. They are tyrannical restrictions .
the rights of every man in the State-white q
well as black-that is engaged in any sort q
business. They are invasions of that sa- :;
ed night OF property-of the natural right of
cry citizen to dispose of the proceeds of his
Vn labor, and to conduct his own affairs &C \
may deem ft-which it is the fundamental p
'Ject and duty of the law to maintain and q
'otect In short, the social rights bill is N
amed expressly to destroy, and not to pro- n
ct personal rights. Noone would be bound W
obey it, and no one ,corid obey it; and the III
tempt to put it in practice would assuredlv of
ID to the most deplorsble consequences. Oh
lie blacks may just as well know this fact Ca
W as later. If they had forced the bill
rough over the governors veto, they would of
We taken another long step forward in a fol
I'd which is full of perils. mt