New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-17
foLIf1cAI And NoRlI moRnDlAlIn

POLITICAL AND MORAL m0EHDIA1lSH
The San Francisco vigilance committed
win always furnish evidence against suct
movements, because it is constantly
brought forward to justify violence. Good
people who do not understand what the
condition Of California Was in 1854, rashly
conclude that the remedy which was up.
plicable 70 cure the disorders of that ex.
traordinary society may be safely adopted
in every community to extirpats evil, and
they wickedly invoke . tempestuous dis.
turbance without considering the Gle.
ments that win rule it or the ends which
it might be made to subserve. San Fran.
cisco did not overthrow the civil govern
ment and set at defiance all the constituted
authorities Of the city and State because
her political government was distrusted
as dishonest, but her people set in motion
the higher law of self defense, in order to
secure the immediate punishment of GER
tain outlaws who had become dangerous
to life and property.
Robberies, burglaries, and thefts' had
become so common. that business men
were no safer IN their Offices than their
property was secure in their vaults and
stores. A merchant was killed and rob-
bed at his desk in the very heart Of the
city (; and an editor, who exposed piece
Of Official rascality, was shot down in the
midst of his friends. The courts were
mistusted The authorities confessed
that the jury system left criminals to go
free as fast as they were indicted. Well
known burglars walked the streets un-
blushingly. Robbers paraded themselves
as though their calling was one of the
admitted professions of the city. 1t was
against these, classes that the vigilance
committee was organized, and it was only
against these classes that it proceeded to
operate. 1t never for moment pretended
to be a political movement, nor did it in
q single instance modest public officer for
any supposed dishonesty in his public
conduct It even respected Judge Terry,
although he assaulted with a deadly
weapon one of its officers. The commit
tee solemnly declared that the people
themselves were responsible for political
maladmiuistration, and they had better
remedy for such evil at the ballot box than
could be affected by a violent assault
upon the officers. Nevertheless, there
are men who to-day abuse the action of
the San Francisco vigilance committee by
TO- initiate what it had too
much sense to attempt.
A writer in the Times of yesterday, who
furnishes by the violence of mis- language
the best evidence of his own unfitness to
be member of any vigilance committee,
proposes to initiate the people of San
Francisco by hanging one hundred of the
highest officers in New Orleans to the
lamp posts. Our California friends will
be sorely tempted to regret that they ever
formed vigilance committee if their
we'll organized and moderately conducted
is to be made the excuse for
. murderous midnight assault upon the
entire lot of officers who have been
elected in Louisiana; for after sMer-
chant" has organized his mob, and exc
cuted his victims, there will not be a
prominent officer left to carry on the gov
in any of its departments. The
good and bad will all have been DESTROYED
~ one sweeping and indiscriminating
lct Of madness.
Merchant" is mad, and Sam Houston |
aid that madness was more to be avoided |
han rascality, for the fool would rush into |
which the knave would
void as ruinous. Men who rashly pro-
,ose vigilance committees as the remedy
or evils which may be cured with ease at
he ballot-box, are like these inconsiderate
'eople who offer taste of blood to the
hungry wolf to stop its appetite for
laughter. Violence destroys the reason
nd overthrows the judgment. Iteducates
be weak to believe in something besides
rgument and honesty. 1t sets up the
word and the bayonet as the arbiter of
ur liberties and our fortunes. 1t arrests
zee speech, imprisons criticism, and is
be author of theft. If it was here to-day,
Merchant" would be in prison tonight
nd what is still worse, the young and
looming generation, which is growing up
round us to make the country better,
ould be dwarfed in their education, and
hetted to became the spoilers of each
her.
If Merchant" knows of dishonesty, he
nows the instance and the man. There
e two ways for him to proceed first, by
ying his information before the Grand
Try, and, secondly, by publishing the
ame and the facts. Let US have some
ing to go upon besides this vulgar and
cendiary denunciation, and the REpUB-
CAN will lend helping hand to uproot {
'e knave. There are some people who I
ppantly challenge the chastity of all ]
omen, the honesty Of all men, and the i
tegrity of every officer. For these char {
tiers we have no respect, as they are
'nerally unsuccessful libertines, unsafe !
aders or unpurchased politicians. And l
cir exhortations are seldom treated with
spect enough to command publication. c
WHAT Apnr1T, cup.o