New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-14
COMFORTING AN ERRINa MAN.

| 'AhAoo LII IeleIIlAS, W ulS udIllc anu III
notices to which it was signed. But 70
once we are compelled to say that he ha
mlsused his opportunity, and We hope t.
make him repent of his error before he ha
carried it to that extent which will injur
him permanently and be source of tixet
annoyance.
Citizen Fosdick has sustained the repu
tation of being good business man and
reputable member of society for man,
years. He has been counted upon at al
times as faithful to the government. and Il
lover of peace, law and order. Thes'
four characteristics entitle him to be con
sidered with respect, and we propose t.
respect him enough to show him wherein
he has committed himself to line o
action that is not in accordance with his
general habits.
The first error is in characterising as d
faction the lawful authorities of the State
for that the Governor and the Legisla.
ture are the lawful authorities, both III
fact and in law until they are properly
dismissed from Office, is a proposition that
Citizen Fosdick will not reasonably reject.
And that the Senator, and Representatives
who have fled the State in order to avoid
the fulfillment of their duties are delin-
quent and self-deposed. authorities, for the
time being, is another conclusion that can
not be avoided by reasonable men. There
fore, the assumption that the men who
have attended to their offices and the men
| who have not are equally guilty, which
Citizen Fosdick violently declares, is a
| suggestion which a safe business man. Il
| good citizen, a patriot. and lover of the
law should never have uttered in print.
The Committee of Twenty-one had no
| right to demand of Governor Warmoth to
control the action of the House of Repre-
sentatives in the matter OF readmitting its
deposed Speaker to the position from
which he had been ousted for that was to
ask him to become the very dictator which
the committee complained that he was try
ing to make himself 1t had no right to
request him even to accept G. W. Carter
in any official capacity. because his solemn
statement was on record that he believed
that leader Was properly dismissed, and
that he deserved dismissal Citizen Fos-
dick and his twenty associates, therefore.
are accountable to their friends for this ex-
traordinary error. that they have demand
ed from the Governor, not only that he
action of "A coordinate branch of the GOV
eminent, but that he should do this in IA
vor of man whom he has publicly az
raigned as faithless and dishonest in his
official conduct Tie effort to restore the
deposed Speaker should have been adj
dressed to the House of Representatives,
which is the sole judge of its own officers;
and the attempt to reconcile the Gov
ernor with G. w. Carter should
have been essayed through the ju-
dietary, which is the proper arbitrator to
determine the question Of the ex-Speaker's
guilt OF innocence. If Mr.. Carter can Sc
cure his own reinstatement by the repre-
of the people, and if he can clear
himself of the charges which have been
made against him, then it will be time
enough for the Governor to withdraw his |
opposition to the fallen offender.
Citizen Fosdick commits the additional |
error of declaring that anarchy and blood |
shed were imminent; that the government |
of the State was divided and dismembered |
and that for these reasons he was con-
strained to demand the declaration of
martial law. This is new role for Citizen
Fosdick, if We have not mistaken his past
record for he certainly did not consider
the United States dismembered and dis
.racted commonwealth when one-third of
is Senators and Representatives fed from
and attempted to set up a
new Legislature at Montgomery. The
n distracted, nor was anarchy probable,
" even possible, at any time: for from the
Inception of the revolt of G.. w. Carter
lown to the present moment, the authori-
les have not only been competent to pre-
erve the peace by their own efforts, but
hey have been supported III so doing by
he very power which the Committee Of
'wenty has so prcsunptiously invoked.
III the benefits that were to be derived
rom the federal military were present and
n full force to preserve the peace and up
odd the law, at the very moment that
,ltizen Fosdick and his associates were
alling for their presence. The army of
be United States could have given no
reater protection to the community under
mart al law than it stood ready to give !
'ithout it; therefore the application for {
his violent and extreme remedy was alto {
ether supertluous, since we already had
II of its advantages, without any of its {
Wis. l
Citizen Fosdicll assures the public that a
is Committee of Twenty-one refused to t
ecile between Governor Walmoth and t
T. w Carter and then proceeds to de-
ounce them both as factions in a dis t
rendered government. This is abusing t
ood language and setting at naught cor l
,ct reasons; for the committee not only
id take sides in favor of Garter, when it {
lade his restoration to the Legislature a {
)ndition which Governor Warmoth was |