New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-22


law! But while we invoke this forbearance
and Cancellation, fully recognizing that
they formed by far the largest part of the
Southern people, a reluctant obedience
is all that is to be hoped for. Let 1t be I'M
derstood that less than obedience the gov
ernment can not accept.
Obedient citizens, they can not be con-
sdered, who, themselves complaining OF
bad laws, excuse or encourage masked and
armed mobs that override all law. Brave
and magnanimOus enemies even, they can
not be reckOned. who permit remnants OF q
rebelliOus feeling, the animositles OF race
or bitterness of political partisanship to
degrade the soldiers of Lee and Johnston
into cowardly midnight prowlers and assas
sins who scourge and kill the poor and
defenseless. Against all such crimes, as
we'll as against incompetency and cOrrup-
ton in office, the power of an intelligent
public sentiment and of the courts of JUS
tice should be invoked and united. And
appealing for patience and torbearance in
the North while time and these powers are
doing their work. we would also appeal to
the good sense of Southern men, if they
sincerely desire to accomplish political re-
forms through change in the negro
vote. If their theory rs true, that
he votes solidly now with the Re
publican party. and is kept there by
his ignorance and by deception, all that is
necessary to keep him there is to keep up
by their countenance the Ku-klux organi-
cation. Having the rights of citizen and
voter, neither Of these rights can be abro-
gated by whipping him. If his political
opinions are erroneous, he will not take
kindly to the opposite creed when its
apostles continue to use the scourge on
himself and outrage his wife and children.
If he is ignorant, he will not be educated
by burning his schOOlhOuses and exiling his
teachers. If he is wicked, he will not be
made better by banishing to Liberia his re-
ligious teachers. If the resuscitation of the
State is desired by his labor neither will it
be secured by prescription which depOpu-
lates townships and prevents the intrOduc-
tion of new labor and capital.
The law of 1877 has been effective in sup
pressing tor the present, to great extent,
the operations of masked and disguised
men in North and South Carolina. Bills
have also been found by grand juries in
Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. But
comparatively few if any of the defendants
in the last named States have yet been
tried. The apparent cessation of operations
should not lead to the conclusion that the
community would be safe if protective
measures were withdrawn. These should
be continued until there remain no further
doubts of the actual suppression and dis
arming of widespread and dangerous con-
spracles.
We recommend that the power conferred
on the President by the fourth section of
that act be extended till the end of the
next session of Congress. In view, also
of the large number of indictments found
in the several courts under this act which
vet remain untried, and of the evident en-
couragement derived from the belief that
the present United States courts can not
possibly reach and try them within any
L. ,at,
increase of the judiciary of the United
States, by districts and circuits, in States
shown to be affected by these disorders, as
in the Judgment of Congress will secure
speedy and certain justice to be admins
tered, and leave no hope of impunity to
criminals by the laws delay.
The continuance of disabilities is the only
cause not vet considered. No man under
disabilities has avowed himself as either
committing or encouraging outrages. For
that reason no member of the organization
has justified their acts on that ground. 1t
is one of the pretexts made by those who
were willing to urge any plausible excuse
for outrages, which admit of none; but to
remove alleged impediments to local gov
ernments. encountered by the existence of
disabilities to hold office, and being satisfied
that there should be general removal OF
them with proper conditions and exceptions,
we recommend the passage OF law for that
purpose, agreeing in the recommendation
made by the President to exclude from its
benefits any great criminals distinguished
above all others for the part they took in op-
position to the government. In this connec-
ton we wish to say that, as a disregard OF
the law has been an evil SO largely COM
planned of, and SO widely extended in the
late insurrectionary States, no encourage
1aent should be given to those who have ac-
cepted office in defiance of the existence of
these constitutional disabilities, or have
elected to office men whom they knew to
be excluded by them.
The document concludes with the report
of Representative Stevenson from the sub
committee on the debts and election laws OF
the late insurrectionary States, the sub
stance of which has been already published.
We can not find space to-day for the pub
lication of the minority report.