New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-10
tCeiapfa,lcated.
LAW THE ONLY SAFE GUIDE.
New ORLEANS, January 9. 1877

new ORLEANS, January 9. 1872.
EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
In my communication of yesterday | said:
Ii they tIneaning the Carter party have a
majority Of the Legislature on Royal street,
they would have it at the legislative hail.
and If they have not it is plain they have no
right TO call themselves LeGisiatuIe.' To
this proposition it is replied that the Gov
ernor drove them from, inundated and
kept them out Of the Capitol We all know
that a force was placed there. but we know,
also, that it WAS done in behalf Of peace-a
peace which had been threatened by what
was considered riotons conduct in the
House a few hours previously. 1t may
have been hasty, as the conduct of the
House had been alarming; bat this simple
fact did not absolve the members from the
obligation to go there and claim their seats
as legislators. Had they gone and de-
mandcd recognition as such, there is no
doubt they would have been admitted with
out question or any Kind of molestation.
1t would Lave been dangerous to refuse
them the right to their seats In that
found themselves in an attitude of hostility
to law, and Colonel Carter and his friends
would have had the protection of
the United States troops. There can
be no doubt about this, for the
Colonel said in substance. in enc
of his Royal street speeches. that General
Emory was as much in favor of protecting
him and his party as the Warmoth party.
Would it not be advisable vet for these
gentlemen to go quietly to the Capitol to-
day, and resume their seats! Would not
Generals Emory and Longstreet protect
them in SO doings No cool, rejecting man
doubts this for one moment. Let liz hope,
III the name OF a common interest. that such
will be doue. These gentlemen (the most
OF whom every one acknowledges to be
honest in what they are doing certainly
will not precIpitate us all. men, women and
children, into the horrors of ST. Bartholo-
new, merely to show us that thev are honest
and brave.
They sag they are for reform: that they
have a legal organization-a majority. II
this be so, why not take all these adyan-
tages to the Capitol The Governor can
not keep them out il he would. The United
States troops are there to protect them
from violence, and the commanding Gen
erals would not hesitate to do 50, if their
own conduct is pacific and legal. Tie
speeches made last night give u some
alarm. but il is to be hoped that our peo-
10 ha. IL
may be inferred from the remarks made on
Lafayette square.
We should be more prudent than TO es-
tablish precedent which any party may
avail itself of hereafter. If We sanction the
doctrine now, that an ambitious. or, let me
say, al honest man, may rise al any time
with a voice for reform, win the ear and the
applause Of the masses. revolutionze legis
latures, aud in their stead establish some
thin. noInadic-hurl governors from their
offices and bid defiance to the laws himself
has aided in making, who can predict the
evils that must follow! Is such government
worth icing taxed for, or is it worth
fighting foI' oar people should bear
III mind that even the doubtful precedents
OF today VIII become the settled maXms
oi the future Parties change; and the
Democrats, Whose war cry il X. W. c.,
should refiec: that those against whom they
are thls organized to contend and to battle
will not be the men to give them future
ascendency in the workings of the State
government. We should avoid these
things when brought about by excitement
and passion, and not rashly do to-day that
which we would be unwilling should be re-
turned with interest compounded hereafter.
Let us rather have peace and law. and
order. OCCASIONAL.