New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-15
THURSDAY, 5

promises of reform. vhaE You are odious 70
the Legislature and ;ke majority of your
patty in the STATE!
That assumption is incorrect. Political
| antagonisMs are always unavoidable IN the
! distri burton of political patronage. These
, are occasoEed by tie excess Of patriots
| over positions: and as each regards himself
as the pillar Of the party, disappOir
excites opposition. The scurrilo.ls and un-
! :cuaded aspersions Eeaped upon President
| Grant were attributable TO this cause. The
! people. comprehsndiDg the occasion of it..
answered his maligners by triumphant re-
election. The citizens, having GO political
interests to subserve, only desire protection
in their business pursuits, and So long as
| the duties Of the executive of this State
shall be discharged by me, they can conf
| dently rely hereafter upon security from
violence and protection from piunder. Upon
| those who provoke conflict lei the RESPONSE
| bility rest.
l3. Do YOU suppose that "the b,.v" who
| shot at you lad q deliberate purpose, and
| that he will &c: at you again, and that
others will Try their hands who are better
shots!
The person who eliot at me was Lot a
boy, but a man who had an interes: in
taking nv life. l believe that know who
he was, and who his aiders and aDettOrs
were. Any man may be murdered by an
assassin Who shoots at him from behind.
IA. Do you snpppse that soldiers and
police can protect You from determined
men!
l know that the military power OF the
State and the peace officers will be able to
Guell any riotOrs demons ira tons. Assas-
sins are rarely determined men. but are
towards.
I5 Do you know !ha. there are many
desperate men in the city, who are ruined
l,oy 81,
ii the current taxes are collected and the
same style of plunderiHg and extravaganr
radical government continues
lam not responsible tor the burdensofne
taxation imposed by the late corrupt and
extravagan. administration. If the taxes
are NO; reduced and the burdens OF the
people lighted. il will not be my fault. hu:
the ;aUlt OF such men as continue to en-
barrass my administration by defying the
law. assaul.ins officers and organizing VIC
ltnce. and fhe fault Of those who counte.
nance ard in some instances openly advise
and applaud such murderUus, yiotous and
unlawful 2c.s.
I6. Do you believe .ha. tie Republican
party represents majority ct The voters OF
this S:ate9
Unquestionablv. Indeed. am fully con.
vinced that they possess at least .o,CCe ma.
ir1ity if permitted to Ell " an honest eX.
box.
Il. Then why do you deny it TO the peo.
p!e-and would you and your associates
favor. under any circumstances. new
election!
When the contest was being prosecuted
last winter, several members of the Fusion
Legislature. having ascertaiEed that no
objection would be interposed by me 70
new election conducted under such author.
ity as would insure It's fairness. desired me
to refuse my assent to it. They were op-
posed to new election then. because /
suppose they thought Mr.. McEnery would
be recognized as Governor. and that they
would :hus gain cCI,rol Of the State. Ii
my personal feelings only we're consulted.
/ Go not desire TO be Governor of Louisiana.
But believing that was legally elected, it
is my duty to continue TO exercise the func.
tions Of Chief Magistrate of the State unit!
tue party that elected me shall decide. cr
Congress determine TO have new election.
In euch an event. their decision will be
promptly accepted and cheerfully ac.
Yuiesced in by me. In expressing this
opinion can OF course give only my own
views. and ro: those of my associates.