The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-13
Gen. Badger to the Front.
Attempt to Intimidate.
A Statement of the Case.
The Bulletin Must be Muzzled

We believe it is generally conceded by
nine-tenths of the community that the police
force of this city, as body, is the most inef
ficient in the whole country. Whether it il
made SO by the system under which it il
conducted or by the wOrthlessness of the
material composing it, matters very little te
the people who are robbed and garroted
and who are taxed to death to support
them.
The daily occurrence of every species OF
rently without any effort being made to
check the progress Of crime, warrant us in
criticising the official conduct Of Chief OF
Police Badger. As the head Of the police
force we had right as Independent journ
alists to comment and censure the con
duct Of that official. We do not know
that Mr.. Badger is any more immaculate
than any other Republican office holder OF
the usurpation. We were not aware befor,
that he was beyond the reach Of criticism
When he attains perfection either as an
officer or man we will duly record it. But
II,
and he falls short in the discharge
of what we believe to be his duty, we vii
not hesitate to hold him up topublic censure.
He may be the Chief Of Police, with his
hundreds of uniformed men, armed with
clubs and revolvers, subject to his orders
and control; he may put some Of them OF,
our track to assassnate us, some dark night /;
he may expect to claim and obtain EXecu-
tive clemency for any Offense he or his hired
myrmdOns may commit; he may do or
threaten all of this and even more, and yet
we will not be deferred in the slightest de
gree from full and fearless discharge of our
duty as journalists.
Acting upon this line of conduct, on the
9th instv we published the following edi-
torial:
CHIEF OF POLICE BADGER.
Never in the history of New Orleans has
there existed such stataof affairs as at
present prevails throughout the city. The
calendar Of crime is without a parallel, and
there seems to be no end to the occurrences
of arson, burglaries, larcenies, assaults and
murders.
Notwithstanding the general complaint Of
the citizens and their loud protestations
against the inefficlency Of the police and its
lack of vigilance, there is no evidence of
any desire on the part of the chief officers
to remedy the faults complained Of, or to
instill new life in the force they command.
In fact, neglect of official duty is SO
apparent in the conduct of Chief of Police
Badger, that he has impressed the commune
ty with his total unftness for the response
BILE position he fills. When raid upon peace
able and unoffendng white citiz Ems, living in
the country parishes, is to be made for po-
itical capital, in favor of the Radical party,
We find the Chief wonderfully active and
efficient in organizing his battaliOns aud
squads to arrest and bring to trial the un-
fortunate willie people who may have in
Cured the wrath of the de tactO Governor.
But when the property and lives of ;he
citizens here are daily and nightly threaten
ed when robbers and murderers parade the
streets; when houses are in flames by the
hand Of the incendiary, the Chief is not
heard of at all.
Whether he is too busly engaged in drill
ing the policemen in political tactics for
the approaching campaign; or organizing
them into ward clubs; or wheeher he is
incompetent to discharge the duties Of the
office, it matters not to the people who are
made to suffer by his neglect. In either
event he should resign the position i'll favor
of some one who could control and use
the police force of the city, for which the
people are taxed half million of dollars
so as to afford the Taxpayers some protec-
ton, and render them some service for the
money they contribute to the support of
the metropolitan professionalism, 9M.
On Monday the following note was re-
ceived:
Mr.. Bywly Gen. Badger desires retrac-
ton of the haryes made against him. Also
that said retraction be submitted to me be-
fore publication.
l will wait for your answer until nine
o'clock this ereniKg. If matters are not set
tied by that time, you will have to take the
consequences. Very truly yours,
j. A. QUINTERo.
Monday, May IL, 1874.
In reply to this we wrote as follows:
NEW ORLEANS May IL. 1o74
Mr.. j. A. Quintero;
In reply to your note of to-day, | have
only to say that as a public journalist,
have and will at all times exercise. the
right to criticise the official conduct of any
and every public officer. If any such officer
thinks an uni ust inj ury has been done, upon
satisfactory evidence of that fact, | am at
all times reauy to make the dmeRde honorable. !
But no threats will avail or i'll the least
intimidate me in the discharge OF public
duty deem owe to the public, and l be-
lieve that yon sufficiently understand me,
in this matter, to fully appreciate the line
of conduct l propose to follow in the pre- !
misses. LII this particular case no personal
attack was made or intended to be made. |
Mr.. Badger has no cause to demand any re-
traction.
Respectfully,
ID. c. BYERLY.
Yesterday the Chief of Police effer- |
vesces in the following elegant and CLASH
cal style through the columns Of the Plea
yane and Times-his own organ, or rather
that of his party, refusing to give it place
in its columns In order that this choice
literary moroccan may have the widest pub
licity, We give it the benefit of our circula-