New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-02
CHVALROUS.

It was the Roman MA kim to spare the
weak and make war on the strong. The
White League geverses this doctrine.
Many Republican voters in New Orleans
are colored persons to whom the United
States has given and guar anseed suffrage.
They are numerous. but not having re-
ceived each Spence. rifle to insure the
exercise Of this right, and being. IN fact.
peaceful laborers and not swashbucklers
everlastingly on the lookout for sonae'
body to shoot. they are not, in military
sense. formidable. Over these peaceful
and undiscipined voters the White
League triumohs. There are in this city
some three hundred to three hundred
and fifty policemen. mu stored into the
State militia and armed to preserve the
peace Of the city. These the Picayatne
calls the 'janissaries Of the usurpation."
After drilling for some weeks all the
White League clubs. arme d in great part
with Belgian rifles. were convened to
enforce the abdication of the State gov
eminent. The words Of the call were:
To close all your places Of business.
assemble at the Clay statue on Canal
street, and. in tones loud enough to be
heard throughout the length and breadth
of the land, declare that you are. OF right
ought 10 De and mean to be tree.
As these clubs were massed, organized.
armed and awaiting the reply TO the sum-
mons to capitulate and abdicate. the
police, as was their duty, attempted to
disperse some of those who were organ
lied. to disturb the public peace. The re-
suit was to find themselves enfladed by an
army which the P;cay,',e shall describe:
Five thousand armed citizens marched
with the compact tirmness. soliditv and
martial air Of veterans. armed with every
style of imprOvised weapon.
There was no: the disparity between
the 800 Of Thermopyl;e who fell beneath
the myriads Of the Persian invader. but
the fight and defeat Of $50 in the open
street by 5000 entrenched behind bales
and Logsheads reflected no particular
honor upon the conquerors. 1t has al.
ways been the merit Of the Confederates
that they maintained q desperate war
against far superior force and material.
Neither army ever made boast that 5000
had defeated $50. There is no process of
political chemistry by which chivalry can
be extracted from such elements Of in
equality.
But the ingiorious acknowledgment
follows that the 5000 fastened ito salute
the national banner" upheld by few
companies Of federal troops. thus I'M
ploring those stronger than themselves in
reinforcements not 10 inter vene for the
protection of those who were weaker. /,
is useless to say that the prudent salute
| to the matt onal banner was based on re.
spect for the federal government. There
is scarcely word applied to Governor
Kellogg tina: has not been applied te
President Grant In attempting to over
throw a government under the guarantee
of the federal government, in disregardine
the jurisdiction of Congresstwhich had thu
legality OF the State government under
judgment, upon the solemn appeal of thu
claimant McEnery. a disrespect to til,
federal government was displayed, which
lacked but adequate force to make j
manifest.
There is no ring Of chivalry in the tri
umph of 5000 armed soldiers over 35'
police. There is far less in giving a pro
pitiating ''salute to the national banner
which was protecting the unslain remnan
of the $50 who were "crouching under it
protection" .