New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-06
II IT REVOLUTION 2

Inc basis pr1nclple OF republican bo'-
eminent is, that the citizen shall submit
to the law, as expounded by the constltu-
tional authorities 1t is not under this
government as under others where the
subject has no voice in the law, that
the citizen may evade his own law as the
subject may evade the law in which he
has no voice. Every citizen Of the United
States is bound to obey the law, whether
he likes the law or not, whether he deems
it according to the constitution or not.
We have law of emancipation. we
have law of suffrage. These laws nave
been accepted according to the forms OF
constitutional assent 1t is the duty OF
every good citizen to abide by what has
been so accepted and assented to on his
behalf.
We have among us, however, doctrine
that wherever law of taxation or repre-
sentation is oppressive upon those who
disapprove of it, there is reserved and
inalienable right to evade or resist such
law. We have, moreover, persons SO lg-
norant of the principle Of honorable obi
cation to abide by what has been agreed
to according to the forms OF law, that
they applaud any obstacle of evasion or
resistance thrown in the way OF the law.
1t has been but the other day that GER
tain parish officers were required ''by the
people of Natchitoches" to resign their
offices because certain excess of parish
taxes which they were employed to collect
were alleged to be illegal, Thereupon a
contemporary compares this act OF init
midation to the conduct of those who
threw overheard a cargo Of tea to prevent
its paying a tax laid upon the taxpayers
unrepresented in the Parliament which
imposed the tax.
1t is expected of those who teach the
people, that they should comprehend and
state accurately history and the analogies
of history.
The people of Natchitoches are repre-
scented in every department Of the parish
and federal governments. There may be
citizens who think that they are not repre-
scented when they have not control, but
all Americans comprehend that the duty
of every man in a minority is to obey the
law as expounded. Why, then, hken the
crowd which drove away officers appoint
cd in accordance with the State constitu-
ton to those colonists who had no stand
ing in the representative departments of
the English government at all
The legal course of the aggrieved people
of Natchitoches was to have appealed to
the proper authorities. An application to
the State Auditor would have procured
his construction of the legality of the tax.
If that construction was not satisfactory
to the compliments they could have ap-
pealed to the courts for injunction or
other process, based on judicial con-
struction Of the law
The readiness with which this relief
might have been obtained is evident
from the opinion given by the assistant
Attorney General. He pronounces the
tax excessive, illegal and void as to the
excess. The relief thus granted will be
in accordance with law, and proves that
the law was adequate to assure justice to
the compliments. The expulsion OF the
officers for the offense of collecting taxes
which they were obliged to collect is a
strange remedy for an illegal tax. The
collector knows nothing of the legality Of
the tax. It does not rest with him to
remit tax without making himself and
sureties thereby responsible. Yet these
agents, powerless to redress grievance,
have been compelled to quit their homes
as we'll as vacate their Offices.
When we add to this open preference
for violence where the courts are open
for redress, the published declaration that
the colored people are not fit to vote or
hold Office, though the constitution and
law say they are fit, with the threat that
the election will be carried by force of
arms if not by force Of votes, the question
arises, are we living in Louisiana under
the laws or in State of revolution? Some
of our people are willing to accept am
nesty and to be fed on federal
rations. They are petitioners for federal
money, to build levees, run dredges or
cut canals, but while all the benefits Of
the federal government are accepted with
out scruple, and We may add without
thanks, such laws as do not suit the
wishes Of these benefciaries are opposed,
evaded, and violated without scruple.
The question whether we are living under
a government republican in form may
come up in an unexpected manner, when
q community assumes to drive public
officers out of the country, and arrest the
operation of the laws.
uIIRERAT. CONSERVATIVES