New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-09-17
SHAM THE MAJORITY RULE:


reason with those who will read. upon
tie actual situation. 1t is the best return
we can make fox the privilege OF opinion
accorded Us.
The armed men who have shown
force superior to that of the smaller num-
Der commanded by the State government
claims to be in the majority. Perhaps SO
within the parish Of Orleans. but all EVIL
.ences show that they are in minority OF
the whole State population. We could
see some excuse if the misguided eonsti'
tuency of parish should claim obedience
u resignation of their OWL officers. but
there is no logic in claiming that an armed
majority in one parish should expe! by
force the administration Of the whole
State.
Tier: is, however. another majority
which decides the later resort; it is the
majority of the people Of the United
States. The armed majority which can
contro. an unarmed minority in the streets
Of New Orleans becomes microscopic
minority before the armed assemblagc Oh
forty millions. Men IL power, secured by
local force. will. We trust. remember that
i: always becomes the strong to so deport
themselves that no reproacL can befal
them fox the undue exercise Of their
power.
The doctrine now set up in justification
Ct the armed occupation Of the public
buildings Of the State Of Louisiana is
that tie majority have decreed it. VIVA:
sort Of a majority: 1t will be answered.
the majority Of local force. We have
called it shotgun majority.
This is precisely what this form o! gov.
eminent was never intended to permit.
Ours is neither government OF fo-ce
nor government Of riches. The veneer.
able voter who a: eighty years to:ters to
the polls has exactly the same weigh: OF
political force with his grandson Of twenty
one. The meek and Hon-combatant
Quaker or bunker who will not fight on
any provocation. can ofse, the vote OF
the bully beltei with sevolve-s. To
women has been given III some States and
corporations the right of ballot. They
wouii derive little value from this right il
it depended Oh their physical ability 10
exercise it. In like manner the vote OF
the millionaire can not prevail over tina!
OF the poorest man.
The majority is that Of numbers. white
Or black. qualified to vote under the con-
stitution and the laws. It would be
therefore illegal to speak Of a majority OF
the people unless We compute ali the
voter. of the State.
LIE: us suppose tina: this numerical ma
jority is in great part unsk!lled in the use
Of arms. or too timid Or scrupu!ous to use
them. Are these voters to be Ignored and
excluded for wan: of pisto! gallery prac'
tice: Are the offices of the State to be
PIT up at large: firing: Shal! those
who have the best eyes;ght and tie
s:ead!est nerve carry tLe,4 of against
their competitors who dc not pre-
tend to such qualities: Il such were the
case. then the best pis.o. sLo: should be
President. But a: this. grea: coutes:
would come III again large company o:
as GOO. shooters Il, any in the world, and
wcuil form their majority III force and
carry Of the official prizes.
This government. was established to re-
pea! the law Of force. Kings held stand
ing armies. and proclaimed their Owl
laws. The people were in numerical ma
:ority. but without poiitica! rights. and
without military organizations. To this
was contributed in America the majesty
Of the law. and society armed the law
with force adequate to Its OWL enforce
men..
Under this system men physically un'
equal. men unequal in courage. in military
resource. are made the political equals Of
the strongest and most resolute. 1t has
been the boast OF America that this equality
has been maintained. Any appeal from
the laws to the local majority OF force will
be met by the force OF a superior national
MAJORITY. acting under tie authority OF
the lew. For. if we could set aside the
law, and, as liz Mexico, make a pronun.
ciamea:o. what would it prove: Only
the accredited supremacy OF local
force. l. is easy for party which
want. office. to deuounce the occupants
Of Office as unfit and unworthy. but such
ienurciat!ons are not held in the United
States q, sufficient warrant for the ;orci.
bic expulsion OF one officer and the in.
staiia.ion Of another. Our fei!ow-citizeus
put their own construction upon their
own acts. which they ASSUME to be
patriotic, while those Of others are alone
due to the most hagitious motives.
When these acts shall be stated in the
cold language Of the law. and in the
sense III which they must strike ar impair.
sial and law-ab:ding people. We appre.
bend that men would 10. recognize tire
events OF the pas: week. SO different will
be definitions given of them.
TIE CRISIS PAST