The Placer herald., 1874-09-19
SERIOUS TROUBLE IN LOUISIANA.


Shocking news has flashed over the wires
this last week, from New Orleans. The
whole city is 10 arms, considerable fighting
has already occurred, and civil war. with
oil its atrocities, seems Imminent. The
people assembled, 10 New Orleans, in mass
meeting, and sent Committee to wait on
Governor Kellogg. and ask him. for the peace
Of the State and the good Of his country, to
abdicate his Office. He refused to do so. Tho
next report tells of conflicts in the streets, i,
Of men being killed. aud others seeking
refuge. This is direful condition, and
almost chills ones blood to hear Of it. But
we cannot think, and it doe not seem to be
the opinion. SO far as expressed by impartial
minds, that the people are to blame.
History in all ages shows when those in
power persisted in expressing the masses
beyond all human reason, in spite Of their
repeated appeals and petitions for justice,
that 10 time patience ceased to be regarded
a virtue, and simultaneous with the end of
patience, civil strife began. The recent
outbreak, in New Orleans, is, in this respect,
only repetition of history. The people of
Louisiana have, for years. patiently sub
'nitted to fraud. violence and public plunder.
or what amounts TO the same. Taxation M
consequence Of official stealing, has been in
creased to such an overbearing extent, as to
amount simply to canfscation. Their
homes have been taken from them, and their
substance squandered. Their credit is de-
stroyed. and their country bankrupt; justice
in the courts is thing to which they have
been strangers for years. and they have
virtually been deprived of the right Of fran
clbse. the only means by which their troub-
les could be remcdied These wrongs, so
aagrant that one would hardly think they
could be tolerated for moment, in what is
hailed by the world, free country, the
people Of Louisiana have submitted to for
years, and what is worse, the tyrannical
usurper who hasilius steadily been administer
ing abuse on the innocent, and in ..r,yal sense,
helpless people. has lad the countenance of
our CE:cr Executive. In such an emer-
gency, what resort is left for the people?
They abbor the idea of war, the bitter ex-
periencc Of which is still fresh in their mem
cries They want peace; would make any
sacrifice in the world, short of liberty. TO
obtain it, II rid of tho tyrants who, by
Federal aid. we regret to say, have forced
themselves into high places among them,
they would have peace. They want no war
of races. They have long ago submitted
to tue rights Of the colored people, claimed
by the Amendments to the Constitution, and
stand ready to see them enforced. They
are, in short, the only true friends to the
negroes, for even to-day, in the midst of
tnmult and civil strife, they say to them
"rest in peace, or join us in dethroning
a usurper; it is to your interest, as citizens
of an oppressed commonwealth, to osecure JUS
tice, as much as ours" Heretofore the
disturbances, from time TO time reported in
the South, have been attributed to the
"White League" Secret leagues, either
white or black, North or South, arc bad
things, and should not be tolerated. Leagues
seem not at the head of these recent troub-
les. They were occasioned. it would seem,
simply by an uprising of the people, de-
mandng justice. How these troubles will
end II is impossible to foresee. They will
at least have the effect of turning tho atten-
ton Of the nation to the true condition
Of the South, and that attention once Sc
cured we may hope that full justice will
speedily be meted TO all.