New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-31


For the first time in American history
there has been formed q delibesate and
consistent organization intended to con-
troll the action Of the public authorities
by the force OF terror Of party opinion.
This comprcheuds representative and
central authority. an advisory council. a
treasury filled by the forced loans OF
business prescription. and by an army
armed, drilled and subject to the orders
Of the executive chiefs.
There has been one such outside gov
eminent before. It was in France. Com
posed of the Jacobin Club, with 300
branches. it sat in permanence. 1t U.s.
sued its commands to the National As
sembly and to the King. Populations OF
women demanded bread Of monarch
practically dethroned: crowds Of violent
partisans filled the galleries of the As
sembly, and with cries and menaces 1is-
turbed the quiet Of deliberation, and
drowned the voice of debate with de-
mands for the blood of one order OF the
property Of another Men. armed with
poniards, entered the hall Of legislation
and put to death members obnoxious to
public dislike. Such was and is the IT.
repressible government OF the clubs.
Such it wa in Paris, and such at dis
tant interval of time and progress it is in
New Orlea MS. Modified by the American
temper, and by the added light of time
and experience. the present White League
in New Orleans occupies the same rela.
ton to the State government Of Louisiana
that the Mot her Club Of Paris. with her
300 shrill-.ongucd daughters. bore to
the government OF France. ..
There are incidents of similarity, to
which We can only refer without the toll
of tracing them in detail. An executive,
separated from the constituent people,
and in daily menace Of his life. OF
public authority, unable to make physi-'
cal defense of its legal rights, against the
illegal. informal power brought to bear
against it.
Except the suggestion Of Mr.: CAL
houn, for q dual executive. we have had
no such antagonist and anarchial exper-
iment as that of q Central Democratic
Committee. with its systematic detail and
divisions OF power. and State govern
ment established according to law. aud
armed with all the apparent authority
which the constitution can give OF guar
antee.
We will not recite the acts by which
this revoluti onary club organization has
attempted to control the State authorities
by an exhibition of local force which they
could not resist with mere plurality Of
voters.
Technically. this organization placed
it's m embers in instruction against the
laws of the State, and were violators of
State law. acc ording to the words of State
We are no advocates for extreme
against persons who may igno-
rantly plead political motives as q iustifica"
ton for technical crime. If our placable
executive thought proper to recommend
q general amnesty in all such cases. with
that depart ment rests the powe: and the
There were reasons OF
State to govern executive action, and to
the execu tive and his constitutional adj
visers we left the line OF action proper to
be pursued.
But while this organization to overthrow
An assumed ''usurpation' undoubtedly
existed and exists. We could not compre-
bend why it should recognize an ''usurp.
alton" as a power competent to be treated
with, or why power proclaimed as a
s'usur patton" should deal with an organ
ization which so proclaimed it. Yet such
has been the case. The State govern
ment, which sits upon the high eminence
Of dignified authority. has. in its extreme
goodness of heart, come down to treat
and adjust terms for the proper perform
,nce of its public duties. with voluntary
which has no legal right and
no legal responsibility for its actions or
omissions.
That the State government could have
gained nothing by superior astuteness--
that it had nothing to expect from the
obedience or Acknowledgements of the
very men rocking from q recent attempt
10 overthrow the State government. was
obvious to the minds Of many. 1t is now.
We suppose. a fact conceded by all.
The failure Of the negotiations to make
he execution Of the law q measure of
party agreement-the almost nnseemly
alteration and the objectionable VIC.
ence done the majesty Of the State in
he person OF its chief magistrate. were
lot necessary to convice US that the rela.
ions between the revolutionary organiza-
ion and the formal and-as we think
awful government Of the State were ir-
.egular and could scarcely have ended in
my other way than as they did.
We trust that these ''diplomatic" rela-
ions as the Picayuae chooses to des-
gnate them-.havs ended. We trust the
government will execute the election
avs justly. firmly. mildly, and that it will,
without further controversy or compro-
mise. perform the dates which the con-
,titution and laws have confided to and
imposed upon it. Whatever may be that
result We shall! abide by the law. But we