New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-13
COMPOUNDED With the White League of the

= :
r COMPOUNDED with the White League of Il
r city of New Orleans."
{! Their objects and aims and purposes an
organization are all the same. I do n,
o think that either party would suffer muc
= in reputation by being COMPOUNDED with til
other; but look at the pretext under whic
this committee wants you to believe thu
White League was organized:
Their purposes they declare to be simpl
: | protective
There are $50, 900 white people in the Cit
of New Orleans and $4,000 blacks TIL
} white people are organiziDg -the committe
: certifying:
Nor, on the other hand, did it appea
that there was any extensive secret lea gu
among the blacks Of any kind"
Three white men organizing and provid
, ing themselves with arms to defend them
selves against one black man! 1t is pre-
pOsterous, Mr.. President
Now, we hear the question asked con
stantly on this floor why is not the civil Law
effective in the Southern Statesa If thes.
murders are perpetrated, why do you no,
punish them! We have answered on one
or two occasions, and suffice ntly, that the
officers of the law in the prosecution Of
their duty have been foully murdered. Blu,
l will go to more general review of the
| CUutllLlOu VI Cuo law duu llS administration
in the Southern States. | would like to
read to yon here what is said by a practi
toner at the bar about the administration
of justice in the Southern States generally
He says:
1.-The laws of the States designed for the
protection Of life and property are not en-.
forced with certainty, and in cases where
they are violated by members of the Demo
cratic party for political purposes they are
| viola tad vr,;<I =.
! vestigatiOns have made known to the world
that secret oath bound organizations exist
throughout the Southern States; that their
object is by force and violence to prevent
the newly enfranchised race from exercising
the right of suffrage, and thus to deprive
them of political power; that in the execu-
ton of their design the members of these
secret organizations have committed crimes
| without number of nature calculated TO
intimidate and terrify, and that they are as
| free from fear of punishment or cause to
fear, by the enforcement Of the laws of the
States in which the Ofenses were COM
| United, as though they were wholly guilt
| less. So prevalent and powerful is the
sympathy for those who commit these acts.
| that before it the law ia insignificant and
powerless. In the rarest instances has a
| grand jury preferred bill of Indictment
| against any OF the perpetrators of these
| crimes, and in no instance that has come to
| our knowledge has petty jury been found
to return verdict of guilty against the
perpetrators of even the most unprovOkej
and cruel murder when committed upon the
person of a Republican for political reasons.
In this country the law is sustained by pub.
lie opinion, and public opinion is stronger
than the law. Our fathers in the founda-
ton of the system Of government never
realized that the day wonld come when the
lives of American citizens could be taken
unlawfully and in great numbers, and no
witness to such deeds could be found to
prefer complaint, no sheriff to execute a
warrant, and no sentiment in the communi-
ty sufficiently strong to secure the con lem-
nation Of the offense or the punishment of
the offenders. Yet this is the case in the
Southern States to-day. A powerful press
preserves silence as to the offense, or per-
sistently misrepresents the circumstances
under which it was committed, or, where
cOncealment is no longer possible, boldly
defends the act Of the criminal. The
character of the dead victim is ma.
ligned, and deed of blood, horrible
act of patriotism. Where, under laws of
the general government, the United |
States courts have jurisdiction of the |
Otfense and succeed in arraigning the GRIM
inal, the more talented and influential |
members of the legal profession hasten to |
volunteer their services in his defense; and |
where bail is required for the appearance !
of the offender, the wealthy members of the !
community eagerly place their names upon |
the bond. Upon the trial it is simply i'm |
possible to secure, fairly and in the manner |
prescribed by law. twelve men who will |
decide impartially between the government !
and the accused, and render verdict in |
accordance with the law and the evidence. |
Those men who have sworn to murder
when commanded by their secret organi.
cations, and who were perhaps accessory
to the commission of the otfense, readily
appear upon the witness stand to prove |
that the prisoner was engaged in innocent
occupation far from the place where the
crime was committed. All the influence
and power of the Democratic party are
exerted in the defense of the accused, and
he may well view with Indifference the
efforts of those whose duty is to secure
the infection of the penalty for
the violation of the law The crimi-
courts have Jurisdiction are limited in their
and the only restraint upon the
commission of crimes of the nature indi.
Gated exercised by the federal courts springs
in most cases from the annoyance and ex.
pense of undergoing form of trial, and not
from the fear OF conviction or its results.
1t in rare instance conviction should be
had, the criminal, however heinous might
be his ofense, however much in violation
Of the laws Of his country and of God,
would find sympathy and comfort and sup.
port from the members of that party in
whose cause he was required to suffer.
With no sense OF disgrace, no feeling of re-
morse, but with mind imbued with the
teachings of his Democratic leaders, he
would endure the penalty OF his offsnse with
the pride Of patriot and the for,itude of
martyr"
Such is the manner in which crimes of
The greatest atrocity are treated at the
South. Those who commit them have the
warmest sympathy Of the Democratic party
here, and the Democrats of that region
ind sympathy, countenance, and support
among the Democrats here. II that is not
apologizing for murder it is sympathizing
with those who sympathize with those who
commit it, and under that refinement of
distinction apologists for those murders
must take refuge.
l would like to say few words with
eference to the prescription, the ostracism
throughout the South in reference to their
political opinions. In 1868 the Democratic
'arty of Louisiana issued an official circular
rom which l will quote an expression. !
Here it is, signed by the president of the
State Central Committee and by four of his
l presume the executive
committee. Speaking about the resentment
hat should be entertained against white
it says:
"But in no case should you permit this .
resentment to go further than to withdraw
rom them all countenance, association and
patronage. and thwart every effort they
nay make to maintain business and So I
ial footho]d among u.s."
Republicans are to be thwarted in every
vay. not to be allowed to follow the ordinl
ry pursuits of life. They are to be treated 9