New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-23

law. Supported by wealth, talent and
every effective combination known to
political and military affairs, they are
more than match for the few white lead
ers and the mass of inexperienced blacks.
So sharply is the line drawn that it is i'm
possible to procure fair jury to try a
White League offender without having
| upon it one or more White Liners, sworn
to effect his clearance, even if Judge or
sheriff should dare to execute the prelim-
mary processes of the law. 1t will thus
be seen that the civil authority of Gov
ernor Ames can be speedily expended
without result With the knowledge of
! this fact the White Liners plausibly be-
lieve themselves invincible.
Finding the courts powerless and the
necessity for the preservation of the peace
extreme, physical force only becomes ade-
quate for the suppression Of an insurrec-
ton. The State militia must appear upon
the scene. How is that militia consti-
tuted? Does any sane man desire that
one race should be arrayed against
another? Governor Ames must accept the
men who offer themselves for service, and
is powerless to discriminate between his
friends and his enemies; in consequence
militia, in whole or in part controlled by
the White League, would be as uncertain
AN antidote to instruction as mixed
jury.
But suppose that Governor Ames should
organize some companies of his partisans,
and send them with muskets in hand to
guard the next point threatened with vio-
lence, or to assist sheriffs and judges in an
attempt to peacefully suppress insurrec-
tionary tendencies, does any reasonable
man doubt that he would be denounced,
his troops heralded as minions of tyrant,
and himself charged with precipitating
the race conflict? The history of the State
militia OF Louisiana is replete with familiar
examples. The troops of Mississippi
would be harassed, waylaid and victim
lied by midnight and guerrilla warfare, if
not disarmed or annihilated by superior
force of the White Line army.
Governor Ames thoroughly appreciates
this phase of the matter, and wisely pre-
fers to avoid useless disasters of the kind
He appeals at once to power superior
to the local prejudices and the White
Liners of Mississippi as the instru-
ment needed to quell disturbances. In
this he is prudent. He is a man of cour-
age, as his past history shows; there are
hundreds of ex-federal soldiers in Missis-
sippi equally brave-and it is matter of
regret that they should be called upon to
enter new battlefelds in combat with
marauding bands of White Liners in de-
Tense of that peace and security earned by
them in honorable allegiance to the fed
eral government. We hope they will not
be required to do this. The Attorney Gen
eral in advising Mississippians to arm and
destroy White Liners uttered manly san
timent, but it is a practical advice inap-
plicable to the present condition of that
State. 1t requires great moral courage to
remain in the Republican party, or to give
a fair allegiance to the Union in Missis-
sippi, and as men who bear the brunt of
the great contest for freedom of speech, of
the press, and the administration of fed
eral law, Its enemies should not be allowed
to strike them down without certainty of
being called to account for their crimes.
The Republicans and Unionists of the
South will become self-reliant as they in
crease in power by the force of school
houses, the acquisition of homesteads,
and as the federal government administers
justice to friend and foe. They have
confidence that the evils now surrounding
them will be removed by peaceful causes,
but if the necessity comes to seek new
battlefelds they will adhere to the mus.
ket as firmly as they have heretofore
welded the ballot in the common defense.
All honor to the Attorney General for his
manly denunciation of their enemies; and
all honor to Governor Ames for his fidel-
ity to official trust say we.