New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-14
RBBUKE TO THE REGULATORS.

| e REBUEE TO THE RIG ULhTUhS.
The P;car0ae is sQuarely and fairly on
the right side in the view it takes OF the
recent attempt Of certain anonymous par
ties to bully the Administrator Of Improve
| nents. We have before alluded to the de-
! mauds of John Lotus and others, who
protested to speak (without authority,
no doubt, in behalf OF the laboring men
| Of New Orleans. Men in their capacity
| as private citizens are not clothed with
| authority to prescribe rules and issue in
structions to public officials charged
with ministerial functions, or the dis
charge OF duties requiring discretion. The
laws under which they are appointed are
the only guides in such cases, and are of
course superior to all other influences IN
4! changed il the manner agreed upon by
the people when assembled IN their sover-
| eign capacity.
1t can not be denied, however, that
large portion OF the people Of this State
have fallen into the loose habit Of debating
to public officers what they shall do or not
do in certain cases, according to the
caprice OF the moment, rather than with
reference to any law. Of this perniciors
habit the Piic0aHIne remarks
But neither the comm unity nor the press
likes to see a public officer buliied: still
less TO see him make the smallest GOnces-
sions under that sort OF pressure.
We do not the less heartily approve
this sentiment because it is used in defense
OF an officer who does no. belong to our
party. 1t has been ouls at all times and on
al occasions. Notably SO, when the armed
clement Of this city were called forth in
September to bully Governor Kellogg,
and even demand his abdicati on, the
REPUBLICAN protested against it. We
We're not fortunate enough to have the
support OF the Ptcdyine or any other city
daily on that oc casion. On the contrary,
each and all Joined the hue and cry
against all the Republican officials, With
out once appealing to the law, or admit
ting the legality Of acts as plea in bar
against unreasonable demands CT the
stirred up populace. At tia. time, it was
tie Republican O. which was gored by
the Democratic bulls, and the sense Of
Justice was latent in the minds 0. our
contemporaries Now, however, when
the Democratic OK is threatened the
Iicdy2ne makes haste to demand that {.
ring shall be placed in the nose of the at
lacking bovine, Oh the ground that G pub
lie officer should not be bullied. We
second the demand as cordially as we
would were Major Burke a Republican Of
the 5traitest sect. And We take pleas
IRE in placing the Ptcay,tne on record as
the champion Of perfectly correct idea.
The language employed is suitable fo- al
similar cases, and We hope it will not be
forgotten the next time & Democratic mob
seeks 10 upset the Republican State gov
eminent, nor when one Of our courts pre-
ters to rely upon statute instead of a
mistaken popular opinion for its reasons
for Judgment. So much for the principle.
We think the Picay0.e attaches undue
importance to the occasion which called
j. to the defense Of the Administrator Of
Improvements. 1t has not yet been made
to appear that the self styled John Lotus
and others were acting 10y authority OF the
Laboring Men. The body going by this
name holds stated meetings and its DELHI
erations are conducted il the usual form.
It's addresses to the public are signed by
the president and attested by the secre-
tary. The communication referred to
was anonymous. The result, as the
PieGmene has already noticed, was that
but very few persons responded to the
cali, and those who did 90 to the Lafa-
Tette square after the hour named were
generally uninforrned of the objects and
the leaders of the movement. We say
this, not for the purpose Of denying the
right Of people to meet together and dis
cuss their supposed grievances, bUt to
show that the society known as the Labor
ing Men proper did not formally Az
thorize the demonstration. We take it
that had the thing been Official, it would
have been duly certified by the proper
officers and responded to By tie members.
We relieve the Laboring Mems Associa-
ton from any suspicion Of completely or
privity in an affair which bears more than
faint resemblance to Communism. It
would of course be no justification Of a
wrong to show that the Laboring Mems
Association, the Committee Of Seventy,
the White League and all and singular
the other regulators Of society were in il,
but as it does not appear that either OF
these organizations are guilty Of the at
tempt to bully Major Burke 1--WE say no.
thing of their conduct toward Governor
Kellogg, we think it IS not quite fair in
the Ptcdyune 20 charge it to the account
| Of one of them.
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