New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-10
RIahon WiImer,s Yie,zs.

Bishop Wilmer, of Louisiana, at one time
was rector of st. Marks Protestant EpiscO-
pal Church in this city. He was not regarded
as man of more than very ordinary ability,
but he was known to have strong Southern
proclivities. His political sentiments rather
than his intellectual gifts. probably secured
his election to the bishOpTic of Louisiana.
On Saturday he appeared before the con-
gressiOnal investigating committee in New
Orleans to testify respecting the troubles in
the State, and he told a mournful story of
the poverty, Of the depression of business,
of the prevalence of Outlswry, and of the
encouragement of the people. Among other
things he said:
"The universal testimony in the country
is that the people can not raise anything be-
cause they can not keep it. 1t is stolen
from them. No description of mine could
enable you to realize that it is impossible
in many parts of the country for them to
raise any stock or vegetables for their
families. We have no resource whatever.
With reference to the government, think
that what we want is some means of bring
ing those who violate the law to punish
ment. Persons are sent to the Penitentiary
and when they return there Is no stain at
tached to their good name. know of no
instance in which "a person escaping Justice
has lost anything in the esteem of his
friends and companions / am speaking
particularly of petty larcenies. Our people
are in despair. Many Of them who are able
to go away are preparing to leave the State
and those who can not are doing their best
to struggle against the difficulties that sur.
round them"
Now Bishop Wilmer probably knows, as
we certainly do, that the reason Wby the
planters of Louisiana can not raise anything
is that in nearly every part of the State
they discharged the negro hands because
the latter would not vote with the Demo
cratic party. The planters attempted to
intimidate the negroes, and in doing so they
struck vital blow at themselves, for they
deprived their labOrers of chance to earn
their bread, and consequently tempted them
to steal 1t. The present suffering of the
whites who did this thing Is richly deserved.
We hope they viii have such discipline as
will teach them salutary lesson. If petty
laroenies aud small offences are not pun
ished, the explanation may be found In the
general Generalization caused by the exist
enee of public sentiment which permits
men to commit great crimes with impnnity
Bishop Wilmer has no right to complain
that q negro 10 not punished for stealing
chicken while he fails to utter . word
against the custom which makes the muir
der Of negroes by white men q venia
offenae. The white citizens who perpetrat
ed aud approved the massacre Of the Re
publican convention In 1866. the fearful
butchery of negroes in Grant parish, thu
murder 1t C0ushatta and the slaughter O
innocent men in the streets of New Orleanl
lRst fall, are wholly responsible for the ex
istenee of that deadened moral sense Il
which petty larceny seems too slight
thing 20 deserve attention. When the whit
people learn 70 respect the laws and thu
rights Of others, the negroes will be no lea
careful Of these things than they are in ou
own well-0rdered community.
AZ for the persons who are preparing b
leave the State, they are probably whit,
Republicans, who have learned from BIT
Ter experience that In Louisiana q man mai
POSSESSES and practice all tho Christian vir
tues and yet, If be does not vote the Demo
i cratic ticket, he will be regarded as a pa
rish, as an object for other men 10 spit q
and despiaa. When the people of LoniBiani
make up their minds 20 obey the laws anS
20 put stop to political persecution, thel
| via nVs safer FROM depression In bHsinea
Or from emigration 10 a greater extent thar
he citsenB Of any Of the Northern Sfatse
They o6and in need Row Of capital Rad d
iab0reFa; but ths former viii never 20 Whers
tho mass Of the people are bene upOa having
a@aFehT, and are dateFmsned 70 tread upoS
every man who does not shape his politica
opinions seoordsng 70 thsiF model; and ibi
l2ttaa VIII not aeek o community whors tOf
i is not n1speot2hie and Nhare the toilsr 5.
bgllisd b Ala employer Il he ventures q
thsnk slid ast Cor himself IN political mne
teEe.---f ilaaelp pate BailsiiR.