Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-01-14
SITUATION IN NEW ORLEANS.
Sheridan IntervIeVved--Hisv views of
Bandittis
Special Telegram to the Chicago Times.
New ORLEANS. Ian IN


Banditti.
Special Telegram to the Chicago Times.
New ORLEANS, Jan. 10.
The Times of tomorrow, will con-
tain the report of an interview with
Gen. Sheridan, from which are taken
the following extracts. In relation to
his banditti dispatch Gen. Sheridan
said:
81 do not believe there is a sensible
man in the State who really imagines
that meant that all the people were
banditti. That particular phrase was
used for technical reason. In an
opinion of the bureau of Justice on
the provisions of the enforcement act
for the suppression of unlawful organ
izations or combination, the terms
jayhawker' and 'banditti were en-
ployed. The White League is a Sc
eret military organization in contra
Yention of both State and Federal
laws. Its members, when they resort
to overt acts, are liable to the penal
ties of the enforcement act. The term
'jayhawker' could not be used, for the
leaguers are not plunderers and rob-
bers. I therefore had no choice but
to use the word contained in the opin-
ion referred ts."
Reporter-But, General, what else
may be said, we are not bandits
Gen. S.-Oh, of course; the people
generally, are as good as any people,
but no one will deny that the White
League is a secret political military
combination, having purposes which,
If they are not intended to be accom-
plished by revolution and violence,
there is no reason or sense in the mil
itary character the combination has
assumed.
RI would like to know what are
your intentions with regard to the
league.
Gen. Sit has been charged that
there was or is black league. AS yet
I have no evidence of that fact, but il
there is such an organization, shall
find it out, and whether these combi-
bations be white or black, they cannot
ne tolerated. They are at the bottom
of much of the trouble in this State
They engender a spirit of lawlessness
and it is my opinion no peaceful con-
dition can be reached as long as they
continue, nor until every species o.
business and social ostracism on &C
count of political sentiments is bro
ken down.
RI think you attach too mucl
Importance to this matter.
Gen. SIT is not denied that the
league is an armed organization, ex-
isting outside of the law for political
purposes.
R.-Not so much for political pur
poses as to defend political rights.
Gen. S.-There is no use dividing
this question. If one party is per
mitted to enter a contest which should
be peaceful, with arms, their oppo
nents must be allowed the same priv
ilege, and it does not require the wis
dom of Solomon to know that such
an array of parties would soon end
in drenehing your State with blood,
and endanger the peace of the whole
country. The simple arming of one
portion of the people is particularly
a declaration of war against the rest.
1t is an abandonment of the logic oi
reason for the logic of force. These
are not peaceful methods. Peace may
indeed follow these forces, but only
after they are through with their work
of desolation.
R.-YOu have said in some of your
dispatches that human life is too light
ly estimated in this State, but have
you any reason to believe that one
party is more culpable than the other
in this respect.
Gen. 81 have not specially as
signed this evil to any class exclu
siVely. It has occurred to me that
many people here have not been con
scious to what an extent this is true
Many have known it and declared it.
Many were persuaded of the danger
Gus policy of secret and armed polit-
ical bodies, but such people did not
openly proclaim their conviction, and
indeed could not.afford to meet the os-
tracism which would have been theil
reward if they had done so. In Other
sections of the country a mans views
on political questions do not afect
him favorably or unfavorably in bus
mess or otherwise. It is not so here
Many of your best citizens have said
so in private way, and would say sc
now if forced to answer or if they
felt that they could afford to do so.
Did not nearly all citizens carry arms
and is it not the expectation that mis-
understandings ,altercasions and quar-
rels especially those of q political
character, will end in the use Of pistols
or knives? have list of murdered
| chic tot -, Ill oAa
tie the nation. consider it necessary
that some one should speak the wore
which would arouse all good peopl
in the State to the true condition O
things. It was what called a water
line shot, and good men have rallied
to do exactly what I hoped to Sc
them do to save the State.
Columbus Locals.