Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-01-09
Dai(p Commercial.
COMMERCIAL PRINTING COMPANY.
Howard II. Jenkins, Wilmer Atkinson,
Francis c. Ferris.
ir- For Terms, etc., see Second Page.
THE OUTLAW STATE.

The troubles in Louisiana are chargeable to
one chief cause the lawless and violent char
acter of the people of the State. Tho persistent
outlawry OF the White League and the similar
organizations of unhung cut-throats which it
succeeds are simple and natural manifestations
of the temper and habits of large and influen-
ential class. Before the War, they were Seces-
sionists; at it's outbreak, they organized the
Tiger regiments; when New Orleans was cap
tured, they delighted to show their yenomous
hatred Of the Unions representatives and flag
after the War, they entered upon series of
armed riots, to overthrow all government fave
that OF their own making. From the time of the
murder of Doste, and the slaughter of scores
of Union men which at that time occurred, down
to the recent rebellion of Penn's White League,
there has been continuous series of bloody
and cruel outbreaks the part OF the same
whom Sheridan purposes to call
'banditt," and who may well be called
by far more severe names. They are determined
to rule, il they can, at any cost. Respect for
law or for human life they have none, and the
preposterous congratulations of such men as
the ex- Confederate commander Gordon, on their
"forbearance arc mockery which would be
equally appropriate if extended to the pirate
Semmes, after he had devoted all the efforts OF
his black flag to the destruction of our merchant
commerce.
For such people to prate of the enlargement
Of their liberties " is simply ridiculous, and for
any one to set up howl on their behalf against
the President against gallant Phil Sheridan
whose little finger is worth more to the Republic
than the whole gang of White League outlaws
info nh a1ru nd nrtil ~ 10 to
either lack OF good Judgment or sympathy with
a bad cause. From the first, the course OF the
Administration in respect to the Louisiana
troubles has been surrounded with extreme diff
dcnlty, because the President true to
lis principles, would neither deliver over
10 the cruelty of the outlaw class
those whose sympathies had been and with
the Union, nor, at the same time, would he yio-
late his obligations by adopting means to put
down the successive rebellious outbreaks which
the Constitution did not warrant. Sheridan,
prompt and ready, would take the shortest cut
to their suppression, AZ Andrew Jackson-that
Democratic exemplar who trod on Constitutions
when they lay his path-woud have done, but
Grant has faithfully respected the better spirit
of modern tmes whose appeal from wrong
lies to the law and not to the sword. That
he has not been supported by many who should
have stendfastly held mp his hands is not his
fault but theirs. hat he has not had the best
material in Louisiana to maintain the rule of or
ganized and legal government is not his fault,
either, but the fault of the demoralized society
and politics of that. turbulent and vicious com
munity. But now, as heretofore, there are two
sides to the question law on one side, the pistol
and knife on the other legal government COW
cred by the National flag, confronted by outlaws
and cut throats who first commit Wholesale muir
der and then send cards and kilograms to the
North that somebody has infringed their hber
critics ~