New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-24
OUR MINISTER OF MARINE.


Just when we have seen Rhode islam
celebrate the centennial of having burne
a British ship because her commando
came ashore to seize citizens for an allege
offense against the naval authorities, "
find our minister of marine leave his water
element, leave the wharves for momel
in charge OF his second in command an
go off III pursuit ola meat cart!
In pursuance Of this duty. he addresse
a communication to the Superintendent {
Police. soliciting the cooperation OF thi
official. which. though published hereto
fore. we reproduce:
| DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
! New Orleans. June I9. 1875.
Hon. ". F. Lcar. Supt rintendent OF Police:
SIR have the honor to request tia
you direct the necessary details from you
force to intercept and prevent the deliver
OF meat supplies to the private market
now open and doing business in violation
OF State law and city ordinances. This re
quest has no reference to the fifty fiv
private market men who have obtained in
| functions from the Superior District Court
a list Of whom transmitted to you on tn,
j. o. LANDRY,
! Administrator of Commerce.
Now. this request that the police ''forct
should intercept and pre- vent the delivery
Of meat supplies to private markets is
perhaps. pretty fair sample of what tn,
people might expect if the Administrators
had the police at their call to execute theil
will. Intercept and prevent the delivery
of meat supplies" Why if some possible
ancestor of the minister of marine had
ordered the kings guar DIS to seize some
unlucky offender on what they called. We
believe. ''a letter de catch-t." and put him
in the Bastile, he would not have exer.
cised more illegal authority than to seize
upon citizen having meat in his cart or
basket. to Intercept" and proven. the
delivery Of that meat anywhere. These
old tars are proverbial for not knowing or
regarding the law on shore. but if
our rum old Commodore will put on his
specs and examine the statutes he will
find that there is no offense in carrying
meat and delivering it anywhere. The
violation of law consists in selling the
meat anywhere except in the place ap-
pointed by the ordinance. If. therefore.
one of the police force should seize
citizen on the charge of hauling meat in
cart. and get the top Of his police cap
and capM shot off about it. We should
doubt whether grand jury would find
an Indictment for Attorney General Field
to enter nolle upon. Why cur minister of
marine should make himself such zeal
GUS catchpole for the ma rket mongers we
can not imagine. From some cause
grass beef worth in Texas three or four
cents pound sells in our mar ket some
times as high as twenty-five cents. The
people have chance in the private mar
kets to get it at somewhat cheaper rates.
aud without the expense of going to mar.
ket for il. This Of all our ministers, him
of shipping and maritime affairs. takes un.
der his especial care. Whenever he hears
of an unlawful cabbage. or contraband
carrot. Of a chicken to be picked or pig
to be eaten without having paid tribute to
the market mongers. the administrator.
of marine orders his many cared barge,
and goes for those heinous offenders with
all the ajesty of maritime power. Then
the auds.city of the police officer. who
quotes th. law-as if there were any law
of the land binding upo n an officer Of the
sea-and tells the comm odore what the
law authorizes him to do. and begs ''leave
to state that will with pleasure furnish
you such police aid as you may require in
enforcing the law but not the order Of
the minister. which is no part Of the law.
May it not be one cause why our minis
ter wishes to resign charge Of the
How is it possible he can at
tend to these smugglers Of shrimps and
potatoes. and keep up the posts and
planks: We are compelled to admit that
the salaries Of our Cabinet officers should
be raised or their duties diminished.
This. however. the tax resisters will de-
,ermine.
How this war Of one Of the monopoiies
assisted by the Police Administrator
aga,ns. the people will result we know
not, but We can safely say that our Ad-
ministrator Of Commerce has mistaken
the extent Of his power and the letter of
the law in ordering the Superintendent of
Police to intercept and prevent the de.
livery OF meat" there being no law
against it.