New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-09
W6O ARE THE BANDITTIf

affairs. His official residence in ew-Orleans
a few years ago was not socially pleasant to
him, and with affairs there since there Is
little reason to think him specially familiar.
But suppose that General Sheridan did know
something about civil affairs and the wiles OF
politicians. Suppose him to have mind free
from prejudice, and q sincere desire to let
the people OF the country know the truth
about the State to which he seems to have
been sent as q General PlenipOtentiary. To
whom, in such case, would he, after careful
consideration of late history and the present
situation, apply the imported word "bandltu"
in his report to the War Department
What is the White League which he has
been so swift to condemn We take the re-
ports of special correspondents OF independent
journals as printed months ago, and now July
sustained by such high authority as that OF
the Republican members of the Congressional
Committee charged with the investigation or
Louisiana affairs. 1t is no moro secret Or
ganization than is any Republican or Demo-
cratic ward club in this city. 1t is no more
dangerous than are the regiments Of the
National Guard which are the pride
of our State in peace and the defense OF the
nation in war. It's membership embraces the
most intelligent, the best educated, the
wealthest citizens of NewOrleans; the men
whose instincts and whose interests alike urge
them to keep the peace at all hazards. With
the single exception of the unprecedented
uprising against the usurping Government on
the 18th of September, last year, no act Of
violence can be laid to its account. On the
contrary, it is said by Congressman Phelps,
that it is q sort of Superior police" and its
services in this capacity have been con-
spicuously displayed in moro than one
Instance. When the streets of New-Orleans
were deserted for days by KellOgg's Metro
politans, the moral influence of the White
League gave the city a reign of order, the
like of which had not been known for years.
When the mob which hangs about the heels
of every revolutionary movement clamored Tor
the blood of their Oppressors, and Kellogg
Packard and their satellites covered under the
caves of the Custom-hOuse, fearing every
minute that the next would be their last, 1t
was the chief officer of the White League who
interposed his authority to prevent the revoiu-
ton from becoming riot, and placed guards
over the men whom the people hated, and
perhaps had cause to hate. 1t was the White
League that protected professions OF colored
Democrats from assault, and for the first
time guaranteed them the privilege of meet
ing in clubs affiliating with any other than
the Republican party. And the leaders OF the
White League, by counseling patience. for
bearance and resorting only to legal means
of redress, have done more to keep the peace
in Louisiana during the late exciting season
than has been done by the army and navy of
tho United States under the command of
Lieutenant General Sheridan. In fine, the only
really Objectionable things about the White
League are its name and its original organ
ization Qong since abandoned) on the color
line.
Who then are the real "bandittin in Louisi
ana, fulfilling every definition of the wordf
They are the men who have stolen the offices,
the public improvements, and the revenues Oh
the State; who have made and wldened the
breach between the races; who have added
score of millions to tho public debt and have
nothing but lying messages, cooked" finan-
cial reports, and their own suddenly acquired
riches to show how the increase has been
appropriately who, under pretense of being
the friends of the poor negro, have by legs-
lation inimical to the properly interests of the
State brought down his wages to starvation
figure; who have imposed upon the people a
judiciary VIGOROUSLY corrupt, and petty ex-
ecutive officers partisan, Ignorant and de-
praved; who have contrived the most
ingenious methods of depriving the State of
its duly elected officers and when these failed
to accomplish the purpose, did not hesitate to
put themselves above law, and on basis of
MISREPRESENTATION invoke the sword TO main
tain their usurpation, demanding the lives
of their victims to make easy their road to
continuance in power These men-the real
banditti"-are Kellogg, Packard, Beckwith.
and the rest of the ring" who are running
the usurping Government in Louisiana, and
who have enlisted President Grant, part Of
his Cabinet, and few influential members
of Congress in support of their effort
to perpetuate their stolen lease of power.
The people do not ask that these "banditti"
be declared such by a Proclamation of the
President or act of Congress; nor yet that
they be turned over to Lieutenant General Sher-
idan to be tried by drum-head court-martial,
and dealt with according to military law.
But in the protests now arising from Gov
ernOrs and Legislatures and mass meetings of
indignant citizens, they do ask that civil law
be allowed to assume its old supremacy, that
the men who have tried to throttle the
sovereignty of n State be rebuked, that the
duly elected officers Of Louisiana, whether ex-
ecutive or legislative, be allowed to take their
seats in peace, and that the few courts in
Louisiana left unpolluted by the usurpation
be intrusted with the cases Of those who have
offended against her laws or of those Of the