The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-03
FACTS AS TO THE WHITE LEAGUE.

, ana IN Time are mllnOnalreS, or DankIupQ
and exiles.
FACTS AS TO THE WHITE LEAGUE
The New Orleans Times, OF September l.
in the course Of an article under the caption
of Progress in Year." refers to the mis-
fortunes which have fallen upon our city and
the resulting poverty and distress. After
noting the evils of maladministration, the
enormiies of Republican partisans, their
reckless extravaganza and population, their
election frauds and their promiscuous scoun-
drelism, the Times refers to the formation Of
the White League as follows:
Meetings were held at several private resi-
dences in the city. The nucleus of an organ
ization having for its object the protection of
suffragans OF all parties and both races was
then formed. In the original draft of the
agreement the declaration was specifically
made that whatever should be the color or
politics CT the candidate lawfully elected,
their influence should be combined to secure
his induction into and retention in Office. In
its incipiency, no violation of law was for an
enrolled aspired to be in the truest sense of
the term .conservators of the peace and vindi-
Gators of the law.
Upon the admission Of new members other
counsels prevailed. Contrary to the wish of
number of its original iucorporators, the
society was named the White League, and
against their better judgment was placed upon
military basis. Acquiescing in the will of
a majority, all, We believe, subscribed iber-
| ally to the cause.
| In the reference to "other counsels" the
Times implies that there was a change from a
pacific spirit and intention, to be carried out
without arms or violence, to q hostile and
warlike spirit and purpose, to be carried out
by armed force acting under military organi-
zation and obeying military commanders.
All familiar with the facts will remember that
no such change took place. What the White
League was in its inception, it continued to
be until the morning of the 14th September.
1t was purely political in character and pur-
pose, league of voting citizens, intent upon
political reform and resolved to see pure,
fair and free election. Attack upon the Me-
tropolitan Police standing army Of Gesler,
was at no time contemplated, and no prepara-
ton was made for attack. The aim of the
White League was principally to secure unity
of purpose and action.
The report that the League was armed for
the purpose of attack, was diligently cir
culated as q pretext for disarmlng all the
citizens of New Orleans. It is well known
that this attempt had been made, and that
general ransacking Of stores and dwellings
by the black and white police militia had
been arranged. This it was that intensified
indignation. This it was that opened the
eyes of all to the monstrous and most wicked
scheme of tyranny. The sacred right of the
people to possess the means of self-defense
was rudely violated. But the usurping
Governor overshot his mark, and instead of
disarming the gentlemen of New Orleans, he
convinced them all Of the imperative neces-
sity Of being prepared to repel intruders from
their own houses.
Had the crisis come only after the con-
certed nocturnal domiciliary search for
weapons, as contemplated by the Radicals,
had been commenced, no one can tell how
much greater the loss of life nigh. have
been than that which resulted from the wan
ton attack by the police-militia.
The Times continues
The events of September found a commun-
ity disheartened by protracsed and seemingly
hopeless adversely. A few firebrands, the rep
resentatives of class who have melted the
ninety-two tumults which have occurred with
in one hundred yelr5, of our municipal his
tory, moulded the policy adopted. They
found, further, party in power which far
from conoiliatory, by repeated acts of oppres-
sion. goaded the people to frenzy. Through
the stupidity of military commander the or
ganzaton discovered itself fred upon by an
obnoxious police, and Of course, under the
circumstances to prevent a conflict was impos-
sible
To what "class" the Times refers as ''fre-
brands" we can not conjecture. If reference
is made to men who were most active in the
organization of the League and most respected
by its members, it includes a goodly number
Of the educated and accomplished gentlemen
Of this city, the peers of the best in any other
city Of the Republic. The League had lead
ers, as every political or other organization
has. being usually those members most es-
teemed for character, most admired for ability
and most relied upon for Judgment and other
requisites for leadership; but that these lead
ers led the masses in a course which they
would not otherwise have taken is sufficiently
disproved by the Times in the same para
graph, in which it describes the people as
being then "goaded to frenzy" by acts of
oppression.
In a dozen lines two causes are given for the
same effect, one purely imaginary and INSULT
cient if it had been real; the other correct,
except little exaggeration, and quite suffi-
oient to account for what occurred after that
exhibition Of stupidity on the part of the
commander of the metropolitan police,militia
1t was not frenzy that pervaded New Or
leans on the 18th and 14th Of September, but
deep and earnest indignation, coupled with
a resolve to prepare for self-defense.
The rejoicing and guietude which reigned