The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-26
OBEDIENCE TO LAW.


excuse the interference of Federal author
that our people are not disposed to abide
. the laws of the State, and that general spi
: of characterization prevails. This charge
I reiterated in so many ways and through
: many channels, and it enters SO largely in
the line of argument used against the Den
Gratis Of the North and the Conservatives Of t
South, that it becomes us to make its tru
or falsity subject Of serious inquiry.
1t will not be disputed that, in form
years, or any time during the half centu
which ended in 1861, when the people of til
State in full, fair and peaceful elections cho
Legislators from among their honorable eli
zens, and when those legislators by their el
actments tried to reflect the will and prote
the rights of the people, and when the Law
were administered by men Of character an
integrity, and when justice was di
pensed in all our courts by me
who knew no fear but the fear of doin
wrong, and no favor but the appreciation {
men who were, like themselves, honorable
the people of this State did abide by tn
laws and obey the mandates of the officers o
the law. It will not be disputed that in an,
enlightened State where the laws are made b,
the people. reflect the will Of the people, and
are intended wisely for the benefit of the
people, such laws will be spontaneously
obeyed by the masses, and that obedience
will be enforced upon the careless, dishonest
or malicious few. As proposition still
more general, it will not be denied that the
people of any selfgoverning State will abide
by and obey the laws made by themselves or
by their proper agents. Still more broadly
stated, it is q tenable assertion that the peo-
pie of State or nation will, and always do,
obey and compel obedience to the mandates
Of legal authority when known and felt to be
for the general good.
Let us apply these tests, or any of them, to
The people Of Louisiana since 1868, and we
shall find IN utter absence of all that which
now secures obedience to law in New York,
Maine or England.
l. Those who assumed to make laws for
Louisiana during all that period were not the
'hoice of the people and did not enjoy their
aspect or confidence. The votes of colored
men have been almost universally controlled
~ adventures who are strangers to our peo-
lie and alien to the interests of Louisiana.
The newly enfranchised were assiduously in
tructed to distrust their natural advisers.
lppeals were made to their fears, their vanity
nd their passions. Ignorant of every princ-
lie of political economy, they were studiously
ducated into feeling of hostility and antag-
nism toward the owners Of property. They
aturally sought guidance from those who as
lmed to be members Of the Radical party.
hey voted for men who had no material or
oral interest in the welfare Of the State or
Sc for negroes as ignorant as themselves
hen white Louisianians were elected to the
eneral Assembly the returns were fall
led or they were counted out by the
nvenient machinery of Returning Boards.
elected from their seats by an arbitrary
to OF the majority. In this manner from
e-thlrd to two-thirds Of our lawfully elected ,
'mbers have been deprived of their seats .
every meeting Of the General Assembly for /,
zen years. Those who made our laws were !,
the representatives Of the people. :,
J. Radical laws in Louisiana have not been
ended for the good Of the people, but !,
her for their spoliation and oppression.
nile real and personal property has con-
ntly deprecated, public debt and taxes :.
70 been increasing. The vagabond stran- :.
in the General Assembly, aiming solely !
plumber, tried to make all they possibly -
Id out of taxes, licenses, offices and the
le Of bonds. y
infinite cunning has been employed in the =
entlon of new offices, new functions and
emoluments. The colored man was
,ht that he had good right to levy heavy -
3, because they would fall almost entirely &c
he goods and lands Of the whites. Those :.
knew better were biased by direct money L.
lence. In the creation Of monopolies =.
schemes of plumber, bribery became 49,
., notorious and shameless. The statute -
Is of six tedious and grievous years of the w.
OF the army-guarded Radicals and aliens :.
ain not one solitary law honestly intended
remote the good Of the people Of Lou -
la! 'o'
eye
Fraudulent elections and mercenary an. -
tments have put the adjudication of ~,
9 and the administration of the laws in
lands of judges and officers SO generally -,
mpetent, venal, ignorant and corrupt, as 3.
serve neither the confidence nor respect
e people. The history of Radical Office
ng in this State is an unbroken record of .
'pt malfeasance. the exceptions being few -.
rare. Where respect and confidence were "U'
It, our people were yet obliged to en- 80
the presence and sway of men odious poA
leir vices. oai
the impartial stranger, if free born -.
lean citizen, consider whether or not a -
spirited people can complacently or 10,
any show of zeal, obey bad laws made - -.
cir damage by packed Legislatures, COM A.. A..
mainly If IRRESPONSIBLE opd cor.,.A sA"'