New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-07
pART1sANsH1p IN VIOLENCE.

We derive moro than one useful lesson
from the aAray, terminating in tragedy,
which occurred at the Mechanics 1nsti-
tute on Wednesday night Aside from
and beyond the usual morals which sages
and moralists generally point out to us on
every occasion Of personal or popu-
lar delinquency, it is easy to see win
the naked eye that the Democratic
journals here are earnestly, and no
doubt conscientious]y, opposed to all
brawls. emeutes and disturbances which
are not first authorized by the
leaders of their party, and notified in ad-
vance to the people in general orders
through their columns. When an indig-
nant public is to be called upon to wreak
its vengeance upon one or more citizens
for political heresies, and all sins resulting
from such q depraved state of mind as
marks the man who does not vote the
regular ticket straight, or teeth are to be
draaon through the back Of the head the exc
cutioners must wait till Democracy gives
the word to strike. All ''our little riots,
just to show we're freemen," must first
receive Democratic sanction. When Dem
ocrats Join together in bands, to shoot other
people down in the streets, the result is
always heralded as an act of well deserved
Justice at the hands of "a number of citi-
zens who happened to be present" and
the announcement made with a flourish,
''the entire community approves. i" Other
cases of outrage and wrong are taken out
of this protection and Indignantly re-
corded as violations of peace and law, for
which adequate punishment is demanded,
not by the law-which Democracy knows
!. has rendered of uncertain and
shaky authority in popular cases-but by
a posse from the opposition party, acting
in the self-appointed capacity of regula-
tors. It has been q favorite practice for
the Democratic papers to darkly hint at
vigilance committees for the purpose Of
melting out the vengeance due to all
wrongs not previously ordered, or at least
authorized and recommended by the poit-
ital saints of the elect.
The unfortunate occurrence above re-
ferred to furnishes text for revival Of
these pernicious suggestions, and has set
all the Democratic politicians to rehears-
ing in their stock role of virtuous indig-
nation. The affair in itself was the out
growth Of personal quarrel, in which
there are very few partisans on side. 1t
is one which can easily be controlled by
the police, and in fact would have termi-
mated about the time and in the manner
it did if there ha ID not been policeman
in the city. The participators can be ap-
pretended and punished by the officers
Of the law, quite as we'll, and much more
safely, than they could by an irresponsi-
bic band Of excited men who would be
very likely to commit the error COM
mon to mobs-hang first and try after
wards. There can be no doubt the men,
bers Of the club to which these persons
belong will render all the assistance in
their power to bring the guilty parties to
justice. We Judge SO by the course taken
by the club at the time the shooting was
done. There was no such excitement as
we always see when the quarrel ex-
tends to considerable portion Of
the members. The trouble was limit
/ ed to the few persons who were
in beligerent mood, and those who
were assailed. 1t was entirely unpreme-
ditated SO far as the party attacked was
concernel The assailants only were
armed The other m embers Of the club
had no weapons. Judge Adams, who is
represented by one wild reporter in the
attitude Of shooting at party of three or
four others, really had nothing in his
hand but very slight cane. And as
large number of shots came from the OPP
posite side of Dryades street, the pre-
sumption is fair one that good deal Of
the shooting was done by outside friends
Of one Of the factions-by persons not
members of the club. However this may
be, the four or five hundred members who
were in the club room when the war
began outside, remained quiet under the
discipline of their off GERS, transacted some
business in q perfe city orderly manner,
and adjourned in form. It is true the
proceedings of the m Getting were disturbed
momentarily by some Of its own members,
yet the club showed by its steady be-
havior under exciting circumstances that
a large majority of its me mbers were there
to consult with each other and not to in
dulge in fatal quarrels. And there can
be no doubt that the authorities will re-
ceive all needful inf ormation and other
assistance from the members. The club
owes it to the com m unity to discounte-
nance all such proce edings, and there can
be no doubt the mem bers will be found
true to all the duties Of citizenship. The
very first declaration of the club platform
puts Louisiana first" and it will not be
held by any of the members to be loyal
service to Louisiana to trample on her
criminal laws.
We have no fear that any extended
trouble will grow out of this unfortunate
affair. There has been no organized plan
of assassination as there was in 1866; no
declared purpose to intimidate, and. if