New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-21

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"a general uprising has been taken in the
bud" And all this editorial indorse-
ment apparently upon the authority of q
communication without published sig
| nature, and possibly somewhat ex parte
We propose to analyze this report, and
to prove
l. That it has opened the political CAM
paign with the effect of intimidating the
colored voters.
2. That it demonstrates military or
ganization ready to repair to a point at
which the political interests Of the Demo
cratic party demand its presence.
8. That the Democratic intervention
was just as illegal as that which caused
the cruel massacre at Colfax.
4. That 50 general uprising Of the
colored people was intended.
The facts as stated are that negro
voter had declared an intention to vote
the Democratic ticket in the parish OF
Feliciana. Thereupon he received a
notice from the Republican negroes to
quit the parish, and on his having failed
to do so, he was murdered, or nearly SO.
| We can see in this very improper ez-
| ercise Of intolerance. Men should be free
to cast their votes as they choose. We
have published, however, too many Dem
| ocratic notices that men whose opinions
| did not conform to the Democratic stand
ard should leave their parishes, to give the
Democracy the right to cast the first stone
at colored Republicans who may have
done the same thing. They have had
this same lesson with the intol-
Grant Democracy. 1t is that when
people triumph over those more
feeble than themselves, a stronger power
may vindicate the weak and humiliate the
strong. Such has been White League
history. This alleged invasion Of the
right of free suffrage seems, however, to
have justified the Democratic regulators
in intervening to protect free dom of suf-
understand that though notices to quit,
followed by the penalty of exile and
death, were all proper in White Lacquer,
such thing could not be allowed in any
one else, the Democracy Immediately
assembled, dispersed the colored men,
captured fourteen, and drove many into
the swamps.
Now if this strife has originated in an
attempt ''to intimidate colored voters"
should not the whole people carry out the
principle against any who would intimi-
date any voters? Otherwise it will appear
that the Democracy may intimldate col
ored or white voters from supporting the
Republican ticket, but that when the
same intimidation is threatened against
the Democratic ticket, those who attempt
it deserve death. There is thus another
dangerous element added to this cam
paign. The Democracy may drive any
voter, colored or white, out of the State
and indeed into future state-because
he intends to vote the Republican
ticket. 1t may also devote to the
same fate any voter who intends
to support the Republican ticket De-
mocracy then intimidates on both sides.
Democracy is as infallible as Pho Mono
himself 1t may do any act with im-
punity, but if its opponents do the same
act they are guilty of crime and deserve
death. No sooner, however, was it known
in the parish Of Baton Rouge that the
whites had organized in the parish of
Feliciana for the purpose of protecting
the rights of negro who intended to vote
the Democratic ticket than the sheriff of
Baton Rouge parish, supported by the
armed command of Captain McGrath,
with the Pelican Rifles, started to
sustain the right of free suffrage. We
have thus an intimation that the
military command of the Democratic party
may be placed as promptly at the dis
posal of the political managers in Louis
lana, as they were during the last cam
paign in Mississippi, for the same pur-
pose.
The report states that the intelligence
of the political disturbances in Feliciana
reached Baton Rouge little before mid
night, Saturday last, and the military
departed for the scene Of dis
on Sunday morning ensuing.
When Nash, claiming the Office of |
sheriff Of Grant parish, found colored |
citizens opposed to his appointment, he
came with strong band and a multitude
Of armed people, collected from other
parishes to assert his authority. The Re-
PUBLICAN called attention at the time to
The fact that an officer could not rightfuily
command posse beyond his bailiwick
or jurisdiction. The same fact is equally
plain in the present case. If the process
If an officer is resisted he has the right
% call out posse from the vicinage and
within his official jurisdiction. He can
command these people because he has an
authority within his official
district. Common law and common
sense, however, show that this power
can not extend beyond the local obliga-
ions of the officer. When resistance to law
extends beyond the ability Of the officer
md his constituency to enforce it there be-
comes violation of the public peace, It