New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-15
GOVERNOR cHAxBKILiIy's CALL FOR
TROOPS,

gwen 1t - his opinion that no NOR
troops are needed in South Carolina, and
this is construed by those Who are alvAyt
ready to catch 1t political stzavs - Re
fusal Of the recent demand Of Governor
Chamberlain OF course this Is mis-
take. The Governor Of . sovereign State
is not required to wait for assistance until
the commanding General Of the army
thinks be requires it. He is the sole
Judge of the propriesy Of employing force
| TO suppress domestic violence, and his
official requisition upon the President fol
Federal troops makes the provision of the
constitution upon that subjsc. manda.
tory. There can be no doubt that Gen.
ersl Sherman may express as many opin.
ions ON this or any other subject as be
ulay happen to entertain, but he viii have
10 act in the present case upon the opin.
ion Of Governor Chamberlain and the or.
ders of his superiors.
| II it be true that General Ruger has
under his command or within call troops
enough to secure peace in South Carolina,
it is very evident that be has done nothing
whatever, and for all the good be is doing
| be might as well be in Canada with his
forces Acting Governor Stone, of Mis-
sissippi, boasts that he is fully able to
keep the peace, preserve order and pro-
sect sll citizens in their rights, yet it Is
notorious that he does neither. No doubt
he is strong enough to protect his political
friends, who do not require any assistance
from ths, State executive; but he can no
more guarantee the negroes of Mississippi
the right to vote for Hayes next month
than convert Sitting Bull and his red
skins from thieving, scalp-lifting Indians
to dociie Christians. The Democrats may
be perfectly satisfied with the sort of
peace that General Rugsr has heretofore
preserved in South Carolina ard Gov
ernor Stone maintains in Mississippi, but
unfortunately j; is no: What the Repub-
iicans want. Il is the peace of political
death to them, such as prevails in Texas,
Arkansas, Georgia Alabama, and vher-
ever the night Of shotgun local govern
ment prevails. I. is the peace that con-
verts Republican majorides of from
twenty thousand to thirty thousand into
minorius-A peace that completely
nuuides the fifteenth amendment. dis
franchises not only the negroes, but white
Republicans as well, and RENTS the whole
populations of some of the most impor.
tant States to the domination Of q very
few Of the worst men within their limits.
4 condition Of open warfare is preferable
TO such an insidious peace. And unless
some strong power shall step in with the
will and the ability to do justice, this
sOning peace will be liable at any mo-
ment to such an interruption as will
awaken some Of the sleepers from their
fancied security.
VIA, We require is not only that the
election laws can be enforced, but that
they shall be- The peace laws Of State,
no doubt, ought to be observed, bat that
should not be done at the expense Of the
highest rights OF the citizens Such a
peace as is produced BY suppressing the
voice OF the people, or even the bumblest
classes, is mockery Of justice and dis
grace to a country that occasionally
boasts Of being an asylum for the OPP
pressed of all nations except It's own. 1t
is time TO turn our attention from the
business OF fortifying all the political ave-
nues against "despots, ''iyrants," .'she
iron heel Of oppression, and all the other
Dugbears with which demsgogues have
frightened American women and children
for about century, and tske some pre-
cautions against the mischief making
leaders Of mobs. There never was a
tyranny imposed upon any country
more CALLING, degrading and disastrous
than the espionage Of tie irresponsible
mob over the actions Of the peaceably in
clined non-combatants Of society. More
empires, kingdoms aud principalities have
teen overthrown. and more misery en-
tailed upon the human race by the Jack
Cades, Rienzis, Guy Fawkes and Robes
pierres than By all the GengLis Kahns,
Temerlanes and Attilas that ever lived in
tie tide of time. And the South is to-day
in more danger Of the passions of local
committees. which are little better than
small editions Of the irresponsible mob,
than from any or all the tyrants or would
De tyTants in existence. II is true the
expressions of the multitude are generally
shorter lived than those Of single despot,
out they are less mercitul and more widely
TIE quiet people Of the South, espe-
Tally the colored people, require some
hing il the shape Of a government
onethiD. that they can look up to with
orfterce. This whole State to-day
wants power to be erected which is able |
0 curb the strong. and Just enough to |
eject every plausible plea urged in ex-
eruation Of wrong. The State govern
1ent can not do this: has never been able
b do it since the political outbreaks Of
s54, if it ever was. The records of the |
state do not, it is said, afford evidence
lat rich man was ever hung for crime,
nd it is doubtful if any severe punish
cert was ever Inflicted upon criminal
gho could boast Of influential friends.