New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-08
WANTED-A FEW SUICIDES.


is, we conceive, substantially given in the
columns of one of the numerous organs
of Democracy having ''the largest circula-
ton in the Southwest. The question
propounded by this popular journal is
How may ''capital punishment" be in.
flicted upon the members of the Return
ing Board? 1t is not surprising that in
this case, as in the Scotch precedent Of
belling the cat, there should be some diff
Guilty in finding political rat sufficiently
bold to venture upon this desperate enter
prise. The journal in question says that
this act Of assassination can not be COM
mitted by the gentlemen Of Louisiana.
1t says:
Capital punishment is often desidera-
tum, but the most of US are disinclined to
take upon ourselves the role Of the execu-
toner. 1t is distaste inherent in the ma.
tuIe Of gentlemen, upon which our enc
mics have coolIy calculated.
Not considering at the moment how far
that which we may be too honorable or
too prudent to perpetrate of ourselves
may be lett to some thug or bulldozer,
the widespreading journal resorts to the
original mode indicated at the head of
this writing. It is promised
Il is reported that Chiuaman in Cali
fornia killed himself because he was denied
the right to vote.
1t is then added as if in an distracted
soliloquy:
It is wonderful that he did not take his
revenge in advance of his voluntary exit.
That this supposititious Chinaman is
made the basis Of dangerous sugges-
ton we shall endeavor to demonstrate.
We thus translate the dark sayings OF the
omnipresent organ:
1t is surprising that this Chinaman did
not assas situate at least the commissioner OF
election before killing himself.
The application of this proposal to
utilize suicide politically in Louisiana
then follows:
We are frequently called upon to chroni-
Gle the selt-slsugbter Of our own citizens.
If suicides were not SO selfinvolved, so
taken up with their own miseries to the ex-
clusiOn of public interests, some OF them
might have solved the problem for rs long
ere this; for man who means to die has
nothing to fear in this world and might,
with hia own taking of, just as we'll as not,
carry along with him public enemy.
This is, in effect, notification to any
Democrat who intends to commit suicide
on private account, that he had just as
well take off Republican officer or rep
resentative into the other world along
with him. If it were added that the ad-
vantage of walking arm and arm into the
other world in better company than he
was in the habit of keeping in this, the
suggestion might be worth noting. Pos
sibly, if a word were suggested about de-
cent funeral expenses, advanced by the
Democratic committee, it might not be
amiss, Notwithstanding this attractive ap-
peal to those who "mean to die" and
would be no worse off if they took the
scalp lock of a Republican ''pub-
lie enemy" along with them, the
journal has little con-
fdence in the enterprise. It seems
indeed to have been already tried, for we
read Experience teaches Us that We are
not to depend upon this source" We
suppose not. History contains many in
stances in which patriots have slain tyrants
for the liberation Of themselves and others,
but very few in which they have COM
mitted suicide after having shrived them
selves by assassination. Booth, one of
the last martyrs of this sort, fed from the
scene of crime, and concealed himself,
and such has been the general tendency
of such patriots.
The advertisement, "Wanted-A sui
eide" will, we may presume, remain IN
in the present as in the past.
Most cases of self-murder rush into the
presence of their Maker with such an ac-
cusation against their kind as in their
maddened thought will justify them be-
fore His throne. None were ever so mad
as to imagine it would commend them to
the mercy Of an outraged deity to load
their conscience with supplementary
crime merely to oblige desperate political
gentlemen too conscientious or too eau
.ious to commit it themselves.
We must commend to the reverend
clergy, who, with eminent money chang
ers, certify to the political morals Of this
people, an examination Of the singular
scott at future judgment involved in this
pagan doctrine.
There is a question of theology in
rolyed too deep for newspaper discussion.
Is self murder objectionable If SO,
hen the commission Of any or all crimes
~ the suicides are Of no more effect than
he stab of Falstaff in the dead body OF
Percy. Let the clergy say whether the
Republican Returning Board is to be ex-
terminated by suicides employed for that
purpose whether a suicidist can be alb
solved of his single or double crime he
Intended to commit?
We shall await ecclesiastical solution Of
hese very grave questions. In the mean
ime let no suicidist commit himself to
re political crime for which he is wanted.