New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-09
SHALL PERISH BY THE SWORD.

We do not need fke sacred authority
quoted to assure us that those who take
the law in their own hands will find others
ready to exercise the same principle. The
abuses OF the State government justify an
armed assault on its officers, argued the
leaders on the fourteenth Of September.
John Gair being Republican, charged
on hearsay with the murder Of man then
known to be alive, was rightfully hanged
The woman charged with the murder of
the same live man, was properly executed
upon confession, and without trial. ''The
killing of the six bogus officials and pro-
fessional robbers" at Coushatta, in 1874,
with the assassination of Republican
officer in 1876. are all indicated by White
Leaguers. There has arisen in conse-
quence of such approval, a band Of
regulators, who have taken up the
doctrine Of the White League orators
and writers. They burned the ginhouses
of unpopular people, burned out and
drove away poor German family, and
have committed deeds of violence in
furious to the interests and character of
the State. We receive no exchanges from
the interior Of the State which do not
commemorate some &C. of violence; not
always of party character, but always
the direc. result of the doctrine that men
are justified by the acts Of others in tax
ing the redress of their grievances into
their own hands. There comes to US the
following:
Especial to the New Orleans Democrat
SHREVEPORT, May 6-About the first of
April last, in quarrel which grew out Of
family troubles, r. F. Moore killed his
brother-in-law, D. H. Adams. at Spring
Ridge, in this parish. In the difficulty some
Of Adams' friends shot Moore, wounding
him severely. Moore was taken to jail, but
on account of his extreme low condition
he was carried five days ago to the hospital
in this city.
On the night of the fourth, six disguised
men entered the hospital, presented pistols,
and shot Moore five times. the shots pene-
trating both arms, legs and body.
Moore was in irons and under guard of
the deputy sheriff. 1t is not known who
the paRties are, and the whole public feel
an intense indignation at the cOwardly and
dastardly act. Moore is not dead yet, but
his condition is very precarious. I.
We assume: l. That there is nothing
political in this dastardly act, BECAUSE
there seems no extenuation of the deed
either by editorial or communication.
2. That it endangers society, because it
proves assassination not to be confined to
the mere shooting of Republicans and
negroes, but is employed by members of
the same family to avenge their personal
injuries. The atrocity Of masked assas-
sin who shot unarmed men in a boat,
finds those who palliated the deed be-
cause the person slain was member of a
political party. The Shreveport assas-
sination was even more dastardly. A
man already wounded, under the protec-
ton Of a hospital which even 1.-THE law of
public war protects, is assailed by six
disguised" men, and shot in his bed in
the body and in both arms md legs.
Such are the results of the political
teachings Of the past few years. Men
are told that if they attribute wrong to
others they have right to judge Of the
mode and measure of their own redress.
They are armed drilled and enlisted
to political violence. They are melted
against a political party or an individual
politician. Is there any guard over these
armed men? Is there any guarantee that
they will not fire at will upon any
whom they may think deserve killing on
private account?
We should think that such lawless vio-
lence toward people who have nothing to
do with politics, should not be inculcated
in speech or print. The doctrine in
tended solely to incite the murder OF
may be applied to private
grievances. The Winchester rife, issued
for political campaign, may be likewise
used to shoot q creditor OF relative.
Is it supposed, is it desired by the
White Leaguers, that this right Of armed
redress shall be confined to the assassira-
ion Of their political opponents 1t
has never been in the power Of those who
brew down the barriers of the law to re-
strain the brutal herd thus emancipated
rom the law. There is no revolution
hat does not show the instigators of the
among the victims of it's course.
Those of our White League leaders who
lave exhorted their followers to violation
# the law can not complain if their own
ives and interests should suffer. For
uppose the majority of colored voters |
lain, and every white Republican ex-
,elled from the country by force of mur-
Ter and prescription, is it supposed the
strangers would cease their |
york? With the ascendency of the White |
league, there must come further divis- |
on and conflict. Will assassination cease? !
Viii not each leader come to the conclu- !
ion that his opponents ought to be killed
tut Of the way, as other antagonists have
zen? Such a. result is as inevitable as
ny other repetition of human history.
We think the Conservatives should de- |
nand the disarmament of the Coushatta
Democracy. They may not consider the
ives of Republicans of much con-
equence, but have they no regard for
heir OWL? That CHOSE who take the
word may perish by the sword" is all |