New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-18
L0Quitur Lamar.

Curtius Lamar was mournfully muttering,
"The order to the army to concentrate in
New Orleans is step towards the over
throw Of constitutional liberty and the es-
tablishment OF military desporism." Mr..
Lamar's past record is such that no one can
doubt the genuineness Of his regret over
the overthrow Of that constitutional liberty
which he has labored 80 hard to establish,
but it seems to us that his remark is not
exactly original. Very much the same
thing was said when troops were called out
in April, 1861; something of the same kind
was remarked in regard to the emancipa-
ton proclamation, the sound was familiar
at the time of the adoption of the amend.
ments, at the passage Of the civil rights
bill, the enactment Of the election lave,
and in fact not more than two weeks ago
districts whera there was likely to be
trouble was q step towards the overthrow
Of constitutional liberty.
Alter go many steps have been taken, one
would think that constitutional liberty must
be pretty nearly ON its last legs, but it
would be hard to find maj who has been
deprived of his constitutional liberty, or
privilege of citizenship which has been
abridged or infringed. If We are to trust
the accounts of election day, we have here
and there prevented an enthusiastic citizen
from chasing his fellow-citizens away from
the polls, but We do not believe that the
right to chase colored voter from the polls,
because he intends to vote the Republican
ticket, is strictly guaranteed by the con-
stitution. The right to chase q negro out of
q hotel, to bounce him from q railroad train,
or stone him while he walks in procession,
has also been strongly insisted on, and prac-
tically illustrated by eminent constitution
alists in the State which Mr.. Lamar repre-
rs h,tt tho ohroUa finn nf those riuhta
even if facilitated by the presence of troops.
ia not subversion of our liberties Of which
Mr.. Lamar ought to complain.
But we are glad that Mr.. Lamar has ut
tered his complaint, as it may serve to call
atte ntion to circumstances which Mr.. Lamar
may have forgotten. When Mr.. Lamar sets
himself up as q defender of constitutional
liberty against the ueurpations of the Cab
met at Washington. it is impossible not to
remember that in the hands of Mr.. Lamar,
and in the hands of the party to which Mr..
Lamar belongs, the constitution was as pill
able as q whip lash. 1t not only gave to
the negro no rights which the white man
was bound to respect, but it recognized no
rights OF the free citizens which the slave
holders we're bound to respect Under MIR.
Lamar's constitution citizen was not pro-
tected in his opinions, in his correspondence,
in his speech or in his property. A narrow
and brutal State sovereignty stepped in and
Oyerrode the constitution. But when it was
q question of the shareholders righte, the
constitution worked the other way-the
sovereignty of the State disappeared, and
the divine right of slavery came in to make
the fugitive slave law supreme in free COIN
mon wealths.
A country which has survived the con
etitutional encroachments of the Demo
cratic party, and which has survived the
attempt of the Democratic party to enforce
it's constitutional views, need not be
alarmed at movement which has been fre
uuently tried, and which has never pro
duced any other result than the enforce
ment of law and order. 1t must be deli
cate constitution, indeed, which would be
injured by exposure to SO slight risk, and
| if that is the worst Mr.. Lamar has to dread
he may sleep in peace. After his practica
exposition of constitutional liberty, on'
would think that, for decency's sake, h'
would keep silent for the rest of his life
and allow the defense of the constitution tt
| fall into the hands which were not reddenet
| with the guilt of its attempted overthrow
| His temperance as the defender of th
constitution is 50 grotesque that, even i
| there were cause Tor alarm, no one wOult
| be willing to believe it on his statement
and, if he is honest in his apprehensions
| the best he can do for his cause is not tt
| let his allegiance openly appear. Patriotic
citizens who see Mr.. Lamar on one eide 0
| a constitutional question may easily be ex
| cused for taking the other side, and for re
fusing to rally to the defense of libertie
which ara defended by him.-S. Loui
| Globe Democrat.