New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-03
REVENUE R0BBINa.

, | 1oOOeIy. AueIo m0y 10 tuOSo WIZ 1eBoA
|. it no crime to evade the law, and not in
possibly some who deem it no wrong
, 'spoil the Egyptians.
This, however, is no common oftens'
It strikes at the existence of the govern
, ment, and We have no hesitation in sayin
that if carried into any other revenue d.
partments as it has been in St. Louis, whel
there has been loss of Ave or six millions
it would be far more disastrous than civ
war. The sources Of revenue dried uE
the credit of the government at HON
and abroad must perish, the restoratio
Of sound currency be indefinitely RI
moved, and among the minor conse
quences the reparation of the levees an
the Texas Pacific railroad be left to ind
vidual resources.
The robbing Of the revenues is secre
mode of overthrowing the government
Like insensible hemorrhage it may s.
weaken the administration as that in tn
next election the Republicans may b
driven from power by frauds, not by an.
means confined to the Republican ''ofi
Gals or partisans. We regret to see tn
Hardness with which most Of the Demo
cratic press touches this subject. Thu
Picayune employs the following para
phrase to avoid printing the name Of some
defendant in these prosecutions:
1t is rumored that the indictment against
| prominent wholesale dealer will contain
| two or more counts.
The Bulletin is thus reported by the
Democrat:
In another article it Islands for justice. y
| and insists that the government "banditti''
| who cOunived at detrauding the revenue in
| the whisky tax matter, should not be al.
lowed to 60 free while prominent citizens
are indicted.
The public should observe the extreme
delicacy of this reference, and the appar-
ent indignation with which the indict-
ment of prominent citizens is treated.
The effect of such comment may be to
create public sentiment that these de-
PENDANTS are martyrs, as were those in
dicted on charge of violating the laws
of the United States. There can be little
danger that the people Of any part or any
party in the United States can be brought
to believe that any violation of law which
enriches one man and leaves others to
make up the deficiency in taxes deserves
protection, but it may be found to result
in change OF venue, which may bring
the defendants before Missouri or In
diana jury.
The journals which employ so much ex-
ira composition to get around spelling
name may repose their souls in peace.
Their utmost wish as to the punishment
of the official banditti will be gratifed if
they will point out any official offender.
They may be also satisfied that however |
prominent" as patron or a partisan |
may be any one of the defendants, he will
be dealt with precisely as other defend |
ants upon similar prosecutions have been
dealt with elsewhere. Let them look at |
he antecedents:
1. As to "oficial banditti," the Repub-
ican administration Of Republican gov
eminent has proceeded to conviction
against officers Joyce and Macdonald. It
las convicted the influential editor of a
eading Republican journal 1t has other
pending against other officials.
10 our tender-hearted journals think there
las been no influence brought to bear upon
he government to dismiss these suits, or
lesist from this policy? Is it supposed
hat dishonest Republican partisans
ave not attempted the same game
Nth Grant that dishonest Democratic
politicians did with Tilden? The bitter
less of all this has passed, and the gov
rnment has nothing more to apprehend
rom opposition of any sort. We do not
now of any such official offenders here,
ut if there be it may be we'll for the
ress and the public to know that
here can be no possible ''stand-off" be-
ween any such official offender and the
,ost prominent" revenue robber that
yer washed out stamp or bribed clerk
D fill out certificate.
2. The fate of prominent citizens, who
lay have robbed the revenues. We have
My to look at the dispatch Of yesterday
} see the names of fifteen citizens of In
lana, more or less prominent, published
3 convicted felons, sentenced to confne-
lent Sin the penitentiary" for a longer or
horter period.
We sincerely hope that no citizen of
ew Orleans and no official of the federal
overnment will be found guilty, but if
ley be so convicted, We warn them that
D combination or subterfuge will save
lem. They must, if guilty, expect exact
the same impartial justice here as else /,
here, even if they have to be sent else
here to get it. The publicity and the
unishment which has followed the felony
Joyce, Macdonald and Mckee, as we'll
5 that Of the fifteen citizens of Indiana,
rominent for having robbed the revenue, I,
ill rest upon all other offenders. {
LEGISLATIVE TINKERING,