New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-29

feelings OF 0enor& u th0 3oWovofs ~
regret 70 ~ there is 10 immidlate pros
pect.
AUUN0Us DIsTIHOTIoG.
The Democrat has. fled, on behalf of
its party. the singular plea that the Pinks-
ton outrages were not perpetrated by ''the
people Of Louisiana" or any portion Of
them, but by Radical negroes Of Ouachi-
t. parish. This Is the comfortable way
the Democrats have Of claiming to be the
exclusive people Of the State whose repu-
tation alone Is worth defending. They
should confine themselves to the defense
of their individual acts. The reputation
of the State can take care Of itself. For
that includes both parties.
But it Is admitted most horrible and
barbarous crime was committed in Qua
chita. A man was murdered in his own
house, his baby killed and his wife out
ragged. The facts were at once reported
to the REPUBLICAN, substantially as they
have since been sworn to before the Re-
turning Board. Leading Democrats of
the parish were charged with being prin-
cipals or accessories in the crime. It is
q singular part Of this whole affair that
they said nothing about it until they
found themselves publicly accused. Then
they discovered for the first time . very
intimate and circumstantial knowledge of
all the particulars Of the revolving
affair. By we'll simulated concert of
action the fault has been laid at the
door of the negroes, and witnesses
have been introduced to say they
knew all about it from the very first. It
is strange that no steps were taken in
Ouachita to bring the guilty parties. if
they really were negroes, to justice. It is
not often the country Democrat lets q
negro escape persecution whom there is
the least excuse. for it How they hap
pened to let this opportunity escape il in
comprehensive to the uninitiated. Ac-
cording to the post tacto theory, it was
Republican negroes who committed the
deed. All the best citizens of Ouachita
are now busy at testifying all about it.
They appear to have known all about it,
but did not think enough of the honor
of the State TO say anything until
the charge Of murder was laid at
the door of some of their friends,
and the Democratic State Central
Committee called them out to make the
best defense possible. So far Is the
honor Of the State Or the people Of the
State il concerned, We can not see what
is the difference whether the Pinkstons
were murdered and outraged by the one
party or the other. If it is . "slander on
this people" to suppose white Democrats
did the deed, it Is none the less one to &C.
cuse Republican negro, especially when
it is shown under oath that all the best
first citizens took no steps in the matter,
though the facts (their version) have been
known to them for six or seven weeks.
Il was an infamous thing to commit
the crime, and scarcely less one to con-
ceal it 90 long. We fail to see that any
infamy can attach to Senator Of the
United States, who merely in the dis
charge of his duty listens to the testimony
and makes up his mind that the weight of
it is sadly against the Democratic party.
And still the members of the Senate COM
mittee have been warned not to believe
the Democratic party committed or con-
sented to deeds they now so frantically
seek to hide, put of on others or explain.
The penalty to Senator for believing
what his senses teach him to be rational
and reasonable is degree Of infamy
inferior to that due the ravagers
Of the Pinkston household. It viii
thus be seen at q glance what sort of
have been set here. Almost
any outrage may be committed against
in the interests of Democ-
racy. The offense consists in telling it,
or believing it when told. We hope Sem
ators Salisbury and Mcdonald will take
The hint, and escape infamy by refusing
TO believe anything not admitted by the
committee. As for Senators
Howe, Mcmillan and Wadleigh, there is
little hope for them. They will blindly
believe the sworn evidence. and submit to
their punishment. The bad opinion of
bulldozing Democrat of Louisiana is
something dreadful to think Of, but we
hope the three gentlemen will survive it.