New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-24

tiers here. now extending nearly to q quar-
ter of century.
We do not mean any political applica
ton Of the Bulletin remarks, but it mus
be obvious that when the doctrine il
openly taught that man who con
scientifically believes himself the subjec
of Q grievance which the law will not re
dress, has for that cause . right Of sell
redress by deed of violence, that jury
may well educate itself to believe tina
personal injury by deeds, words or ges
lures justifies the self redress Of killing
We had accepted this common social law
and scarcely expected such unanimous
cond emnation of q practice abhorrent te
all sense of fair play between man and
man or of public justice. We had classed
the formal and normal mot gui lty
upon q charge of murder with the
Sicilian vendetta, and no sooner expected
q convict ion in the one class than con-
fess ion in the other. Each has been, to
our mind, q cause of mortality as legiti-
mate in the weekly health reports as apo
plexy. Brights disease or bydrocephalus.
We had, however, never dreamed that
asphy xia, through pressure upon the
carotid, or dislocation of the verteb "a by
the hands of the common hangman,
would ever climb into the same catalogue.
We take no unfair advantage of the
conc essions contained in the following ex-
tract from the same journal, but we offer
our cor dial c0currence in its truth:
Something must be done to save the people
from the consequences Of this practical s'ss-
pension of tie enforcement of tie lao against
bloody crimes. The damage to our city
worse than that of foods, or of epidemice,
or of impeded outlets, or even of the alien,
corrupt and hostile government under
which We suffer.
The unpunished crime to which the
Bulletin adverts consists by logical con-
nection in the killing Of gentleman of
great private worth who bad many per-
sonal friends. What does the Bulletin
think of the common practice in the city
and throughout the State of shooting
down men for opinions sake. Those VIC
Tins are in most cases poor and insignia-
cant. This persistent defamation of the
State government has been repeated
throughout the parishes until it has been
often said in print that whatever the mo-
tive Of the man who attempted to assasi-
nate Senator T ~itchell, his deed was JUS
titled by the alleged political misdeeds of
the representative whose life was thus
attempted.
The Bulletin has seen that just such
epithets as robber, plunderer and OPP
pressor Of the widow and orphan applied
last week to q citizen at the head of an
institution established by law, caused
him to advertise q reward of $500 for the
conviction Of some disguised stranger
who had threatened to assassinate him.
Here was q case in which the Bulletin
itself published with commentator the
benevolent proclamation of this citizen
thus threatened with assassination, that
he would bestow upon all who would re-
sort to him bonanza that would enrich
the applicant, and would likewise endow
the hospital Of charity with comfort and
plenty. Yet by the use of few violent
epithels an avenger stands up and as
sumes himself justified in arresting the
munifcent enterprise perhaps forever.
Does the Bulletin think that the procla-
nation of such doctrine has done no dam
age to the country? Has it sent no timid
people to safer community? Has it
turned away no immigrant labor from our
fertile lands; kept no capital or enterprise
from the reward which is offered them, or
caused the withdrawal of no capital from
investment here? The Bulletin is right.
The profits of business and the destruc-
lion of a residence may not in the opinion
Of strangers justify the extra risks of hu-
man existence; and we think the sooner
our people are convinced that verdict of
not guilty of murder in any degree is not
. matter of course, and also that they are
not justified in assassinating Senator or
lottery proprietor by the fierce use of
lefamatory words against either, the bet
er for those who value the future Of New
orleans