New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-18
THE USURPATION" ACCEPTED----THE
FOURTEENTH OF SEPTEMBER REPU-

L ILL U0Uh1AxlVN' AVO0x 40Os..-4 u
FOURTEENTH OF SEPTEMBER REPU
| DATED.
The incisive charges of an anonymou
citizen against Mr.. Wilt are:
!. That Mr.. Wilt recognized the legit
macy of the election of 1872.
q That he did not cooperate with tn
revolution Of September, 1874.
In reading these defenses We are com
PEELED by all the rules of logic to say thai
both these charges are admitted. W.
will say more. The friend of Mr.. Wilt
makes it merit that these charges are
true. Yet is there sad inconsistency in
the admission. It is claimed that Mr..
Wilt took possession of the city govern.
ment by storm. He gave, humanely, his
predecessor, the gallant Flanders, five
minutes by his watch "within which to
abdicate," and
At the expiration of that time Mr.. Witt,
without commission from any power, and
solely upon the authority of the votes of
the people who had elected him, proclaimed
himself Mayor, took possession OF the
Mayors office, installed the Administrators,
ordered his secretary to take charge of the
archives OF the city, and the Wilt city gov
eminent began business.
So he boasts taking office by revolution
sry force. Yet, when application was made
to Mayor Wilt 'to revolutionize the
State, or at least the CITY,, it is asked
Was it reasonable, then, to expect Mr..
Witt to assume the terrible responsibility
of organizing an armed resistance to y
usurpation protected by the federal army.
It would then seem that Mr.. Witt pre-
ferred Selling upon o commission for him
self by revolutionary storm and capitula-
ton, but when it came to storming the
State House for his Democratic COL
asked to cooperate in the
White League revolution Of 1873, he was
Utterly powerless to comply with the re-
quest of the committee, unless he had been
prepared to inaugurate revolution Of arms.
Would he have been justified in such q
course9 WOnld the people have sustained
him in 60 reckless and SO impossible ven
tUres
We admire this respect for law and
order. 1t is true Mr.. Wilt at the head
If his gallant band of Administrators
preferred revolutionary force to the recog-
1ition of government which he imme-
lately afterward says was inevitable. 1t
s true that he so far testified his respect
or this de .facto authority as to accept its
commission. he even ventures to retort
hat the Democratic members who went |
o Congress to overthrow the ''usurpa-
ion' Of Kellogg, presented credentials
igned by this very usurper as the ground
# taking their seats and drawing their |
alaries. The guardian and next friend |
# Mr.. Wilt admits that he accepted o
from the usurper, and proves |
hat his accusers have done the same
hing. 1t was, perhaps, strictly anala-
,ous that while Mr.. Witt would not
the revolution of September
gore the act, he submitted to its sue
esses Immediately afterward. Really,
be biographer Of Mr.. Wilt will find q
urious collection of commissions among
be posthumous documents Of that states
IAN.
!. A revolutionary commission like that
reat Jehovah and of the American peo.
le."
2. The deed Of quit claim and confrma-
on by the usurper Pinchback.
3. Undisturbed possession in Office as
art of de tacto government, guaranteed
7 quasi recognition of a revolutionary
'vernment if successful.
There can be no better imminent of
than when tenant who has
tered without legal authority acquires
I'd cancels all adversary title. 1t is thus
at even a wrongful possession may ripen
to right. Mr.. Wilt, then, as an avowed
upper, has passed through the phase Of
lie tacto into that of Mayor de jure, by
union of all conflicting authority in
nself
The charges of "Citizen" are thereby !
rified by an admission on behalf of Mr.,
lltz. he admitted and accepts the au-
'rlty OF the usuper. He deprecated the
multi and danger Of the fourteenth of
Dtember.