New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-28

emo ugh to restrain those inclined to evil,
nor pride enough to hide its shame from
the W orld
Is 4 TRUCE7
We notice of late disposition on the
part of the Democratic press to put as
good face upon reported political dis
turbances as possible. This marks q
change in policy, and is as gratifying as
it is incomprehensible. The first thing o
man does to show he is ashamed of an act
is to deny it as far as it is possible to do SO.
He will sometimes deny part and try to
excuse the rest. Of course this is not al
together honest and ingenious, but it is
better than to face out disgraceful act
! with braggart impudence. A sense of
shame for wrong doing is the forernnner
of repentance, or reformation from any
cause, without repentance. This applies
to communities and individuals alike.
We have received several communica-
tons recently from the country parishes
where disturbances have been reported
from time to time, complaining that in
many cases facts which were disagreeable
in themselves had been exaggerated by
fear or distorted by malice, and assuring
us in the most positive manner that the
general public in the vicinity does not ap-
prove of the acts complained of. Each
case has some special quality which takes
it out of the category of willful crime,
and gives to the perpetrator show of de-
tense upon the ground Of justification.
From Coushatta, Avoyelles, West Felici-
ana aud other places, we hear now that
the inhabitants have no other wish, de-
sire, aim or object than to live in har-
mony with each other, and that such a
thing as violence for political opinion is
not agreeable to public sentiment. Some
gentlemen from Avoyelles complain that
correspondent writes us that there
have been q dozen murders committed
in one locality recently, and nobody pun
ished. They explain and defend by de-
claring there have been only three, though
they admit no harm came to the slayers.
In each case a special plea of justification
was successfully invoked by the accused.
At first we heard from East Feliciana par
ish and Wilkinson county that there were
some five or six white men under arms for
the purpose Of avenging the murder OF
Aronson; that two colored men had been
hanged, and in the raiding and skirmish-
ing that followed from thirty to forty more
were shot and killed The officers of the
Natchez reported camp of white men at
Fort Adams, and an opposing one OF ne
groes on Homochitto island, with indica-
tions of an impending desperate conflict
As the steamboatmen did not have the
time or opportunity to make an inspec-
ton for themselves, they depended
upon the statements Of those who came
aboard the Natchez for whisky. These
reports were published and accepted as
true by the Democratic papers of the city (;
and so long as it appeared that the regu-
lators were making it hot for the negroes,
we heard nothing but commentator,
even applause, for the display of patri-
otto energy. Now the smoke has cleared
away, the reports are revised. It is as
serted that during all the trouble but two
negroes were hung and none shot. Mr..
Noble, sheriff of Wilkinson county, how
ever, tacitly admits there was trouble be-
You'd this, but says the negroes brought
it upon themselves by firing upon "my
posse" by which name be designates the
small army of armed men which rallied
under his call for help to avenge the
death of man slain in the limits of Lou
isiana.
There can be no doubt that the trouble
in Wilkinson county and East Feliciana
was exaggerated, though the simple truth
was bad enough. But all the exaggera-
ton did not originate with the Repub-
licans. There was hardly day passed,
during the difficulty, in which the evening
papers did not come out with contradic-
tory dispatches, highly sensational, and
decidedly panicky. 1t may be that there
was all this smoke with SO little fire as
the shooting of Aronson and the lynch
ing of two negroes. At all events, the
Democrats have apparently received Or
ders to dwarf the affair down to these
proportions. Att the same time, we learn
that the exaggerated reports which were
sent out by the Republicans have infict-
ed serious injury upon the community.
Nothing is said Of the harm inflicted by
the Democratic exaggerations. Perhaps
they were not believed, and SO fell harm
less. Certain it is, however, that some Of
the very parties who assisted in giving
currency to sensations from the country
parishes are now foremost in trying to
put as good face on matters as possible.
We regard these as hopeful signs. We
may almost say they suggest the posi-
bility that orders have been issued to the
country Democracy to put themselves on
their good behavior, and make every effort
to create the impression that they were