New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-06
THE POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY AS
SUMED,

SUMED.
We have RETAINED from charging that
the latest Coushatta murders were COM
mitted with political motive. Nor have
we even attributed completely to what the
Picayune sympathetically calls that ''much
maligned" city. twill be remembered that
in.the preceding murders, which have given
Louisiana such unhappy notoriety, the
citizens of Coushatta were not charged with
aguilty knowledge. The murderers were
masked. They came on horseback from
a distance. They escorted the unfortu.
nate Republican officials out OF the town
on pledge of safe conduct beyond the
parish. These prisoners were released
from the protection of the first masked
party by another masked party, who
put them to death on the spot. The
murder Of John Gair upon the hearsay
charge Of having aided to kill a man
who is now alive, was conducted
in the same manner. To kill men
unconscious of danger, crossing in a
boat to landing would have required no
masked multitude. An armed troop would
have excited the apprehension of the vic
tins. Possibly some humane or prudent
person might have waved a handkerchief
or made sign warning the doomed men
away. There could have been. therefore,
no better mode of efecting this muir
derous purpose than the ordinary practice
of killing wild game. Avery skillful shot,
armed with the best weapon of precision,
would have been detailed, concealed be-
hind what the hunters call "a blind" and
would have awaited the approach Of those
he desired to kill. Whether the assassin
of King represented the tax re-
sisters, and wished the scalp of q
tax collector; if he represented the
politicians, and wished to bag Senator
and strike a salutary dread into the hearts
of all Republican voters, or if he was
merely instisated by personal hatred, he
could have chosen no mode so efficient
for the assassin as to have concealed him
self behind pile Of planks until the
unsuspecting and helpless victims came
within point-blank range and then shoot
ing them like cattle in pen. There
could have been no plan SO we'll devised
for assassination without danger to the
assassin and without the possibility of es-
cape to the murdered.
While we have refused to charge poit-
ical motive for the murder, some of those
whom we have designated as the Cou-
shatta Democracy seem disposed to assume
that such was the fact, and supposing
that the murder was political, have pro-
ceeded to indicate it in that point OF
view.
A communication in the Democrat of
yesterday refers to "Coushatta and the
moral sense" and explains "where the
responsibility rests" It commences with
a reference to the position of the Picayane.
Of this it says:
The Picayune on yesterday gives q
lengthy comment on the recent COushatta
tragedy, arguing that i: was shocking to
the moral sentiment Of every man in this
and reprobating the affair
(seemngly) upon the ground of the Occa-
sion it will give to Morton and the rest Of
the bloody shirt orators and organs to vent
their calumnies and hatred against our
people.
Our reading of this article was that the
Picayune reprobated the deed as a crime,
and palliated its commission upon some
what the same ground which the commu-
nication proceeds to do. that it was off
set by the executive pardon of Newton.
The comments OF the REPUBLICAN are
thus stated:
The REPUBLICAN, upon the same sub
ject, got of one OF it's usual shrieks, min
gled with plaintive meanings about out
ragged law, etc., and winding up with
threats Of bloody retaliation which would
vet be made.
We think that every citizen Of louisiana
who has land to sell, a house to rent,
goods fading out of fashion, his .coun-
ters vacant of customers, or who has debts
due him in the country awaiting crop
Tor payment, has good deal more cause
10 moan or shrek than ourselves. 1t is
very free reading of our article to say that
t contained threats Of bloody retalia-
;ion."
The communication goes broadly to
contradict the Picayune, and, we may
i'd, the Bulletin. 1t says:
Now, l entirely deny that the moral
ense of this community was go shocked at
he shooting of Twitchell as the Picayuae
Isserts.
Il This apparent contradiction of opinion
an be readily reconciled. The writer
Who thus denies that ''this community
vas shocked, i" and who apparently indi-
ates his approval Of the deed by signing
himself "Amen " to it, represents one
1t is that which has
eemed all measures Of political fraud
nd revolutionary violence proper for the
verthrow of the Republican majority.
hey are known as Last Ditchers, vigi-
ance committees, White Leaguers and
;oushatta Democrats. This ''commu
ity" was not shocked at the past deeds
# Coushatta, Foliciana, or the capture of
he State House. The Picayune, the Bull
tin and ourselves represent different
cmmunity. 1t will remain to be seen
which of these communities" will express
he sentiment of Louisiana.