The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-24

| ton OF war, no people on earth are
more opposed to strife or .yearn more
ardently for peace. Nothing short OF
| the law Of self-preservation could have
| Induced them to adopt their present
| fixed resolve to take up arms In the de-
| Tense OF their rights, should this fear
| full alternative be forced upon them.
They are ready to yield @ cheerful &C
adolescence to the decision OF Congress-,
as to the presidential question, and WILL
respect and support whoever may be
pize the right of the federal authori-
ties 10 regulate federal matters, but In
return they claim the right OF estab-
fishing and maintaining their own State
they may be told that men, of war
lie at anchor in front OF our city whose
guns would destroy their houses and
bury them under the ruins; they may
be reminded that, however contrary to
the usages OF civilized warfare such
an act would be, that in January, 1875.
the commander OF o man-of-war. who
notified Gen. Sheridan that he would,
In case Of co 1fiict, refuse to fire upon
q defenseless city, was relieved OF his
command the very next day. The an
swer to this would be that the destruc-
ton of their property would be more
speedy, but no more certain than IL
the Packard government should be Inn
posed upon them, and that 1t is better
to die as freemen than to live
as slaves. A terrible respon-
sibility would rest upon those
who would have forced the people OF
this State into n conflict with the Fede-
raj troops. The officers and men are
now looked upon as friends, are treated
as such, and this feeling and treat
ment is reciprocated by them. Yet If
the order should be given, the officers
acting under o misrepresentation of duty
would doubtless obey 1t. The express
sion misapprehension Of duty is
used advisedly, for upon receiving his
commission an officer takes an oath
to sustain the constitution Of the
United States, and no act can
be more clearly In violation Of that
constitution than the destruction
OF q State government, repub-
of the State in accordance with the
constitution and laws OF that State.
The people Of this State may be told
Ii would be madness to enterinto q con-
| flict with the Federal troops. The men
who century ago fell In the streets of
Boston beneath the fire Of British SOL
diers were probably told the same
| thing. They needed Ii not, and they
were right. They will live forever In
| the memory OF o great and free people,
| for their blood was as the baptism vi
waters Of our great Republic. The peo-
pie OF Louisiana, In such q conflict,
would stand before the American people
| as did the men who fell on Bunker Hill,
| the defenders OF liberty against des-
potism and IL the conflict should spread
and involve the whole country In civil
war, the responsibility would rest, not
| upon the people of this State, but upon
| those who attempted to trample upon
the constitution and it's sacred guaran-
tees.
In conclusion, If anu of the open enc
mics and dtooced friends Of this State
are attempting to barter array The rights
and independence of this people, et1tdeT
| the preteGt of q sO.cdlled compromise,
| thev should at once destst.
| The people Of this State have learned
by bitter experience the true value to be
set upon such transactions. They ask
| for nothing that Is not right, and will
submit to nothing that Is wrong. This
| Ia their fixed resolve, and they can be
| moved bv neither threats nor cajolery.
| For the Federal loaves and fishes they
care but little: their State government
must be left exactly as it came from
their hands.
Some may charge the writer with
having departed from that sobriety
OF language which should mark
the discussion of SO grave o SUBJ
ject. TO them he would say that
the feeble words he has committed to
paper are to the burning thoughts that
crowd his brain as the glimmer OF a
rushlight Is to the effulgence. of the
monday sun. That the American peo-
pie may not, as in 1850, drift into terri
BILE war. from misrepresentation of the
condition OF affairs, and that a merciful
God may guide us safely through our
present troubles, Is his earnest prayer.
JOHN d. LAF1TTE.
CARD From a1. G.. w. JOHNSTON.