New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-10
TIE SITUATION.

New Orleans is once more in state of
siege, with two hostile parties confronting
each other, apparently awaiting signal
of attack. The streets began TO be filed
with armed men early in the day, and by
eleven o'clock it is estimated there were
from 5000 to 1000 of them in Lafayette
square, organizing for such duty as might
be required of them by their leaders.
They were what is commonly known as
tho White League, though, according to
the latest nomenclature, they appear in
the extras as ''the legal State militia.
The exploits of the day were limited
to Selling the police stations, the
State arsenal and the Supreme Court
room. An attack was expected to be
made upon the State House, where nearly
all the members of the Legislature, the
State officers, and large number of
citizens -Republicans-wer assembled,
guarded by the main body of the Metro
politan police. All the places which
were attacked were surrendered to supe-
rior force without resistance, as not more
than corporal's guard of police could
be spared from the defense of the State
House. And as there was no concert of
action among the Republican forces,
and no means of rapidly communicating
orders, it was perfectly easy for the
Democratic leaders to concentrate their
full strength upon any one place at the
same moment The Washington Artil-
lery obtained possession of two or three
pieces of cannon from the arsenal, which
gave the assailants the advantage of
great odds.
In the meantime members Of the Leg
islature were barred out of the State
House by the armed men who invested it.
1t was therefore impossible to obtain 2
quorum of either House, and hence no
vote could be taken for United States
Senator as the law directs. Governor
Packard was virtually prisoner all day,
and SO hedged in by hostile forces that he
could not exercise the functions of his
high Office. The judges Of the Supreme
Court were excluded from the courtroom,
and new members seated upon the bench.
In all respects, save bloodshed, there
existed q complete revolution. The State
government in all its branches, so far as
the exercise Of any authority on the
streets is concerned, was thoroughly and
completely subyerted, and the new forces
which have just appear ed either as police
or State militia were entire masters of the
situation and o. every position except the
State House, which, up to the time of GO
ing to press, continued to be the citadel
and asylum Of the State government and
the police.
All that could be learned of the inten-
tons Of General Augur was that he in
tended to preserve the peace" Whether
he considers the capture of the police
stations and the State Arsenal by over
powering force, the ejectment Of the
judges of the Supreme Court and the reg
ular investment of the State House, with
the Legislature in session, as violations of
the peace laws. we can not say. Perhaps it
is the custom of milit airy men to consider
all actions peaceable that do not actually
draw blood. But for all practical purposes
there was very little peace yesterday.
Business was paralyzed worse than usual,
if possible Several of the. schools were
closed early in the day, and the few men
who have work to do were called from it
either to Ing bayoneted musket through
the streets, or to stand on the sidewalks
and see the White Leaguers march past
If such be peace, we may as well have
war. If such be civil rule, it is better to
have martial law. It is not peGce by any
means. Under no stretch Of reasoning
can it be said that peace prevailed in the
city yesterday, nor is there likely to be any
to-day, except as the result Of one or the
other Of two events Either conflict, in
which one of the belligerent parties is
vanquished, or the interference Of the
United States troops.
As we have at present no government
in this Stats whose authority is undis-
puted, and as there are two or three con.
gressional committees trying to find the
truth about the late election, perhaps the
President may deem it his duty to estab-
fish martial law till such time, if ever, as
Congress shall come to some conclusion
and agreement in the premises. Such q
step would ct least give to the business
community a season Of peace, such az
they understand it. instead Of the sounds
of wars alarms and the tramp Of armed
men that all day yesterday resounded
through the streets Of the city. Though
we are tolerabIy well seasoned to popular
commotions here, there Is decided
preference on the part Of g majority d
the people for . government Of any kind
strong enough to maintain itself over ths
uncertainties necessarily incident to tw,
armed hostile forces in the same camp.
STRONG FRIENDS OF A STRONG GOVERN