New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-22
THE SJTUATION At NEW- ORLEANS.


IF the rumors of impending riot at New
Orleans are true-and it will be only prudent
TO remember that they come from sources
which do not command absolute contidence-it
would appear that Mr.. S. b. Packard, shut up
in his citadel, is not well advised as to the
condition of the outer world. Since he retired
into his back Office and bOlted the door, great
change has swept over the country. The
average Republican Office-holder in the South
ern States has fallen into bad OdOr; and gen
eral belief has grown up that the duty Oh
protecting the Union men OF the SOuth
does not include an obligation to support a
certain class of professional cust0m-h0use mar
tyrs who have kent the community which pays
their salaries continually in hot water, ana
have reflected upon their allies at the National
Capital an intolerable dscredit In short, the
Administration has apparently reached the con-
cIusion that Mr. Packard and the whole class
which he represents are not worth their cost,
and in this Judgment the country concurs.
The President will doubtless do his duty by
the lawful governments of Louisiana and of
all the other States when he finds out what
his duty is :; but the day of the Bandltl Poiicy
has passed by. Mr.. Packard may he sure that
he will get exact justice; and he will get moth
ing more.
When Mr. Packard undertakes therefore to
collect an armed force and sally out OF his
defcnses to attack cOurthOuses and other
buildings he arOuses a resentment at the North
of which he ought to be made aware. Public
opinion is emphatic in the demand that these
two factions at New Orleans shall keep the
peace. The people purpose to tolerate no more
of these disgraceful riots, these petty civil
wars, these prepOSterous sleges and street pat
ties, these horrid travcsties npon popular gov
ernment with courts sitting behind hedge
of bayonets. policemen dragging about bat
tpry of Calling guns, and two sets OF legis-
latiye and administrative functi0naIies ex-
changing shots at each other acrosS barrl-
cadc The general disgust at the prolonged
disorder has even come to be so far unrea-
sonabe that the question which of the rivals
is in the right is lost sight of in the deter
mination that both of them shall be made to
keep quiet If either party preciptate blood
shed or threaten bloodshcd, the people, Re
| pubcans and Democrats alike, will hold that
party unfit to govern Louisiana
Probably the only purpose of the menaces
at New Orleans is to prevent the removal OF
the troops and the consequent collapse of the
| Packard Government. But the experiment Is
not safe one. 1t will not alarm President
Hayes; il will only irritate the North. The
resolution of the country Is fixed, that LOulsl-
| ana shall have ut last firm and orderly gov
eminent, resting on the consent OF her people,
not on the guns of the United States army !;
and the purpose of the Administration is also
clear that such a government shall be estab-
lished promptly and peaceably. There will be
no sympathy for any faction, however plausi-
bic its claims which undertakes by violent
methods to interfere with the quiet settlement
now under consideration at Washington.
Packard and Nichols both must understand
that they have ceased to he important con-
siderations in national politics. They have
only to keep still while the commission ordered
by the President investigates their case, and
to submit to the decision whenever it comes.