New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-02-17

life to gain Office than they would to gain
treasure. 1t can not be said that they
have not been subjected to great political
evaporation. Personal abuse and crimi-
nal motives have been heaped upon the
names of Washington, Burr, Jefferson,
Hamilton, jackson and Clay; yet have
the people always acquiesced in the defeat
Of their most cherished leaders with
out resorting to the Turkish method of
procuring change of rulers. With this
unfortunate imputation upon our State
and people, we have looked with much
interest to the manner in which our press
and public regard the recent attempt to
assassinate Governor Packard. The lead
ing Democratic organ thus treats the
event:
We doubt if a more daring, desperate
and absurd attempt at assassination is on
record.
And proceeds to speculate upon the
motive:
If we are not much mistaken, the action
of this unfortunate man lie a violent symp-
tom of the abnormal condition of the affairs
in this State. Mania exists in all countries
and in all times; but when it manifests
itself in disposition to perpetrate political
assassination it is a certain indication that
there is vicousness, rottenness, in the
political system which is threatening to in
wade social life and destroy tie whole
fabric of Christian society.
We should be disposed to regard this as
an admission of common responsibility
for the political excitement, but that
which follows renders some explanation
necessary:
When such indications present them
selves it is lime for good men to consider
if it be- not their duty, even by the strong
hand, if necessary, TO crush out the power
or agency which ia working these deadly
evils.
We should be unwilling to impute the
meaning that the Republican party is the
power and agency working these deadly
evils" alluded to, and that levy of good
men is invoked to crush it out even by
the strong hand if necessary.
This, however, is followed by phrase
ology that would vindicate a political as
sassin--
The principle of self defense imnIanted
in the nature of man by God Himself
never completely dies out. 1t you deprive
him of law he will resort to open and cOur-
ageOus force. If you overcome him by su-
perior power, cast him down into the dust,
trample upon, ruin and dishOnor him, with
the living instinct with which his Creator
has inspired him, he will turn and sting you
! as best he can.
Such an argument in the mouth of John
Brown or any other Abolitionist would
once have been natural, but neither then
nor now are individuals justified in TAX
ing the natural law into their own hands
when they have even the color of law to
resort to. We will not suppose that the
| justification of assassination can come in
under such language, or that even the
responsibility of approval is intended fol
the act. An utter stranger, no more iden.
titled than him who, disguised in goggles
and riding ga peculiar colored pony, as
sassinated King and mutilated Twitchell
attempts the life of Governor Packard
This stranger says he has not been in thu
State twenty-four hours. 1t can not, then
be supposed that he has been so cast dow
into the dust, trampled upon, ruined ant
dishonored by the political administra
ton of the State as that he would go t.
certain and inevitable death, with tn,
instinct of ''selfdefense;" and the purpos'
of redressing the personal wrongs Of thu
Democracy of this State, is to say nothing
else illogical.
If the paragraph quoted is limited t.
this State, then it is singular that amoni
the whole party who complain of thi
abnormal condition of affairs" there ar
none so inspired with the Giving in
stinct" of self-defense as to have obeye
the inspiration, but have waited for d
ayenger from Philadelphia to attempt
redress which was only due to til
abused rights of citizen.
We have surely right to inquire ho'
this utter stranger should have felt tn
wrongs of Louisiana so acutely. 1t ma
be naturally inferred that it has been b
the unqualified abuse of Republican me
and measures with which the Democrat
press of Louisiana has teemed for yeal
past.
The Picayune treats the attempt as
very frivolous affair. 1t seems to considt
the unexpected assault with dead
weapon upon an unarmed person, wit
the subsequent struggle of life and dealt
as bagatelle. It even says:
, We have no positive evidence that an
body fred upon Mr.. Packard at all.
1t then tentatively" relies on th
theory;
Many shrewdly suspect that Mr.. Packal
has been attempting the role of Eliza Pin
? stOn; that the whole thing was merely a /
of clever acting; that the pretended assasa
was hired to shoot and miss, and that if
3 ! wound was inflicted it was the result
q sheer awkwardnes.
As the suggestion that this man hf
been hired to commit this deed is refutt
by the superstition that no Democr
would give his life for the benefit of b
), party or his heirs, it is very reasonable
suppose that no Republican would co
= sent to be shot and 80 maltreated that b
life is in danger for any advantage to |
/ party or to himself While such palli
/ ton and ridieule of this infamous
q tempt may appeal to party feeling hel
: the Democratic leaders seem to percei