The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-15

mediately reappeared with gun in hel
hand. AS she was walking toward hel
| husband she was shot by Reilly and in
stantly killed. Reilly then shot a mar
| by the name of Wilson, seriousl,
wounding him. After the shooting
Reilly fled, and has not been arrested.
THE RETURNING BOARD INDICT-
MENTs.
views of the Country Press on the sndict
ments Of Wells, Anderson e. Co.
[Rapides Gazette1
The question presented is whether
forging and altering election returns il
a political offense. Our opinion is that
it is no more political than embezzle-
ment or any other crime or offense
committed by an officeholder, and our re.
collection is that when the question was
before the Electoral Commission and
the Democrats were trying to bring
proof on this point, it was decided by
them that it was a matter belonging
exclusively to the jurisdiction of the
State courts and that IL the Returning
Board has forged and altered the re-
turns for presidential electors our only
remedy was by prosecutions in the
State courts of Louisiana.
Now that the State authorities are
pursuing the very course pointed out to
them by the very best Radical authority,
they themselves are raising howl. We
say let them howl. Fiat justitia ruat
coetunl. There can be no better time
than now to teach all public officers
that they are the servants and
not the masters of the people.
There can be no filter subjects
Of whom to make an example than
these same four men whose insolence
in power was autocratic and whose
contempt for the people and their rights
or authority, was shown by the utter
indifference with which they treated
with which they denied and spurned
every appeal for. justice and fair play.
If we are indeed to have a constitu-
tional government, let these confessed
criminals be prosecuted to the full ex-
tent Of the law, and made to feel the
mighty hand of that power they once
OVERRIDE with such self-complacency
and scorned with such assurance OF
safety.
We hope that the Attorney General
and the courts will not falter, and that
in the end these mighty princes of I'M
bridled power may be made to feel the
heavy hand Of the law they despised
and outraged, and to bow to the author
ity Of the courts they have heretofore
held in such insolent contempt.
shreveport Times.l
OF course the speculations in the New
York dispatches are more CANNON. 1t
is not probable that 50 prudent man
as Gov. Nichols would, in advance Of a
conviction, put himself on record as
oh al ri linn hot frrh
low, from punishment. Nor is it
probable that any considerable por-
ton Of the Conservative party
which elected him Governor, would be
willing to do so stupid thing as make
the honest exercise of the constitutional
pardoning power ground of impeach-
ment Of the chief magistrate of their
own choice. These newspaper CORES
pondents must have something sensa-
tional to write about, else their occupa-
ton would be gone.
But it is not altogether impossible
that the friends Of the Administration
are in reality indignant. They owe too
much to these men to complacently
view the punishment Of crimes from
which they have derived so much bene-
fraudulent title manipulated through
the agency of these criminals. 1t is
natural that he should dislike to see
them disturbed, and deeds overhauled
which he knows will not bear the light
Of day.
But we do not see that the indigna-
ion and dissatisfaction Of these men
have anything to do with the admin
of the criminal laws of Lou
siana. We do not understand that the
poor privilege accorded to the State of
Louisiana to be ruled unmolested by
State officers, fairly elected by the peo-
ole, carried with it a general amnesty to
Ill the greatest criminals within the |
limits of the State. II it did, then
The privilege were a barren one. For,
t the men who were engaged in con-
;piracy to prevent such a consumma-
ion, and who violated the penal laws of
he State in the accomplishment of
punished, there is no saying when they
nay not again successfully commit new
crimes similar to those from which they
ire freed.
No one had any right to compromise
he rights of the people Of Louisiana
by any bargain however favorable, nor
10 we think that any one has done
70. And we are glad to see that the
officers of justice are taking this view
If the subject. Committees are at
work investigating every department
If the State administration.
This investigation were useless if the
,rimes discovered are to be condoned
n ignored. They will not be passed over
lightly. The men who have outraged
he people of this State must be brought
o justice. 1t is only in this way that
he conservative government can vindi-
ate its claim TO the confidence Of the
people.
AN APPALLING LIST.
The following named gentlemen, Of
kemper county, are said to have been