The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-08
"A NEW POLITICAL PARTY.

that monopoly Wednesday, moiHbiA Wy EePto-
aentng that d. G. johnson was BOT sentenced
to imprisonment on the charge OF violating
the infatn,u,s acts Nos. and 10 " 1874, but be-
cause he disobeyed an injunction nj the United
States Circuit Court If we were trying this
case upon legal technlealitles, we 40 not
deny that this defense of the lottery against
our charge would prove u very formidable one.
But we arc not doing that. We prosecuting
the Infamous lottery monopoly upon broader
grounds; we are prosecuting IL upon the great
fundamental principles which underlie civil
government. Johnson was imprisoned,
1t Is true, for violating an iniunc-
ton of the court, and not directly for
trespassing upon the sacred franchises
81 the Louisiana Lottery Company,
But the injunction, for the violation OF
which he, u free citizen of Louisiana. was I'M
prisoned was issued to restrain him from 40
ing that which was actually no oiense what
ever until corrupt Legislature, bought up
by the Lottery Company in the interest OF
that company, transformed 1t into crime ana
deprived the perpetrators of IL OF the lnallen-
able right Of trial by jury, and the benefit OF
the most common and just rule of evidence
our charge, therefore, stands good, literally
and In every sense Of the word great crime
was committed In the imprisonment OF this
man johnson under the authority OF IN en-
aetnent az Legislature of this State which
the present House Of Representatives re-
fused to repeal.
Had the Legislature, elected by the people
Of Louisiana in their great struggle 1of
emapcipation from the thraldom OF Radical
ism and for the re-establishment OF constltu-
tional government, repealed the rotten charter
OF the Louisiana Lottery or primary school
for gamblers, or the damnable laws enacted
to increase and protect the franchises OF that
immoral and debasing institution, we
hold that this man would not have
been deprived Of his liberty. We were,
therefore substantially correct Perhaps
the ease Ia even worse than we first repre-
scented 1t, and the country Is invited to con-
template the spectacle Of II Federal court
called upon to issue the high writ Of iniunc-
ton and to imprison an American citizen
on the strength of laws of Louisiana, enacted,
not for the protectisn of society and the re-
preston Of crime, but for the benefit
al gambling monopoly and the
unfolding OF practices which, In every
civilized country, are outawed and stig-
matized as disgracefnl and debasing.
In Justice to the Lottery Company we have
made this correction Of our article Of Wcdncs-
day, and the company Is welcome to what
ever benefit 1t may derive from il.
But II is not only because this monopoly has
:, able to have d citizen OF the Estate cast in
op .,,an - 80 own sweet win that we have
p ,,nensd m,,r upon it. The Lottery Company is
a constant mem. .ce to the best interests OF the
State. 1t exists IN contraVehtlon Oh wy
,plainest principles Of morality, p'o''o s''' -
ment naturally antagonlzfs 1t, ~
necessarily and naturally, IN self
defense, antagonizes the people In the
nature OF things 1t can have no pontles
and will always cast its wealth and rally It's
henchmen on the side which VIII offer it pro-
lection. When radicalism was in the hush q
mower the Louisiana Lottery was generous
contributor to It's support. When tho power
Of that company was evidently on the wane
the Lottery became wonderfully Democratic,
and poured In it's contributions to that
cause, How does IL stand now? u dctn-
t,l,, ,hreaieas 10 organize Louisiana Lot
i,,y partn II, the State. II has combined with
other monppolies and with rings OF specula-
tors to maiutaln their own corrupt ex.srenoes,
srbis combination constitutes the nucleus ol
the Lottery party. All the corrupt, weak and
nurrhasable clements In the leadership OF the
Democratic party have been or are being
bought up, and large following has been
gathered In from the Radical party. This
combination Is solidly aasayed against q con-
stitutional convention. Far be it from us to
say that all who oppose the convention
are parties to this disreputablc combination.
We know that there are many good and pa
triotic men who oppose the convention. But
II Ia none the less true that the force and
strength Of the opposition Is in this scan
dalous combination Yesterday the agents
of this new party, composed OF rings
and monopolies, untrue Democrats ana
corrupt Radicals, were busy fixing" the
Republican members of the Legislature
During several hours of the day Radical
members were seen In gangs Of two and three
going into a certain room In the State-House,
adjoining the hall Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives. to confer with a notorious agent
and henchman OF the Lottery Company.
A short time after these significant visitations
were ended prominent Radical remarked,
that the convention was now surely dead, as
every Republican member Of the House would
vote for the amendments and against the
convention.
The secret OF this is that the new party has
but one end in yiew-the preservation Of the
so-called vested rights Of the monopolies and
rings. 1t will accept any and oil amendments
50 long as there is no effort to repeal their
charters or disturb the power Of the monoplies.
The theory of the leaders Of this new party,
organized against the people. is that if these
charters and franchises are undisturbed they
can soon control the politics of the State I'M
der any sort of a patched up constitution that
NAV be devised. They are willing to re-
trench on every hand to please the people
they are ready to abolish mixed schools TIC
cenciliate public opinion; they will go for cut
ting down any salary or expense, or for in
creasing any that will captivate the public
!. .s,>ss 49, l>,i,.