The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-16

1
government, and by the decisions of this
Judge under the influence OF government
merciIess flogglng soon became an ordl-
nary punishment for political oifenses of the
slightest description.
The usurpatlons of executive authority
have seldom failed to meet with reb,ike at
the hands Of the people. efforts TO destroy
established institutions by military force
have generally met with formidable resist
ance. The most dangerous and insldious
enemy ct free Institutions: The most forml-
| dsble weapon In the hands Of an llnserupu-
ious usufpef or band Of eonspiratots is a
judiciary under the influence Of govern
inent." and 1t Is to judiciary under the
Influence of government that the Republican
leaders, after trying In vain TO accomplish
their end by reconstruction laws, executive
interference and military violence. have re-
sorted
| The lawless Inauguration of Hayes Is now
TO be followed by the indictment of Demo
cratic members OF Congress In Louisiana and
other States 10 an extent designed to prevent
the Democrats from organizing the Forty
sixth Congress: and of prominent citizens
Of Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida.
for the purpose OF intimidatlng the Demo-
cratic citizens Of those States, and prevent
ing them from heneeforth taking an active
part In elections To parapbrase. In one
sentence. the language Of Maeatiay
and Junius, work was to be done which could
be trusted to no man who revereneed the law
or was sensible Of shame; hence judges
under the influence OF government were
| t1nn nnl
Bond were appointed TO the bench to prosti-
tute the dignity Of the judiciary and prose-
cute and convict our citizens by the hundred
for The purpose of maintaining Republican
ascendancy.
James II sought to extlngush all opposi-
tion 10 his religion and his crown through a
subservent judiciary composed of Judges
such as Jeffreys, The Republican leaders are
Initiating his methods, and are now seeking
to demoralize the Democratic party: to in
timidate the white people of the South, and
secure the domination OF the Republican oil
garchy through supple. subservient and
INSCRIPTIONS judiciary. composed OF such
men as those we have just mentioned
Tho tone and temper of tho DEMOCRAT on
the mereless and lawless prosecutions OF
hundreds Of citizens Of Louisiana by n court
under tho influence Of government" has
BEEN we regret TO say It, reprobated by some
ofour people. Our denunciations IL Is said. are
too Incorporate and violent Alas this Is the
language which becomes current among every
people In whose hearts the civic spirit is dead
or enfeebled. We will excite the resentment
Of the prosecutors, we are told II we denounce
them Have we yet found anything In
oajolery to soften their hearts or to
stay their perseeutions2 We are told
that we are raising clamor; that we are
trade with disorganization: that
the country wants peace Is this the Ian
guage Of free people. or Is ii the utterancs
Of community Who'll have reached that
depth OF degradation where they have sunk
their character OF citizens of a constitu-
tional government into that OF mere
Where there Is abuse" said |
Edmund Burke. there should be clamer:
because 1t Ia better TO have our slumber
broken by the fire bell, than to perish
amidst the flames, In our bed"
Do the citizens Of Louisiana SEQ no
evil In these lawless arrests and vindictive
of their fellow citizens about
which to elamorf DO the Democrats In and
out OF Congress and oil over this republic see
nothing in these outrages TO warn them of
The danger Of permitting this prostitution of
The judiciary to go on1 Have we. indeed, as
1 people drank SO deeply Of that narcotic the
love Of peace that the fire bell cannot dis
burb our sleep, while the temple OF our liberty
md Its sacred chart and pledge the oonstitu-
lion, are being consumed by the unboly fires
lighted by the hands OF ambitious conspira-
tors and rapaeious traitors2