The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-12
much comfort, and that the position Of Mr..
George has been correctly stated by the DEM
OcRAT.
FORMULATED INFAMY.

ample, @ member OF the club rot hjmsel
elected from q car and took pains to have bill
head bruised by a fellow-craftsman, ant
Then brought suit against the stree
car company for damages. His cIul
furnished the testimony, and the railroad was
mulcted In damages. Out of this very case
however, arose another case. which resulted
IN the exposure of the society In question
There was but one passenger on the car OF
which the alleged outrage occurred. and ht
was applied to by the society to s~ubstantiatt
the testimony it supplied. He refused to dc
this, and the result was that the society In.
stituted against him an organized system O
persecution. They procured his arrest on al
sorts of charges, and proved them against
him, and succeeded in having him punished
for crimes ne had never committed. It was
on the sixth or seventh charge that the or.
gained perjury which had procured his accu.
sation and commitment was developed, In
the meanwhile the object Of this persecution
had been almost ruined In business and in
character.
This Is q sad commentary on American
Jurisprudence, but 1t is the legitimate conse-
quence OF q condition OF affairs which affects
the people OF the whole country. The grand
and conspicuous example was set in the steal
Of the Presidency and the formulated methods
by which that fragrant crime was con-
summated. 1t had been found impossible to
overthrow the liberties of the country by
military violence. This project had been
tried upon the South, and 1t provoked a
resistance which could not be overcome. It
was abandoned, and a temporizing policy Of
fawning and treachery was adopted as q pre-
liminary to a ~systematized judicial perseeu-
ton, infinitely more cruel and heartless
than the military despotism 1t superseded.
Here In Louisiana, to-day, we have an exam
pie of the same judicial infamy that has
been discovered In q police court OF New
York, but on a grand scale and In national
interests. There are purveyors OF testimony
here as there: our best people are put In
jeopardy OF life and reputation, on the evil
dence of professional witnesses; the processes
of courts, their civil and criminal procedures.
are made to subserve the purposes Of partisan
scoundrels and ~malignants, and the judiciary.
instead of affording protection to the citizen.
has become the servile and base Instruments of
persecution.
ihp B"s ~ wv tDt ItW IOIh DIHUk-
mailing society and the Hayes administra-
tion is not hard to establish. In morals.
whatever distinction might be made would
be In favor Of the New York society Of per-
%jurers. But 1t was not by instituting a par
allel that we proposed to impress the lesson.
The operations OF the New York society and
of the Federal administration In the South.
hold, are both developments Of a condition
of affairs that Is national, of a sentiment
which pervades the whole social and political
organism, and for which there is no correc-
ton other than that which can be supplied
by a strong and heaithful public opinion.
That this sentiment will be aroused In time
and assert itself, we do not doubt. This peo-
pie can no more be robbed of their liberties
by forms of law than by the rude and arbi-
,rary processes Of military violence. There
s something In the barbaric splendor of mill
tary display and power to captivate q brave
md generous people and reconcile them to
basement; but the cold slime and serpent
Ike craft of judicial tyranny can never
harm the Southern people into forgetfulness
Il indifference to their chartered rights and
liberties. They might follow a
'romwell, but they can never submit to q
effries,
two examples we have cited but serve
D illustrate postulates as old as Statecraft
self. Nowhere else does example, whether
,r good or evil, have so powerful an effect as
mong a democratic people. That virtue
'hich statecraftsmen and theoretical poll
clans dwell on as the safety OF republics I
nothing else than a sincere and
andid public opinion, and this, we all
now, Is but a cloud to be buffeted by
ny wind, and to be driven whittier that
ind listeth. Corrupt the people and the 8
Is ruined. Make them believe that ,
over and the order and discipline that ire ,
force can best secure, are preferable ;
security of life and prosperity for the in :
and despotism but awaits Its oppor- n
unity. Despotism has long been waiting 7
lis opportunity in this country. AS we have 6
lid, it first tried Grant and the army. They !
lied, and now comes In Hayes and the jul =
ciary. This last expedient is far more dan $
erous than the former, and It's evil effects :
e likely to permeate society. The New q
ork infamy we nave referred to :
but q natural development of a
crime. There is but
lie remedy, n that is in the creation of a
sentiment which shall make murder,
eft, robbery and all felony when committed =
/, legal forms and when not, equally in G
nous. There is no difference between a :
in an election case and a periurer in =,
suit against a railroad for damages, and :
e distinction between the party administra-
% which purveys perjury to carry par 1
an point and the society that does the
me thing to obtain a divide on a paltry =
ackmail is not appreciate. Both are in
nous, and let them be SO regarded.
Beck's views on the subject OF a =
CcihIa pracidnntiol xotn nf thu rnnonl 1f the