The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-08
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVES DEPARTMENT.
New Orleans, January Q. 1879.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, |
New Orleans, JHnuary Q. 1879. J
f1Srtlemen OF the General Assembly:
The constitution imposes upon me the duty
III from time 10 Time giving the General AS
ssmbly information respecting the situation
= he state. and custom has designated the
announcement Of your session as the period
a which that information is.to be given.
since the adjournment OF the last General
Assembly the people OF large portion Of the
state have been smitten by tie visitation Of q
IIfe-destroying epidemic. That event has left
such deep traces, and has dark ned so many
homes. that / deem 1t unnecessary to refer
particularly to 1t. One fact, however, stands
cut 40 brightly amidst the gloom created by
and consequent upon the epidemic, and has
impressed itself 80 deeply upon the people Of
Louisiana, that 1t is my pleasure and duty to
refer to IL officially. ! mean the spontaneous
exhibition Of sympathy, Of Christian charity
and brotherhood which our distress evoked
throughout our common country. While 1t
1Cck such tangible shape az to give great and
necessary relief TO many suffering people, and
vhile its practical results were seen, felt and
rsoognized wherever the htsnd Of pestilence
rs laid, It's moving cause furnishes besides
subject OF congratulatiOn OF appreciation,
~ the people Of the State generally,
without regard to the mere question Of bene-
nj received, as Indicating that community OF
sellng binding together the people Of the
tJpion az pontingsto the flow Of common
spring Of benevolence from one end Of the land
b the other. The general condition Of the
people Of the State, putting aside the suffer-
~ engendered by the epidemic, has improved
during the year. Bountiful crops have blessed
the State, and whilst the shrInkage OF values
has caused some anxiety and want OF remu-
heration this effect has resulted from the re-
ttrn TO safer and more durable standard OF
values, which, operating upon all classes OF
property alike, brings about an adjustment
calculated to give greater security and sta
bllIty for the future.
have the pleasure OF reporting to you that
throughout almost the entire State, the laws
have been well observed, and that where vio-
Iations OF the same have taken place they
have been generally punished. / regret,
however, to say. that In a few localities there
have occurred during the past year some Of
those acts OF violence and lawlessness which,
IN this State, as In other sections Of the coun-
try, occasionally happen, and which, while
startling and distressing the mass OF the
people, are practically beyond the reach OF
The constituted authorities. These troubles
and disturbances are not referable to any one
cause. In some instances. the preparation,
Or alleged preparation OF q crime OF heinous
character, or the repetition Of series Of petty
misdemeanors difficult Of detection as to
thelr perpetrators, seem TO throw even good
men into kind Of frenzy which, for the time
being, sets Judgment and reason 1t defiance:
In others, belief that what il called the
technIcalities Of the law may permit the es-
cape OF some one generally believed to be
substantially guilty OF crime, causes men to
substitute their own ideas of justice and
esS6tds Of remedy for the machinery
provided for the enforcement OF right and
punishment Of WRONG. So want Of eeaa-
dence In the honesty or impair
tality Of judges, iuries and officials
ID sometimes made the basis of and
attempted justification for those acts, which
In the United States have come to be known
by the designation Of Lynch law From
Whatever cause sprlnging. these acts are
rarely punished In any portion Of the Union
There are ordinarily so many persons con-
Cerned In them that those who are cognizant
Of the facts are either unwilling to speak,
from sympathy with the acts, or afraid to
speak, lest they should involve themselves In
trouble Evidence being the essential basis
of all judicial proceedings, the want Of it
presents an insuperable obstacle to officers
whose duty It is to seek out and punish law
breakers. Some months ago three men
charged with crime, two Of them with the
murder OF white man, and once convicted
Of the killing of a colored man, we're forcibly
aiken from the jail at Monroe aud killed. The
men 30 killed were colored men. The mob ia
to have been made up either entire
y or mostly Of white men. Later, man by
he name OF st. Martin, confined in the parish |
all OF st. Charles parish on charge OF muir
Ter OF colored man, was taken therefrom by |
large number of men and murdered. The |
mob In this intance were colored men and the |
victim white man. Both Of these cases have
received investigation from the grand juries |
d the respective parishes, and yet nothing |
has resulted from the investigation In either |
'ase. have no reason to doubt the thorough /
sincerity, In each case, OF the officers conduct
ng these Investigations. In one instance
hey were Republican, In tho other Democrat
omcials. 1t can scarcely be believed that
these two affairs there are not persons not
egally responsible for the crimes committed.
vho are cognzant OF the same and yet hold
heir peace when 1t Is their duty to speak.
an lay no blame at the door of these officials.
wen had they failed in their duty (which
hey did mott, being constitutional officers
hey could not have been suspended or re-
moved by me; nor is there any power granted
any one. In any manner, to originate pro
ceilings and try persons in any other mar
shes than those in which the crimes have
cen committed. The constitution expressly
trial by the jury of the parish
which crime Is committed, subject onlv
change OF venue when the case has
cached certain point Despite my great de-
Ire to see the supremacy Of the law indicated
all cases, and despite the fact that under
h,I