The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-01-15

SCCotuSS VI " WY 0AuGy WuVA SO
commenced, out Of the jurisdiction of
the court Of the parish or district
where The crime may have been COM
mitted. Such power vested in the
Executive, OF any other department, :
would be as powerful for harm in bad
hands as it would be for good in the
hands Of conscientious officers. I
make these remarks for the purpose
of showing that good institutions.and
remedies and homes. officials require
THE concurrence OF other facts to
make them thoroughly elective
After all, the real effective instru.
ment for putting an end to acts 81
lawlessness is the force Of public
opinion manifesting itself on all oc-
easions in aid Of the supremacy OF
the law. When, in the campaign Of
1876, I proclaimed through the
State that in the event Of my cleo
ton as Governor Of this State, I felt
assured that peace and good order
would follow, did not do 90 relying
in any manner upon the mere physi-
cal and legal instrumentaltties which
would be in my hands for that pur-
pose for / was we'll aware that thesa
were extremely limited, confined al
most entirely 10 reporting to thil
body careless Or delinquent officials;
and abstaining from an ipjudicioui
use Of the pardonins power. Ny de-
claration was predicated upon the
certainty that the election Of the OF
ficerA who were before the PIT ..la
would eliminate most Of the causes
of bitterness and reproace then ex-
listing, and that the gradual op era
tion Of conservative influence would
ultimately lead to complete good
feeling between all classes and racks,
and cause the capitalization Of pub
| lie sentiment against all classes bf
lawlessness! o .ss.
My deliberate Judgment Is not ID
force, or attempt to force, these re-
suits by harsh proceedings, except
when they can De tddieiously EN-.
|ployed, forI foreses that course Of
that character will defeat the very
end and object / lave in view. The
result Of the softening Influences Of
the last two years 70 apparent to any
one who knows the State; and whilst
here and there few bad men, Or d
few foolish men; breed trouble, which
all good men regret, and whilst the
good men in some places hare rot
taken the determined; actite stand
against them that / Had hoped and
expected, I am satisfied that day by
day and month BY month We are
surely moving forward to the condi
tion Of things which all good citizens
are hopefully anticipating. ! would
regard The rstarding Of these results
by injudicious action, which sons
might deem wise and right, as q
great calamity to the State. say
this under full sense Of the respoR-.
|sibility which ittaGlles 10 nv posi-
ton. It has SO happened that some
of the acts of lawlessness (Which /
condemn and regret) have been d.
rectel against colorcd men, and ii ID
sometimes supposed that they have
been 50 directed " reason 81 tGeif
being eol0red men. This IL not true.
The fact results from the circum-
stance that the greater number OF
the infracsions Of the Law are neces.
sarily found in all communities
among those classes who,. from isno-
rance or idleness or thriftlessnsss,
fail to understand and appreciate
their duties and obligations; and
that, in this State, the mass Of these
classes is found the colored people,
The fact Of their being colored peo-