Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-02-22
MODERN DEsPOTIsM
. n. o. storniI;. Star.

ue5pOt'C pV"si %PP"''J
by lav. The Roman Emperors, like.
The Car of Russia, we're visited with
very arbitrary authority, but we,
doubt if anythingon the statute book
of any other nation than great Britain
can equal in dcspotism the Infamous
measure which Ii now being hastily
pushed through her Parliament, gen
orally known as the Coercion Act"
The following extract gives an idea
of its scope:
ANY person who iSdeclarcdby war
rant OF the Lord Lieutenant to be
reasonably suspected of having
either before or after the passing OF
this net been guilty as principal or
accessory of high treason, treason
felony or reasonable practices, wher-
ever committed, or ofany crime pun
ishably by law committed in pres
cribed district may be ar
rested in any part of Ireland aud To-
gally detained during the continuance
of this act in such prison in Ireland
as may be from time directed by the
Lord Lieutenant, without bail or
maiuprize, and shall not be discharged
or tried by any court without the
direction Of the L0rd-Llentcnant.
The Lord-Lieutenant is, therefore,
the absolute master Of personal liber-
ty in Ireland. He has but to point
his finger and any man ia the island
will be cast into jail. Not only so,
but he must stay there until the same
potent will that put him in shall see
tit to set him free. No preliminary
examination is necessary the Lord
Lieutenant gets his information pr
yatoly. No facing the accuser is per-
united, tho sly malicious enemy can
turn i. former, poison the ear OF pow
or and work out his scheme Of ven
geanCe in deadly secrecy. No rclict
is possible no jury can be impancl-
ed, no court can presume to bring
the accused before it or hear his case.
He is absolutely subject to the al bl-
trary whim OF one mali--thc L0rd
lieutenant. Can dcspotiSm go further!
1t is true that the bill does not pro-
pose in so many words to give that
one man power over life. HIS war
rant can consign any one to imprlson-
o ment for two years, but not to the
scalfold. This is distinction without
u difference, however, for the place OF
imprisonment, its mode and circum-
stances are all under the same arbl-
trary will. He can make its condl-
ton so rigorous that death would be
the natural and inevitable conse
uuence. Not only can malice put its
handouts on the wrists OF the most
innocent man, but it can do far worse
leave him at home aud remit his
life to some prison the terrible Sc
crecv of which is imponctrable. Oh
it can vary the ingenuity of It's torture
by wrestling u child from its frantic
parents and immuring it among
thieves and felons.
The infamous enormity 0fsuch deS
potism can not be surpassed. NJ
affidavit of guilt, no charge of crime
even,-only suspicion-no indict,
ment, no bail, no counsel, no habca
corpus, no jury, no trial at all TIN
most AFFECT slave in our Southern
States could have never been tire ate,
so arbitrarily.
Such brutality might have beer
submitted to in the days of Paganism
but can civilized nations, professin
some principles of Christianity, stan
by and witness the outrage without
protest; without giving unmistakabl
signs of indignation and horror
Silence in such u case is approval
The man who hears of these thing
and says nothing is particeps crimini'
He would not be far from adoptin
the same system, if he were in powe
for he appears to find nothing strans
or reprehensible about it.
We are convinced that this will ne
be the case in America. When one
the monster, which rs yet exists
theory only, has become a Twin
practical fact, when hundreds and,
necessary, thousands Of honest me
have been put III chains, merely
strike terror into peaceful Organi2
ton that is quietly and legally w0rI
inn for its end when once orr neon