Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-24
THE NEW ORLEANS LYNCHING,

Gov. Nichols Letter, q Bare Statement Of
Facts, Will Hardly Prove Satisfactory.
After all the delay and the consequent ex-
| pectation, Gov. Nichols letter to Secretary
Blaine in regard to the New Orleans lynching
is somewhat of disappointment. 1t does not
add single item Of interest to the situation
nor does it even advance enough origi-
nal ideas to allow one to surmise
on which side of the case he
stands. 1t is letter that any totally disin-
terested individual might write on a subject
| that does not concern him in the least being
mere recital of fact without the slightest
| shade Of comment. The only valuable point
adduced in the letter is his opinion that three
of the men who we're lynched were Italian SUBJ
jects, and this fact has already been practically
demonstrated.
1t was not generally expected by the State
Department folks-not the Secretary partic-
ularly-that such calm. diplomatic letter
would come from the governor, who, it was
feared, might possibly have taken umbrage at
the vigor Of Mr.. Blaine's language. The
governor appears to have taken grave counsel
| on the case and to have carefully weighed
every word and term in his reply.
WILL IT PROVE SATISFACTORY?
Just how far his letter will be satisfactory to
Baron Fava remains to be seen. The governor
makes no promises that the lynchers will be
punished, and in this his attitude NAV be
a disappointment. to the representative of
| the outraged government" 1t is quite
apparent from tine letter that the
governor has done all that he feels
called upon to do. and this view of the case
may strike the minister as not being enough of
policy His first appeal to Mr. Blaine was a
strong one, and, though couched in diplomatic
language. it left no doubt of his intense in
| terest. As the case rests now it will be in
| cumbent upon the minister to urge his original
demands for PREPARATION with even increased
fervor and zeal. inasmuch the slightest let-up
| in his action reflects back upon his government.
or else he must make total abandonment In
such a case a middle course on the part of the
complaining minister is considered to be IN
diplomatic.
OF course, as the case is now under investipa-
ton in the New Orleans courts, the minister
may be quietly advised by his friends to saw
nothing on the subject until settlement is
reached, but there is no accounting for the
freaks Of diplomacy. No one knows what the
next step may be.
THE LETTER IN FULL.
The full text OF the letter is as follows
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, STATE OF LOUISIANA,
BARON RoUaE, March 81, 1891.
Hon. JAS. q. BLAINE. Secretary of State
Washington, D. c.:
Sir: At a late hour on the 18th instant / re
ceived a dispatch from you. having reference
to the forcible breaking, OH the 18th OF this
month, of the Jail in this city. and the killing
of eleven persons confined therein. under in
dictments found in the criminal district court
for the parish of New Orleans.
You stated to me that it had been repre-
sented to the President by the minister Of italy
accredited to the government of the United
States that among the killed on that occasion
of ba ing ~ TtaIx
The telegram discloses an apprehension on the
part of the minister evidently shared in BY the
President, that the disturbance was con-
! tinuous and swelling disturbance which might
involve the Italian subjects in New Orleans.
have reason to believe that the hope ex-
pressed by the President that would cooper
ate with him in maintaining the obligations Of
| the United States toward Italian subjects who
| might be within the perils of the excitement,
and that further violence and bloodshed might
be prevented. was based upon that belief. The
President further expressed the hope that all
offenders might be promptly brought to JUS
| tice.
| On the 10th telegraphed you that there was
| no excitement in the city at the time, and that
l saw no reason to anticipate further trouble
L also stated that the action taken was directed
against particular individuals and that the race
or nationality Of the parties did not enter as .
| factor into the disturbance.
A week has passed since the date Of NV dis
patch, and the opinion then entertained as to the
termination Of the trouble has proved to have
| been well founded. The men killed as
have stated, were confined in prison
under indictments found in the criminal
| district court for the parish of Orleans;
the sheriff has made his return of the facts to
that court; the judge thereof has charged the
grand jury now in session in regard to the mat
ter, and the whole subject is, assume, now un-
der Investigation by that body.
am satisfied that most of the persons killed
were American citizens, but il is probable that
two or three were italian subjects.
| / have the honor to be-
Very respectfully,