The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-03-18
wAsnNeroN. D. O. MAncn IS, 1s0l.


Mn. BLANE's RATHER hasty denuncia-
tion Of the people Of New Orleans (Which,
by the way, lie perhaps regretted neXt
day. has laid the foundation for vast
deal Of newspaper speculation. II is easy,
nov, TO erect very pretty little structure
NJ on the assumption that Mr.. BLAINE
and the President are vastly shocked at
the events of Saturday last, and he must
he a correspondent of very inferior ingcn-
uity who cannot improvise at any length
upon that theme We doubt, however,
whether oven the impulsivo telegram sent
by our brilliant Secretary of State to the
Governor of Louisiana affords an adequate
basis for such flight Of fancy as we find
in the Washington correspondence of the
New York HerdH to-day:
! am authoritatively told that every.
thing which has passed between the two
Governments through their respective
legations at Washington and Rome has
proceeded on the full assumption and un-
derstanding that no complaint is made
against the Federal Government. Mr..
BLAINE has expressed to Baron FAvA and
also through Minister PORTER ut Rome
the horror and indignation of the Presi-
dent at the occurrences of last
Saturday, his sympathy with the
Italian Government and his nation and his
desire and intention that nothing within
his power shall be left undone to bring
the malefactors to punishment. The
Italian Government has expressed its APP
preciaiion Of the prompt and considerate
action of the President. The question of
indemnity has not been officially raised
hy Italy The first solicitude of the
Marquis of RtDtNf. as reported to Mr..
BLAINE, has been for the safety of the
Italian community at New Orleans, and
his second for legal retribution upon the
leaders of Saturdays mob.
Now, is 1t likely that Mr.. BLAINE,
speaking for himself and the President,
has expressed horror and indignation at
the occurrences of Saturday." He did so
in,bis telegram to Governor NICHOLS on
the day of the tragedy ITSELF but, now
that he has had time to consider the con-
sequences of committing himself to an
opinion before he is fully Informed as to
the facts, is it probable that he has re-
peated an act of such questionable wisdom?
II is also asserted that Mr.. BLAINE
pledges himself to leave nothing undone
10 bring the malefactors to justice. What
can Mr.. BLAINE do or leave undone in the
premises? Does not Mr.. BLAINE know
does not even the Jie,utd correspondent
know--thai the matter rests entirely with
tie local authorities? And then comes
this rot about the Marquis pr RupiNfs
solctude as TO the safety OF the Italian
community mt New Orleans What has
occurred to cause any such solicitudc ?
Has any Italian been harmed, threat
ered or even insuited? Has any prop
crty been destroyed or any flag out
raged--except the American Ilag, which
was torn from the signal pole on the river
front of New Orleans, in order that some
sicilians might run up their own flag to
celebrate the acquittal of the assassins
and the triumph Of the Malta?
II seems strange that this most lament
able affair cannot be accurately stated ant
intelligcntly discussed. No one is asket
to condone the action of the New Orlean.
people or even to refrain from condemninl
il. All that is asked is that the case may
be truthfully and clearly put, and sc
judged upon its merits. New Orleans ha.
been cursed by band of thugs and cut
throats-the very criminals whom the
Italian Government had driven
from Italy at the point of th,
bayonet. These ruflians have beer
plundering at will, numbering wher,
they could not plnnder, and 81
paralyzing the ordinary agencies of or
ganized society as to enjoy immunity
New, Orleans has borne the curse fol
thirty years or more, and at last, whel
it'beeame intolerable, rose up and smot,
il. That is the whole case. There il
nothing else in it, There has been n,
menace 10 the Italian colony, no ill-wil
toward the Italian nation, nothing bu
am execution Of few notorious outlaw
and assassns whom the Italian gen dt,'
mrie would have shot down like so man,
vsrmin had they not made good the
flight to America.
truce to hnmbug and gush aoi mis-
representation