The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1896-01-04
THE CASE or DUDoussA r.

N. O. States.
The refusal of Gov. Foster, after
thorough and patient investiga-
ton, to grant q reprieve to Numa
Dudoussat. "ne of the convicted
aldermen of the city. appears to
have narrowed up the feelings of 4
number of persons, who have be-
seiged the Chief Executive with tel
egrams protesting against his action.
The Times. Democrat this morning
printed \ number of these dis
patches, and to say the least of it
they are actually insolent in their
tone. The Governor of Louisiana,
however. is not q man to be bu1lied
or driven out of any course his judg-
ment may prompt him to take. He
has been grossly abused on one
hand for taking time to consider the
merits of the application of the con-
victed alderman, and to inquire into
his power to deal with it; and now,
having done his whole duty, he is
to be roundly abused on the other
hand for doing what he believed to
be right. Gov. Foster can. face this
double assault from contradictory
quarters. He has decided the ques-
ton and the result is that the miser-
able convict must serve his term in
the penitentiary.
For this creature we have not one
particle of sympathy. For misery
and want and sorrow and suffering
goes out in pity; but never for the
criminal. 1t has been urged that
Dudoussat is not a man of fine intel
%hok h h. 01ois
upon the compassion of his fellow
excuse for criminal acts. Human
without the least mercy. Heaven
alone is the judge who can forgive
or condone acts of criminality.
Dudoussat was perfectly well aware
of the nature of the crime for which
he is now to serve a term in the pen
itentiary; he knew that he was ac-
cepting a bribe, and he knew that
to accept a bride is a violation of
the law. He knew that he was be-
trayifg a sacred trust conflded to
him by his fellow citizens, and he
knew that if he were caught he
would be punished. There is not a
single ground on which a petition
for clemency can be laid.
But while we have no pity for the
criminal, for his unhappy wife and
children, we have the sincerest SYM
patby and tie deLth of that sympa-
thy is as the measure of condemna-
ton of him. When a man aban-
dons honor and truth for a criminal
career, dragging down his innocent
wife and children, he is to be doub-
ly damned, and all human pity and
sympathy are due to them and not
to him.
In this matter Gov. Foster has
acted as an upright, fearless servant
of the people. If he had been un-
der obligation to the Ringsters, he
would have been crowded into CON-
pliance with their wishes; and in
deed they seem 20 have brought or
attempted to bring tremendous
pressure upon him. But they utter
~ failed. The Ring and the Bosses
cannot dictate to Gov. Foster or
sway his judgment in any matter.
With them as we'll as W tn all other
classes of his fellow-cit.zens Gov.
Foster will deal with equal and ex-
act justice, and the claims of a fac
ton can no more deter him from
treating city politician with justice
than the demands of the Bosses can
induce him to yield to their views
or prevent him from exercising what
political influence he can legitimate
ly exercise to secure this city first
class delegation to the Legislature.
CIV. Foster Is in the saddle, and
those who seek to bulldoze him will
be apt to be ridden down.
Why suffer with Coughs, Cold and La