Year: 1859

~,


THE DELTA AND THE CRESCENT.


In Tuesday mornings Crescent we commented
at length upon an article which appeared in the
Delta the Sunday previous. The reading of the ar
ticle gave US anything but pleasure, for we con
sidered it highly infammatory, and solely calcu-
lated to aggravatc existing evils and alleged evils,
without paving the way. indicating desire to
pave the way, to the accomplishment of solitary
good result. We also alluded to the we-known
historical fact, that such articles such incendiary
defamation, such efforts to rouse the passions Of
the multitude, and stimulate them to deeds of vio-
lence, invariably appeared, within the last four or
five years. short time previous to the taking place
of important State and municipal elections. In
doing this were actuated by no uncharitablc
spirit. We were only discharging what we con
ceved to be our hounden duty as journalists


And, before proceeding further, we will state
that the Crescent will maintain its consistency unto
the end, matter what others may do. IL has
ever been the advocate of law and order. 1t al
ways will remain the advocate of law and order.
1t has ever opposed lawlcssneas and violence and
it ever will oppose lawlessness and violence. In
these particulars it can proudly point to unfair
nished record, and no matter what political errors,
if any, it may have inadvertently fallen into, it
never countenanced nALbordnation to law en-
couragcd resistance to the regularly constituted
authorities Of the land or patronizcd or shielded
men who were known to be unworthy. When any
of our neighhors can point to clearer, pnrer or
a better record, we shall be prepared to take of
our hat and bow in sincere admiration to superior
excellence and superior consistency but not be-
fore.


We will now recur to the article in Sundays
Delta, and quote sentences therefrom which do no
injustice to the context, 1--WE published the whole
article Tuesday morning. showing that it was in
fammatory and incendiary in its letter and spirit.
Starting ont with the assumption that there were
unlnistakabe symptoms of rowdyism, which were
intended to operate the next election, which
would prevent fair expression Of the popular
will, the Delta proceeds to suggest that rowdies
and rullians be notified and impressed in some en-
phatic Manner etc, and that this information
must be communicated to them before the cleo
ton" Now, here is a direct recommendation that
the laws be suspended the officers of the law
ignored, the jurisdiction of the courts set at
naught, and that unauthorized citizens proceed to
take all matters in their own hands without regard
to law Judge, jury or any rule appertainng to the
usages of civilized society. We have no sympathy
with ''rowdcs and rnfians." We never have had, ,
and never shall have. But, they should receive
their deserts through the regular process Of law
and in New Orleans it is swift and terrible, as the
records of the First District Court unmistakaby
demonstrate. Notwithstanding the anmalversions
of ignorant or preudiced censurers, the records of
the court prove that the administration of criminal
justice in this city is more efficient than in any
other metropolis of the size in the whole broad
confederacy.


Further along in the same article, the Delta said
that ''the best mode of imparting ~ this informa-
ton twill be to show that the citizens are organ
lied and prepared as they were in San Francisco
etc, and that ait arW not do to put this lesson off
until the day of the eection.''
Here is another distinct recommendation that a
Vigilance Committe be formed that the laws be
trampled under foot, that the mandates of the
courts be defed, and that reasonable tribunal
organized in secret and unknown to the general
people, proceed to usurp executive, judicial and
other functions, and put to death, or otherwise
punish, those who have been, unheard and unde-
Tended, tried and condemned in privacy. The
reference to San Francisco is unmistakable, as are
the other suggestions to which we have alluded.





gent and candid men that the article in Sunday S
Delta was alike intlammatory and ncendary and
uncaed-for, by any present or probable emer-
geney, (uness the election of Senators and Repre-
sentatves to the Legislature favorable to the re-
election of John Sdell, is considered more import
ant than the preservation of law and order, and
the prevention of anarchy and bloodshed,) we will
proceed to notice the response of the Delta of
yesterday morning to our Tuesdays structures upon
its article of Sunday morning.
The Delta, of yesterday morning, evidently
alarmed at the consequences likely to flow from
its bloody pronunciamento of Sunday, strives to
excuse itself, and devotes nearly column to spe
cial pleading and to the Crescent Its excuses and
! its special pleadings do not avail it. They are
lame, inconsistent, and broadly tinged with the
ludicrous. The first paragraph of the article is
rich affair. 1t says: 1.-The Delta pleaded in behalf
| of a peaceful election" Unsophistcated, inno-
cent Delta! What nice, little sheep you are,
scantily covered with VOLTS skin You want a
peaceful election" Of course you do. And to
| obtain purely peaceful election you intimate
that Vigilance Committee is rather desirable,
and suggest that citizens form themselves into
| associations beyond and above the law Certainly
that's the way to promote peace. If you want to
keep men in good temper, just tell them YOU are
going to knock them down first, and hang them
afterwards and the end will be ACCOMPLISHED. OF
course it will. No doubt, then, "peaceful' times
will prevail But what kind of peaceful times?
Has the Delta ever reflected about that? What
kind of order and peace does it desire? There are
several sorts. Russian Marshal once sent dis
patch to his Emperor that "Order reigned in War
saw "Ordcr" did reign in Warsaw and peace
reigned supreme there, too. But the streets were
running gutter-full with human gore, and the glare
of blazing dwellings illuminated the heavens Is
that the description of peace and order our cotem-
porary would have?


The second paragraph needs little notice, unless
on account of its inconsistency and awkwardness.
The Delta says:


We simply called upon citizens, without respect
of party or ticket for public Office, to proclaim
themselves in advance firmly and effectively on the
side of peace and law and ORDER and thus notify
election rowdies and ruians that their armed inter
ference would not be permitted and that the dis
graceful system of outrage which they are organ
ized to carry out would be no longer endured.


No you didn't. Allow lis to refresh your memory,
You advised in your Sunday article, g citizens
to 'tdhe matters IN Their OWN HANDS," and that
certain denounced parties be "notified and i'm
pressed in some emphatic n,dnne','' etc.. and that
this information mast be communicated to them
before the election That is what you said, and