Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-12-28
LICENSE TO MURDER.

The President, by an order dated Decsm.
ber 22, has dissolved the Military Commits.
sion, held at Richmond, for the trial of DR..
James l.. Watson. The prisoner, who re-
Gently murdered n negro in Rockhridge
County, Va, has therefore been discharged
from custody, and is secured from any pun.
ishment. The facts in this case deserve to
be universally known.
lew weeks ago negro named Echols
drove violently against carriage in which
the family OF DR. Watson were riding, break
ing II, but injuring no one. The noxt day
watson went in search of the negro found
him at work in q field, and attempted to
peat him. Echols resisted and ran, pursued
by Watson, who threatened to shoot him
unless he stopped. Echols preferred flight
to struggle, and Watson drew pistol and
shot him through the body. He died in a
iew hours, The murderer then surrendered
himself and his trial in the County Court
resulted In entiro acquittal. Gen. Schofield,
before whom these facts were brought, issued
an order, under authority Of the Act OF Con-
gress OF July 10, 1865, for a Military Com.
mission in Richmond, and on the 10th inst,
Watson was brought before it. His convic.
uon, had not the President nterlered, was
certain, for he confessed that he had COM
mitted the crime
Mr.. johnson, In dssolvlng the Commls.
sion, chose to accept the recent decision OF
the supreme Court, that military trials of
civilians In the loyal States is Illegal as his
authority His Cabinet, It Is said, agrees
with him. This Interpretation will surprise
no ono, though 1t would have been better
mao test case been submitted to the Su.
preme Court from the Rebel States. We
are not yet prepared to admit that Virginia
ana Indiana stand In equal relations to the
' uovefnment. But any argument on this
point is superseded by tho fact that the
fIesldent's action has taken from the freed.
men their last hope OF protection, from their
oppressors the last fear of punishment.-
Watson killed this negro brutally. twas a
murder without a shadow of Justification.
ana freely admitted and boasted OF as An
act OF courage. Yet the civil authorities Of
virginia acquitted him Of any crime. and
virtually excluded the wanton killing of a
negro from the category of murder, He
may All anotner tomorrow, and there is no
power mat vii punish tho act. This is not
~ ~ exceptional casei In Georgia three hun.
ureu freedmen have been killed since Christ.
mas, 1858, and but three of their murderers
nave peen punished by the civil courts. Our
correspondent at Savannah writes. under
uate OF December 19th:-"It would be lust
as sasy TO get jury In the State OF New
ork to convict person of manslauohter
ior shooting mad dog, as to get a iury OF |
isepe,s s .i 10 nhu Rebel guilty upon a charge !
OF killing a negro. Sweeping as this asser. |
Iion may be, the escape of Watson is an in.
othncs oil It's truth, as the New Orleans maa |
sacre, the acquittal of Perrin. in Columbus
county, Georgia, of the murder of Henry |
Thomas, and hundreds OF other cases are
proofs. The civil courts in the Rebel States
positively refuse to try such cases. while in
me lew cases where the fear of military In.
reference has induced them to parade the
Iofm OF duty, the jury has acquitted the
prlhoner without the pretence OF delibera-
.,on. NO more need be said; we may SIM
1eht Johnson puts upon the decision of the
supreme Court, whether it be right or wrong
mas ielt the freedmen without q particle OF
legal protection The whole subject must
come before Congress, which will not, we
may hope, neglect its duty of immediate
action.-N J. Tribune. ''''''