Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-17
pistol at him, and sent q ball through

ginia jury. and was acquitted. Gen.
Schofeld had instituted an investiga-
tion by commission, which was
dissolved about two weeks since.
This we suppose to be but mod
crate specimen of the mockery of
justice that is taking place every
week in the Southern States, in cases
in which the negro is party This
occurred in Virginia, the nearest of
the border States ; and the further
South We go the more likely are We
to meet with atrocities upon the ne
gro, sanctioned by public opinion,
and not condemned by the courts OF
law. The black man is not yet Sc
cure in his rights, nor does he re-
ceive equal justi ce with the white
man before the constituted tribunals
of the Southern States. The Civil
Rights Bill is dead letter, unless
Congress shall contrive some judicial
machinery by which it may be en-
forced. Even in Maryland, blacks
have lately been sold into slavery by
the sheriff, as punishment for what
the court has pronounced a crime !;
and in North Carolina they have been
whipped by scores under a law,
which, whatever be its literal import
is never enforced against any but ne
groes. A military commission, as
we all feel, is a dangerous instrument
of public Justice but cases like
these cannot be tolerated. Outrages
upon the rights of the Freedmen, of
whom the nation is the special guar
dian, must be stopped, even if it be
necessary to maintain district Judge
and marshal of the United States
in every county Of the entire South.
If there is anything, whether at home
or abroad, to which the whole power
of the Government is especially
pledged, it is to making effective the
abolition of slavery, and establishing
everywhere throughout the land the
civil rights of the negro.
Since the decision of the Supreme
Court the Military Commissions in
the Southern States, instituted to
protect the loyal whites and blacks,
have all been suspended, and the re-
suit will be a reign OF terror. All
the civil authority is in the hands of
the rebels, and if rebel commits an
outrage upon loyalist, he is screen
ed by the authorities and this will
continue so long as loyalty is at a
heavy discount in the rebel states.
Up to this time the military occupa-
tion of these states, has, in manner,
kept down the resentment of the reb-
els against the black and white 10y
alists, because the commanders at
the different posts, were ready to
order the trial, by Military Commis-
sion, of gross offenders who could
not be reached in any other way, SO
that there was a restraint upon those
crimes. Now, however, this is all
removed, and the fiends of rebeldom
can glut their vengeance to the full.
| Bat this is not the worst of it. Now
that Military Commissions have been
declared illegal, fearful onslaught
will be made ON the officers who have
been identified with them, and espe-
cially those who have composed the
commissions These will now be Ii
able to prosecution. and every rebel
rascal who has suffered at their
hands, will, in all probability, insti-
tute proceedings and especially
will this be the case in localities
where rebels and rebel sentiments
are in the ascendant. In these places
these officers will likely suffer much.
| And will not rebeldom be nice place
for while, where they can prosecute
and perhaps punish-those who
have punished them for outrages up
on the loyalists They can now burn
negro meeting houses, school houses,
and private houses to their hearts
content. They can force yellow girls
to submit to their lusts, then kill, or
sell them into slavery.
And will Congress suffer this wick
edness to go on. We trust not. The
loyal men and women Of the South,
whether white or black, must not be
deserted, for one hour, if it is possi-
BILE to help it. The necessity which
forced the military occupation of the
rebel states, for the protection of 10y
alists, is now more urgent than ever,
and we trust Congress will immedi-
ateIy provide other means for their
and security. The District Judges
and L. S. Marshals, or some other eff
fective instrumentality, should be in
stantly called into requisition.
A general delivery of criminals
will also follow this decision of the
Supreme Court. For all who have
been imprisoned by Military Commits
sions at Dry Tortugas and every