The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1868-06-15
OpInsen OF Judge Yerser.
--JxcKsuS, Miss, Junes. 1868.
GEN. JOHN d. FREEMAN,

Dear Sir i'm reply to your question of
this date state that by the common law
tconspiracy is defined TO be any combine
ton, confederacy or league of two or more
nersons for corrupt and Illegal purpose or
for effaeting lawful purpose by the use of
unlawful s means. All confederacies or
leagues whatever, wrongfully to prejudice
third persons or the public, are highly
criminal at the common law. Conspiracies
have always been greatly reprobated, and
every person participating in them is sub
iect TO Indictment or information, and on
conviction may be fined or imprisoned or
both fined aud imprisoned. If two or more
persons unite together to effect any illegal
purpose it is conspiracy. Any league or
combination of two more persons to oh
struct pervert or defeat the course of public
Justice, to iniure the public health or to eff
feet any public mischief is a conspiracy,
and as such may be indicted.
The free exercise of the right to vote, or
of the elective franchise" as it is called, is
of the utmost importance To the public. On
it, depends the maintenance of free gov
ernments and the safety of the State ANY
attempt to interfere with its exercise by
fear threats or intimidation of any kind or
to deceive and defraud the voter as to his
rights and duties, is a great public wrong,
and cannot be too highly stigmatized or
punished. And 1.-two or more persons mite
purpose of intimdating voters or by means
of secret pledges or oaths not prescribed by
law. to bind the voters to pursue a particu
lar policy, to vote for a particular party. or
to support particular man or class of men,
nr by means of bribery, or threats. or intim
idation of any kind, to prevent the free ex-
ercise by every one, of the right to vote.
Snch persons and every one of them COM
bining or leagueing togeth her, are guilty of
the crime of conspiracy, and may be Indie
ted for it.
have no personal knowledge of the pur-
pose or objects of the secret political asso-
Citations they call Loyal Leagues"
That they are secret political associations
their members to conceal from
the public their objects and pnrl oses-is
to arouse grave douhts in the minds
IF all right-thinking men-of their IL ality
and propriety; and if it he true as you have
been informed, that they bind their members
10y secret oath, to vote only for their party
and threaten punishment of any
kind, upon those who break the pledge. If
it he true, as you have been informed, that
they are leagued together for the purpose of
particular class of the eommu-
nifty from voting any ticket except such as
may be agreed upon by their party-and
that to effect that purpose, they use threats
Ut intimidation, of any kind. or adopt any
other means to deceive or mislead the voter
anu prevent bhe Tree eNerCise oi MS Juug-
ment, then they are certainly, IN the highest
legree criminal. and as such should be indicted
and severely punished. The ballot box can
not be left too free. The right TO vote freely.
without fear, tire rs, or intimidation, cannot
be too carefully guarded; and every one who
JOINS ANY SOCIETY OR LEAGUE, for
the purpose by means If intimidation. threats,
ear, or SECRET UATHS, of preventing or
lettering voters from the free ex rcise of the
light of suffrage, is guilty of HIGH CRIME
against the peace and well being of the tate,
md should be subjected to the PENALTIES |
prescribed by law. sa#
Respectfully. r
WILLIAM YERGER