The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-07-14
Military Justice se-Calledsr

ops Of the victims of the Military Com
mission that lynchpd certain persons ac-
cused of numbering Mr.. Lincoln, has made
an appeal to the public. His name is
Spangler, carpenter, who was employed
at Ford's theatre, and was there in his
functions on the night Of the assassination.
He vas pardoned By President johnson,
upon the general belief of his innocence
Of the crime OF which he was accused We
have already mentioned his statement, and
we recur to it, because its authenticity was
impueed by the Press Of this city. in an ed
itoriaI of Yesterday. If the narrative is
not genuine, we will be glad to help in ex-
posing it, but the Press seems to base its
opinion on its opinion on the internal evi-
dence of the facts stated in it by Mr. Span.
gler. But a telegram from Washington,
also published 10 the Press, very much
modified the editorial assertions in that pa
per. If as the telegram states, Mr. Span
eler merely received from a newspaper re-
porter some help in the relation OF his case
this is what very commonly happens ard
does not in the least invaiidnte the truth
of the statements. In fact they need Cause
no discussions, for they are VIGOROUSLY true,
and Imost people have o. cotemporaneous
recollection of them. Those wh", have
not. NAV find them all in the official report
Of the trial, published by Mr.. B. Perley
poore. That Spangler and others were
kent with their heads in bags, and that the
prisoners, intending an old lady, now uni
gersaiiy recognized as innocent, were every
day brought chained and manacled into
the presence of the so-caled court. these
infamous and disgraceful facts are not new
as now stat, d by Spangler, but they-all live
in history, to the disgrace of our county.
For it is now some centuries since the
principle was recognized in civilized jnris-
p,udence that an accused person is not to
be treated as guilty till otter conviction by
Lawful tribunal Another principle as
sacred is that in his defence the prisoner
il not to be burdened with chains or other
wise impeded or barassed. Any real court
Of our day in England or America would
deem itself grossly insulted if pri- onrr
were brought before it in irons. Not SO the
ignorant brutal partisans. who made a
inockery ofjestice in this case. Even the
world renowned suavity of Reverdy John
son failed to molify them. He Was driven.
with insult from the side of his client, and
she was, as all now admit. butchered in
contempt of law and evidence. We
heartily wish that the Press could rail
these facts from off the records. but there
thew We do not wish tn be To he Sc.
we're OH the men who did Mr.. Stanton's
bidding on the occasion. They were men
of small note, and they were Jealous to d"
what was expected of them. We have
suggested the best excuse for them at the
beginning Of this article. 1t was case of
lynching,' countenanced ty public ex-
citemert This was taken advantage Of
by Stanton to inaugurats this accursed
system of military trials which, had not
Andrew johnson revolted at it, would
have helped to establish Radical deS-
potism on the ruins of civil liberty and
iustice. The plot failed but whenever
we see one OF its instruments again at
work we vii den"uece it in the name of
liberty. The impatient attempt to take
the lives of citizens by C,uits martial is
now renewed at the South. 10 Texas, II
negro fell in brawl. and the other party to
it is tried by court martial Colonel Crane
military officer, Mayor oe jackson, is
killed, and picked numier of military
officers try the citizen accused of his muir
der Nay, without waiting for The result
of their Investigations, General Ulysses
Grant anticipates, OF, rather, suggests 1t
by military order. that the son of Col.
Crane, q recently murdered" shall be nd-
United to the Military Academy. 1t did
not need this opinion upon case on trial
from the man who is to review it, before the
you h could be sent to school. But thus,
cases that excite public feeling are not
dealt with regularly and calmly, in the in
terest of true Justice, but are seized upon
ereedily, as means of establishing an un-
lawful and dangerous system We speak
with no other feeling than that of regret
for the death of Colonel Crane which how
ever, is related in the Southern papers with
circumstances .iat legal tribunal would
probably regard as in some degree mitjga-
ting the offense charged. But the great
principles of law should not be sacrificed
TO temporary excitement. If Mayor Fox
should lall by the hand OF a Radical assas-
sin (which for the sake of this city. may
Heaven furbid,) we would deem it no sat.
isfaetion to have the accused party tried by
q dozen selected Policemen instead of by
the lawful tribunals Of the land. Yet this
is no more than what is done in the case
Of the Mayor of jackson. 20 when Mr.
Lincoln fell, a certain number of victims
were lawessly inundated to his memory
of whom some were probably guilty, and
others were certainly innocent. But lie,
not law and decency be again outraged
with like spectac g. The country is sicl
of this military mockery, nick-named mill
tary justice Philadelphia Age.