The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-20
COLIJMBIA, S. C..



Sunday Morning, June 2Os 1889.
===4=-===============
The trisl OF Richardson and Gray.
members OF the Legislature, {botti ne-
groes,) for the murder Of Dallas Smith,
has beenfconcluded, and, their prompt
acquittal by a jury of twelve negroes
! been declared, The facts of this murder
hare been sifted ON two occasions the
frst Of which at last term,p court prov
5 ing q misstrialr we do not propose in
this second, trial TO- consider tho testi-
1mony, its weight or directness, its nature
aor conclusiyeness. the guilt or innocence
of the accused. AS public record in its
entire bearing, it open to the scrutiny Of
all; but it lies in our province to COM
sment upon the character and qualifica-
tions of these twelve negroes in their
capacity as jurors; to estimate and do.
termine upon the grave issue of life and
death. "Coming events cast their
shadows before them," and the empan-
neling Of twelve negroes-the foreman
selected probably in Difference to his
, superior intelligence-whom we know to
be ignorant and iliterate, was amply suf.
fcient to detstmine, in our opinion, the
manner in which the verdict would fell. 1t
was 30 complete an axiom, so clear de-
tductions thasw hazard the assertion that
al believed the verdict to be foregone
conclusion In this trial. such questions
OF evidence, such contradictions of loca-
tion and position Of witnesses, such COM
plicated technicalities arose, that we deem
il fair Inference that their determine
ltion--one requiring nice discrimination
and well-balanced judgment was immea-
surably beyond the intelligence and COM
prehensions of this chosen twelve. Their
gross incompetency, the blind allegiance
of the negro to his race and color, and
the claims of party, were so many land
marks to show what result would inevi-
tably follow.
Whether Richardson was guilty or not,
we hold that the negro jury who decided
the issue was utterly and thoroughly un.
ft to pronounce, in judgment. We do
not touch the conduct OF the case, the
management of the attorneys or the
charge of the Judge; we simply assert
and maintain that in such a grave and
solemn issue. involving intricate details
of law and evidence, calling forth the
most delicate exercise of nice and accu-
rate judgment; with the sign-posts of
the previous trial before them, that the
provision of a negro jury to retry this
case, pointed clearly to the nature of the
verdict. Inany event, the empanneling
of such q jury was disastrous to the
cause of justice, and the truthful inves-
tigation of q great crime. The appoint
ment of this jury might have been legal
i. e., might. have been in accordance
with some supposed le,O recently enacted
by some supposed authority in South
Caroline. Bnt q law that leads to such
results is simplya monstrosity, and the
authority which called it into being Al
patent ,enormity against all good govern
ment, the peace Of society, the inte gritty
of the great principles of the law, and q
hagrant outrage. upon tho people of South
Carolina. The trial itself, as soon as the
jury was selected, (according to the law,
as we are assured,) was regarded as n
sham, and some, at least, of the counsel
engaged, abandoned the grave issue to
its certain fate----a rea'dict Of "not guilty."
Can it be possible that in the 10Th CEN
try ~,
nothing can be done to roll back the
black race, with its auxiliaries, composed
of Northern adventurers and Southern
renegades, from overwhelming right,
justice, law, and the very life and being
of our State and people?
----<~4S----
A VARIED. SPEUTAcLE.---While the
Yankees are copgregated in Boston by
the thousands to sing of speace, the