The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-10-12

date with one exception. For more than
thirty five years the Chief Justice has never
engaged in politics; but when the revolu-
tionary principles of The Frank Blair De-
mocracy were presented to the people, he
wrote a letter, not to a party, but to the Con-
servative men of North Carolina warning
them of the dangers ahead, and advising
them to course calculated to secure peace
and quietudc to the country. Those DEM
ocratic principles were discarded by the
people, but they were not abandoned by
their friends. g 1gdaH las 5H5aai ,er1
They were no longer presented in public
party platforms, butsthey constituted the
bonds of union for secret political organiza-
tions and resulted in tM horrid deeds of
the Kuslux Brotaerhoods. "a gQyi@5K
When the folly and madness of the parti-
zan spirit engenderedlb the rebellion shall
have passed away,1z,tthis letter of Judge
Pearson's will be regaftled hE all good men,
as q timely, wise, able, al ttriotic pro-
duction. ~ 40 ta1sa0 issB 81
y Tho principle charge show made against
Judge Pearson BY Some Democratic politi-
clans, is, Ssthat he was tool Of Gov. Hol-
den in the Kuklux cases." We will briefly
examine this charge, and calmly and dis
passionately State the facts upon which it is
founded. For more than year Kukldxism
riotcd in outrage and crime n oF wqL
= In many neighborhoods there was per-
feet "-Reiglfi Of Terror" Citizens were
scourged,, INITIATED and murdered. The
arm of public justice could not reach the
fendisil criminals, and fear and strange
apathy silenced the voice of puldic condem-
nation, and even little sympathy was ex
pressed for the sufferers A mans house
was no longer his castle of defense, ,-and
the weakness and helplessness of cripples,
women and children, did not protect them
from violence. The seourge-the halter
the torch and the assassin'si knife were the
instruments of destructiong-the execution
ers we're :lad in frightful disguises :-and
midnight was the hour of execution. Many
| of the officers of the law were members Of
the Klan,-and combination, conspiracyland
perjury rendered the Courts utterly powerless
to punish these crimes. Although crimes
and outrages which shocked every feeling of
decency and humanity were frequent, nu-
merous and aggravated, not single Kuklux
had been convicted and punished. These
crying evils required stringent Legislation.
and the Legislature to meet the emergency
invested the Governor with extraordinary
powers. Two Counties were declared by
the Governor to be in State of insurrection
snd he called out military force to suppress
violence and crime Various persons wert
arrested in those Counties as insurgents ane
nthey applied to the Chief Jnstice for writ
eof aa6eas corpus. l--rag II b3s3erUJid7
" afhe writs were promptly issued but ODE
dience was refused by the military officer
under orders from the Governor. The Chic
JustIcc ffad no power 10 enforce obedicnc
but the posse comitatus of the Counties ii
which the prisoners were held in custody =
and by Virtue of the proclamation of tn
Governor these posse comitati were insurgents
The Chief Justice lexerted all the mora
pJJwvcr he possessed by clearly and explicit
expounding the law and fully defining tn
duties Of the Governor If he had calle'
into ieduisition physical force from the othe
IConnties, his act. would have been an usul
patton of autliority,-and an encroachmen
upon the constitutional rights and power
. of the Legislature and .Executive,-and j
| all probability would have produced civi
Ewar.' Must the Chief Justice be condemne
because he paid obedience, to the law as b
! found it, and refused to yield to public clame
| and nsurp a power which would haS
plunged the country into strife and blood
shed? When the Governor made return
the writs Of habeus corpus, the law was dul
! administered ;=zssme Of therprisoners wei
discharged and Others were bound, over
/. \ the courts for, trial Can any unprejudice
E man find fault, with the conduct of the Chi
: Justice in his investigation of the 9TH
Kuk * cases2- The evidence disclosed
' wild pread and horrid combination an
b conspiracy against the government and Il
p peace and good order of society, and Il
r lyprcper administration of the law. Will al
! patriot and good citizen extenuate such o
e jects and crimes II and apologize for, ar
g shield the criminals from merited pnnis
!, menta asiU iassg.q sil lsi.ydk le
It Selfish and unscrupulous politicians mi
J. rave; and licentious party papers may co
jgt,nue to pour out their vile abuse, but tn
n cannot permanently tarnish the high chs
d ,acter, of the Chief Justice or obscure 7
J. luster of bis fame as a Judge. He has alb
% fearlessly and faithfully performed his hi
~ duty .spask difficult apd trying circul
re stances; and he nesd feakno eondelnnati
l. at the bar of an enlightened. patriotic al
g. Exirtuous public opinion, r, ~
1t The Chief Justice IS scontinually threaten
n will, impeachment Iftbe madness of par
m zeal should induce the Legislature to il
p peach him, he will stand forth as the repl
ies sentative of law, justice, truth and 60
A. NgoYernment; and history VIII say that
Re abler, firmer, and more noble man was neN
,e aarraigncd, for trial before a political tribun
H. If therecord OF the trial speaks the tru
nc. the charges should be in substance:
st 1st. He opposed secession and rebellion
as n I'd, He withstood the despotism Of
w. Confederate Government. and in spite
| menaces and party clamor, maintained
E. laws of the land and the rights Of the hu
Of, ble and oppressed citizen. /, ,a..,s--
al Sd. He ably and eloquently appealed