Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-12-14

|
| counties of that State such combina-
tions were active and powerful, en-
| bracing a sufficient portion of the citi-
zens to control the local authorities
and having, among other things, the
| Object Of depriving the Cmancipated
class Of the substantial benefits of
freedom, and of preventing the free
| political action of those citizens who
did not sympathize with their own
views. Among their operations were
frequent seouragings and occasional
assassinations, generally perpetrated
at night, by disguised persons, the
victims in almost all cases being citi-
zens Of different political sintiments
from their own, or free pers rs who
had shown a disposition to claim
equal rights with other citizens
Thousands of inofensive and we'll dis
posed citizens were the sufferers bv
this lawless violence Thereupon, on
the 18th day Of October, 1871, proc
lamation was issued, in the terms of
the law, calling upon the members of
the combination to disperse within five
days, and to deliver to the Marshal or
military officers of the United States
all arms, ammunition, uniforms, dis
guises, and other means and imple-
ments used by them for carrying out
their unlawful purposes.
This warning not having been heed
ed, on the 18th of October another
proclamat'n was issued, suspending the
privilege of the writ of hQbeaS corpus
in nine counties in that State Direc-
ton was given that within the counties
so designated persons supposed, upon
creditable information, to be members
of such unlawful combinations should
be arrested by the military forces of
the United States and delivered to the
Marshal, to be dealt with according to
law. In two of said counties, York
and Spartinburg, many arrests have
been made. At the last account the
number of persons thus arrested was
one hundred and sixty-eight. Sever
al hundred, whose criminality was as
certained to be of an inferior degree,
were released for the present. These
have generally made confessions of
their guilt. Great caution has been
exercised in making these arrests, and
Notwithstanding the large number, it
is believed that no innocent person is
now in custody. The prisoners will
be held for regular trial in the judicial
tribunals of the United States. AS
soon as it appeared that the authori-
ties of the United States were about to
take vigorous measures to enforce the
law, many persons absconded, and
there is good grounds for supposing
that all of such persons have violated
the law. A full report of what has
been done under this law will be sub
mitted to congress by the Attorney
General.
POLYGAMY-THE INDIANS.
In Utah there still remains remnant
of ba:barism, repugnant to civiliza-
ton. Territorial officers, however,
have been found who are willing to
perform their duty in the spirit Of
equity and with a due sense of sus-
tanning the majesty Of the law. Meath
er pOlygamy nor any other violation
of existing statutes will be permitted
within the territory of the United
States. 1t is not with the relig,o ,oa OF
the self-styled Saints that we are
now dealing, but their practices. They
will be protected in the worship ot
God according to the dictates of theil
consciencPs, but they will not be per-
mitted to violate the laws under the
) cloak of religion.
It may be advisable for Congress to
consider what. in the execution Of laws
against polygamy, is to be the status OF
plural wives and their offspring. The
propriety of Congress passing an en-
abIing act authoizing the Territorial
Legislature Of Utah to legitimatize all
born prior to time fixed in the act,
might be justified by it's humanity to
these innocent children. This is a
suggestion only, and not a recommen-
dation.
The policy pursued toward the In
dians has resulted favorably, so far as
can be judged from the limited time
during which it has been in operation.
Through the exertions Of the various
societies of christians to whom has
been intrusted the execution of the
policy, and the Board of Commission
ers authorized by the law of April TO-
1869, many tribes of Indians have
been induced to settle on reservations
to cultivate the soil and perform pro
: ductive labor of various kinds, and tc
partially accept civilization. They
are being cared for in such a way, it ii
2 hoped, as to induce those still pursu
ing their old habits of life to embrace
the only opportunity which is lef
them to avoid determination. rec
: ommend liberal appropriations to car
ry ont the Indian peace policy, no
< only because it is humane, Christian
like and economical, but because it i
right.
recommend to your favorable con
sideration also the policy of granting
: territorial government to the Indi
: an Territory, west of Arkansas ahC
! Missouri, and south of Kansas. Il
= doing so, every right guaranteed t.
> the Indians by treaty should be Sc
cured. Such a course might be tn
|. means of collecting most of the Indi
e ans now between the Missouri and tn
t Pacific, and south of the British Pos
S sessions, into the Territory or on
|, State. The Secretary of the Interio
:, has treated upon this subject at length
>. AMI I recommend to you his sugges
e tions.
e l renew my recommendations tina
e the public lands be regarded as heri
J. tage to our children, to be disposed @
: only as required for occupation, an
J. to actual settlers. Those alread
?, granted have been, i'll great part, dis
: posed of in such way as to secur
s access to the balance by the hardy set
n tiers, who may wish to avail himself G
1t them; but caution should be excrcis
: ed in attaining so desirable an ohjeet