The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-04-07
r,a New Kuklux Bill.

THE New Kuklux Bill.
.,...rsER, a. we stated yester-
,.i,hdrew on Wednesday bis bill as orr
s,;raIlv presented, and offered SUBSTITUTE.
Toh.ve read this new bin with wonder
nd .dmiration. II is atollcally ingenious.
We we're about TO say that IL is d'abol'caiis
constitutional. It reminds us OF thc SCI
,,,o,s of the Rev. PARKER PlLLsBURf' Kew
~ u. CONWAY. Rev. THEopoRE PARKER
,,, Roy. T. W. HlGGINsoS-als OF winch
,,,,,,hies wear the cloth OF cierSymen tha'
,rcy NAV more etectuaIIy DO Inc WORN VI
the devil. For instance, flLLSBtkf ao.c-
.,;d preached a sermon In Ilhcla"a''
t,w SUNDAYS since. in which he spoke OIL
,,o n;h)e and OF Christians Sehcrai'!
{, tho most contcmrtu"uS terms nc
,>r,,,hcd neacc. goodness. love Tor Goa anu
nun ssniratious after higher life, and all
,h.t s,,rt Of thing: but he did all he could
tn bring about n state OF things IN "hich
none OF those virtues or characteristics
vou;d hc possible. In word, PlLIsBURf
p. ,hed the work of the devil in the garb OF
On angel Thus does SHELLABARGER en-
yrap an unconstitutional bin IN the very
language OF the Constitution Itself. We
have never seen more ingenious produc-
,i,n. 1t throws BEAST BUTLER's Efforts In
The same line completely into the shade.
If the bill were not SO long we would
publish II as curiosity-one especially IL
tere>tinc to lawyers. As, however, II IS
very long, and will not pass III lis present
shane. we shall await the action of the
House of Representatives before PUBLISH
Ing il.
The first section Is rs in the original bill.
The second commences with the ridiculous
IL absurd. yet strictly constitutional, phr;'-
scology that "if two Or more persons WILL
ain any State or Territory OF the United
Estates shall conspire together to over
throw, or TO put down, or to destroy by
"force The Government Of the United
Estates, or to levy war against the United
Estates" &C., &c. Now, the reader may
laugh US much as he pleases at the idea OF
.t,co persons" conspiring to destroy or to
make ,rdr upon the Federal Government,
vet he must confess that if they do so con-
spire they are obnoxious to punishment i'll
the Federal courts, and he must further ac-
knowledge that the bill is quoad hoe con-
sti,utioual one. Now, the dirbolical huge
nuity of this bill, of which we have before
spoken, consists in the fact that it carries
these two persons al, the way through the
bill In this guise, and the reader i puzzled
to know when il loses its c0n>liluiona!ltr,
or. rather, just at what point, like FAUST
Wi. ha devil
bill throws of the natural man aud appears
IN the form guaranteed to it by his Satanic
majesty. The bill goes on to deEounce
penalties against these two men II they do
aught in coutrayention of the laws Of the
United States, (and all parties admit thai
Congress may prescribe the punishment for
such offences,) but, after protecting Fcde-
1ul officers. Federal courts. Feeders! jurors.
and witnesses in Federal courts, it pro-
ceed> to prescribe pIni.hmcnts for The
same persons If they con>pirc TO deprive
negroes of their rights, privileges, and i'm
ulunities. All of the first part was put in
TO hide this last feature.
The next section is still more ingenious.
Il provides that IF the constituted au-
lDOllll'S Oh SuNll '~litt Sf'll cllHci p' u'i-
liable TO, or shall from any cause, fail i'll or
"refilSe protection OF the people in such
rights, and shall fail or neglect, through
"he proper authorities, to apply to the
President Of the United State for aid in
"that behalf such facts shall he deemed 4
denial by such State Of the equal protcc-
ton Of the laws to which thcya entitled
under the fourteenth articl" Of amend
"n,ents TO the Constitution Of the United
"statcs,' and the President may send his
troops TO such State Wi;ho being asked 10
do So either hy the Governor or the Lcgis-
ature which, the reader will understand,
Is II devious and wicked manner of making
that appear constitutional which Is really
unconstitutional. This section completely
tanks the position assumed by Governor
WALKER In his correspondence with Gen.
CAHDY, and gives TO The President the
power 10 interfere for the enforcement of
the laws whenever he chooses.
The fourth section gives the President
the power to suspend the writ Of habeas
corpus whenever he pleascs.
The whole bill is worthy of its Radical
authors, and disgrace to the American
Congress.