New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-23

- - NJ 80 l1i u2f rs - = i1; 80
Of tjs - vfIl l y lIE liouItv 1 =
opins; biz diMculty swill bsto find an!
but his brother employees in the Custom
house, whose votes are not their own
bold enough to defend him when tn
truth is laid before them.
CLIENT AND ATTORNEY BOTH WRONG
Mr.. Reverdy johnson, who needs NJ
introduction to the readers of the REpuB
IIcAN, because he was great man lonl
years before this paper was projected, will
make less credit in his present visit t.
South Carolina than he did in his mis-
sion to England. Mr.. johnson is in Soutl
Carolina as the advocate and lawyer o
the Ku-Klux who have been indicted il
that State for violating the laws of Con
gress; and the design of his engagement
was to put his clients on trial before thu
world, rather than before the petit jury o.
an interior county of South Carolina
These criminals, for such they are, court
the notoriety of martyrs, foolishly imagin.
ing that their hair Drained lawlessness will
be accepted by humanity as an Offering in
behalf of liberty or of principle. The very
engagement of Mr.. johnson, at an e,tor-
nous expense. to go away from Maryland
to South Carolina, when all the defense
they needed could have been obtained
without cost from among the intelligent
lawyers OF their own State, is an evidence
that they felt their guilt, or that they
were willing to renew that rebellion in the
courts which they had lost in the field.
Either they are very wicked or they are
very stupid, for the engagement of Mr..
johnson exhibits disposition to employ
extraordinary means to defend themselves,
or 1t shows temper that seeks to be for
ever arraying itself in fruitless contro-
versies with the State.
The engagement of Mr.. johnson was a
mistake in two particulars. First, that it
subjected his clients to one or the other
of the suspicious which we have men
)tioned above; and secondly, that he, not
I\ppreciating the peril of the parties from
Y the facts that surrounded them, and
nFing little popularity to win for himself
aRng strangers, would do just what he
dldlo-put the defense on ground that
pieafd the prejudices of his clients, while
1t ON ded the judgment of the court and
OF makind. This ought to have been
foresea\ It is a fault that has been
commlt\d often and over in criminal
cases. vt prisoners have sought in
strange Ia yers that defense which strange
lawyers we least able to give when there
is pre]udA in the way to be got rid of.
III. JOINS appeared before the court
IN South Carfna on the wrong role at
the very outseN He thought the war was
over ana tnatprosecutions on behalf of
the governmeneShould have ended with
the proc9amatlo1Rf peace. InfAmmatory
oouth OafohnlanAhave worn this phrase
thseadoare' ana II effect Of its constant
use produced the NV offense which re.
suited in a fee to I'll lawyer from Mary
land. The Ku-Kluxbough the war was
over, but they forgot 10 Keep the peace
themselves They wen aroused by con-
slant declaration aboN their invaded |
rights to set to and invae the rights Of
others. They were exeAt from BEING
killed themselves and this\rovoked them
to kill peaceful citizens. Ne Union was
at peace, but the State wasn't war. Mr..
johnson did not comprehend this condi.
ton Of things at all, and Aerefore he
opened his argument with al offensive
challenge to the prosecution, bich will
have no other effect than to -enk roe tho
scope of the great mistake VIII was
committed when he was engaged The
American people fully understaA the
situation of affairs in South CaAina
and they have made up their nbds
to allow the Ku-Klux to be dealt within
that State to the full extent of tAr
deserts. No ad captandem declamati\
from Mr.. johnson can purge the offensiA
which the lawless Ku-Klux as1
sumed toward the government and SOY
ciety. The question at issue must be
dragged from the lofty place upon which
johnson has sought to put it,
down to a common issue between mid
night assassins and peaceful citizens.
There is no treason on trial, but merely
body of night-riding disturbers of the
public peace. These Ku-Klux are not
martyrs to any honorable principles, but
simple incendiaries, woman-whippersa and
cowardly assailants of weak men. That
is all, and the man who made all England
jovial with his speeches can not utter
eloquence enough, if he speaks from now
until doomsday, to polish his clients into
better than what they are indict-
ed for. He had better go back to Mary
land, for be is injuring a case already in
very bad odor.
DEMOCRATIC INSTRUCTIONS.
A Senator of the United States owes a
1uty to the United States, and Mr.. KEEL
Ogg did not receive his instructions from
\ hDNyN nwnt-