Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-08
Is, INDIANA no BE. DrscrrLIsEpc

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The indianapolis Journal publishes some
revelations in regard to the murder of the
Park family in Clark county, Indiana, and
the subsequent hanging of Three negroes
believed to be the murderers. This story
has liberal display Of sensational display
lines, but it appears to be mainly rehash
Of former stories and speculations. The
writer starts out with the idea that the ne
groes were not guilty, and that the perpe-
traitors OF the horrible crime have not vet
been discovered, and he labors through
several columns to establish his points.
But the most damaging thing connected
with this story, is the confession of the
Journal, which is the Radical organ
at the capital of Indiana, that the
person making these revelations sspro-
vided himself with a letter accrediting him
as the correspondent of the Cincinnati En-
q1iirer. Here is confession of forgery,
and by means of which the Journal saws its
correspondent twas enabled to establish the
most intimate and confidential relations
with several prominent Democrats Of the
county, from whom he learned most of the
facts stated in bis communication" The
evident purpose is TO injure the Democratic
party, but the Journal ought to have seen
that the community would be slow In be-
lieving selfconfessed forger without strong
supporting evidence. This confession
throws doubt upon much that is stated by
the Journals especial correspondent" But
the following confession of the Journal is
deserving of attention:
at has been evident for some time that
the officers of the localities where the bloody
tragedies have been enacted, are utterly
powerless to enforce the law. Whether
their inefficiency results from their ignor-
anee and stupidity, or is caused by the in
tuence OF the barbarians who have shocked
the sensibilities of the nation and disgraced
our State by their savage practices, makes
little or no difference. The result is the
same, and the arm Of the law is paralyzed
by the prevalent mobocratic spirit that
seems to bear undisputed sway throughout
the county," -r-,-
This shows a worse condition of affairs
than the Radicals claimed existed in South
Carolina. The writ of habeas corpus was
suspended in nine counties of that State,
and Federal troops sent there to assist in
making arrests of those charged with being
Ku-Klux. But Indiana is Northern State,
'4Oyal" State, and has never been in ''re-
bellion" against the Federal Government,
and hence the Radical Senators and Repre-
sentatives in Congress from that State have
not been importuning Grant to try the next
thing to martial law on Indiana. But the
journal threatens the people with this re-
sort. 1t says:
altogether it forms one of the bloodiest
and most diSgraceful chapters in the history
OF our State, and we again warn the paral-
yzed and cowardly ministers of the law in
Clark county that if they do not bestir them
selves to punish these crimes, power
strong and intelligent enough to accomplish
what it undertakes, will assure the per-
formance Of the neglected task"
This is probably an idle threat. But we
shall see. 1t may be that the Radical
Governor of Indiana is incompetent for the
position he occupies, and that Grant will
have to help him govern his State. Clark
is not the only county in Indiana wherein
''the arm Of the law is paralyzed," yet we
hear Of the Radical Governor of that State
doing nothing to enforce the laws and pre-
serve the peace. He has simply issued
proclamation warning the law breakers and
threatening them, as the Journal has,
with Grant. If South Carolina deserved the
rough treatment she has received at
the hand of Grant, what shall be said of In
diana2 Let there be shown no favoritism.
The Indiana Ku-Klux deserve the same
punishment that Others of the order receive,
and if Grants interference in South Caro-
lima local affairs is to be tolerated, in the
name Of all that is fair and honest, let him
swOOp down on Indiana. We would like
TO see him do this just to test the endur-
ance Of Northern Radicals with usurpation
and misrule.