Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-12-07
zen. Bakers Proclamation in
pursuance of the Clark Co.
ku-klux Proclamation.

uications%of determination on the mart
OF secret can, who had not satisfied
.neir hendish thirst for blood in the law
less hanging of the supposed murderers,
10 drive from the County of Clark, or ex-
terminate all the negroes in that county,
These facts coming to the knowledge of the
Governor, he wisely issued the following
PROCLAMATION to secure to unoffending citi
zcns their rights against an offending and
iawless NO b, to-wit:
PROCLAMATION
STATE OF INrIANA,
ExEcurIvE DEPARTMENT,
November %, 1871.
WHEREAS, Organized bands of armed
ana masked men have recently usurped
the functions and powers of the judiciary
In the counties of Franklin and Clarke.
and have assumed the right to forcibly
take prisoners from the jails of said coun-
ties, and execute them for offenses against
the laws OF the state, charged to have been
committed by such prisoners, and in the
latter county three negro men were taken
from the Jail and executed by one of these
lawiess organizations; and it has been
mao known to me that proclamations
4
Ciakre, purporting to emanate from one of
these clans, notifying all colored persons
VINO have tied in said county since the
close of the war, to leave said county on
pain of death; and, being also informed
that there now are colored prisoners in
the Jail of Clarke county, who NAV be in
danger of mob violence:
Now, therefore, |, Conrad Baker, gov
ernor OF the state of Indiana, do hereby
call upon the local authorities and the
people OF said county, and of all other
counties where these illegal organizations
may exist, to use all the lawful means in
their power for the suppression of the
same, and for the speedy arrest and trial
OF those who have been engaged in the
recent terrible tragedy before mentioned
Every citizen, and every class of citizens
Is entitled TO the equal protection of the
law, and mob violence must be suppressed,
and prisoners awaiting trial and their
lawful custodians, must be protected at
all hazards To this end, all the means
at my command will be furnished to the
local authorities to aid in the performance
OF their duties whenever request to that
effect is made. ESPECIALLY warn the mis-
guided men VINO are SAID to be attempt
ing, by organized violence and terrorism
to Danish az of the people of this
state from IT, homes, that they cannot
and shall not succeed, if even it should
be necessary to call into requisition the
combined powers ofthe state and national
governments to prevent it. The state
must rely mainly upon the local authori-
ties IN its efforts to guarantee the equal
protection of the laws to all her citizens,
and If these authorities become powerlcss
ho rtNl,
late legislation of congress makes ample
provisions for the Intervention of the ma
tional authorities, and the president in
his proclamation of the 3rd of May last
has assured the country that this legisla
ton shall be enforced eDerynhere to the
extent OF the powers vested in him. Let
the people and the constituted authorities
of every county in the state be so faithful
in their observance and execution of the
laws that Indiana may forever avoid the
reproach of having rendered the interior
ence of national authorities necessary by
the lawlessness of her own people or the
importance of her legal authorities.
Given under my hand and thu
lsEAL seal of the state, at Indianapo
lis. the date aforesaid
CONRAD BAKER.
ATTEST: NORMAN EDDY, secretary oil
state.
In the publication of the above, ou
neighbor is greatly incensed, and in thu
midst of his wrath, he says he is glad t.
chronicle the death of the negroes who
were supposed to be instrumental in til,
death of the Park family, land only re
grets they were not Drained instead o
hanged" He admits that an attempt ha
been made to drive out honest citizen
, from the county of Clarke by a lawles
, mob, yet when our noble Governor make
| an effort to protect the law abiding from
5 the lawless, he is then IAN old granny.
Why does our cotemporary ridicule Gov
ernor Baker for noble act. and why doe
! he regret that barbarity in the extrem
I was not added to lawlessness? Why d.
$ you never hear him say anything agains
ku-Klux who are mercilessly murderin
!, thousands of good citizens in the South
r and why does he oppose any, and ever
} measure proposed to prevent these out
RACES? Why did he not advocate Lyme
Law a few years ago when Thornbur
was cut down in his youth for no crime
unless it was drinking too much liquor
1t will be remembered too, that no
long ago, young Cook, who had bee
arrested for larceny, was shot as an es
, Gaping prisoner. Why was this act full
. justified as a penalty for stealing thre
hundred dollars worth of property, Will
he permits greater crimes TO go unnoticed
1 Why is Governor Baker a Granny becaus
4 he seeks to prevent outlaws from drivin
S innocent men from their homes, becaus
three of their nationality had been guilt
!, of foul murder? We are in fave
of punishment being meted out adj
quate to the ofense in every instance, an
? opposed to mob law at all times whel
law can be enforced, and when we see
journalist advocating lawless mobs, an
justirying barbaric punishment as RI
and to another all the benefits of the la
4 andlthe charities of a beneficent people,
other words, vindictive punishment to tn
:; one, and extreme charity to the other W
: certainly cannot fail to determine til
a1gimus. When his OK is gored, he wanl
full satisfaction when the farmers Ok
a gored, that is another question. o
consistency, thou art jewel.
f TOTAL DEPRAvITY.-We are not ver
: much inclined to favor the doctrine
e total depravity; but occasionally som,
1 thing turns up in an unlocked for quartz
: that unsettles us on that question W
: had come to look upon our amiable an
n gentlemanly contemporary, the editor {
c the Laporte argus, as bright examp
8 of courtesy and truthfulness. But ala
q Il. -