The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-03-09

tn pass the law Is to have every Judge In
Kentucky Off the bench, and vest in the
Federal Courts Of the country all the jur-
isdictlon in controversies between the
white man and the negro It is the duty
ot the State Government 10 protect It's
citizens This protection cannot be given
except by wise legislative action on the
subject Us.....
The refusal Of this Court to permit the
negro to testify in the case Of scroggins
was, l have no doubt, the real cause otthe
appearance Of these midnight judges at
your county jail. | could not admit 1t
conscientiously, for, as Judge, I had no
power TO repeal the State law on the sub
Iect of testimony. The only alternative
left me. after your investigations had con
cluded, was to hand him over TO the Fed.
eral authorities; but It seems that ejur-
isdiction Of that Court over the crime, as
well as the State Courts, Is TO be deter
mined by an unlawful organization,
brought into'eXistcnce for the purpose Of
violating the laws with impuHity, and re
IieVing bad men from punishment II
these secret, masked courts are to beheld,
and men taken from our county jails at
their will and pleasure, and at the risk Of
the lives of oil who rGatgt them, we had,RS
well tear down our temples of justice and
place our lives, liberty, Ond property in
their hands. There Is no excuse, justi1
cation, or palliation for such conduct, and
brave men would scom to engageinit
Some one or two negroes have been ahot
down in my district by armed men in dis
guise. White men have been lacerated
with the lash under the judgment ofthcse
courts, a deed as dirk as the covering that
hides their faces from the victims view.
Judgment Is pronounced at tho silenthOuF
OF night by o Judge whose judgment 10
either executed by n rope around the neck
or the lash upon the back. Humanity re-
volts.at it. Public sentiment, with the
mid Of the Legislature and courts, alone
can check it. Tho negroes allude to
were killed because they were summoned
as witnesses in the Federal courts, and
were not allowed to testify at home. This
man was taken from your jail because the
negro was not allowed to testify against
him in this Court. There SHOULD bernO
excuse for such IN organization; ii my
Judgment there Il none now, and never
can he.
OPINION OF A DEMOCRATIC ORGAN.
The Louisville C0urisT.iOurnai prints
tho above address, and refers to the GEss
as follows:
No gloss Of language eau lessen or OK.
AggeratC tho sinister importance Of tie
outrage committed at Frankfort last Sat
urday morning. 1t was an explosion
which shows that the social surface Of
Kentucky Is undermined by banded Grim
inals organized 10 violate the laws and
! trample the dignity Of the State In the
dust. They have usurpGd the powers Of
Government; made murder their pas-
time and terrorism their sccpter; con-
ferred upon their adherentS the right Of
private vengeance, and assumed TO pro.
teCt them from the penalties Of outraged
law No home Is safe, no place Is sacred
from their invaslons. TO show their
strength and their utter contempt for all
departments the State Government they
fiji the vicinity OF the capital during the
brief period Of tho legislative session with
deeds Of blood, anil carry their lawleSS
violence with insulting defiance to the
very doors of our legislative halls. This
stain upon the escutcheon Of Kentucky,
this humiliation Of our proud old State
has eliminated under Democratic State
administration, and yet tho Legislature,
so prompt 10 resent newspaper Censure,
has affected to ignore tho iGcts and dis
regard the disgrace,
Meanwhile all the world wonders, and
many an ugly question is asked. Does
the Legislature ConnlVc at these thingst
Has It surrendered the State to the Ku-
KluxY Must the weak and lowly among
us seek elsewhere for that protection
which our local government owes but re-
fuses to the poorest cittzenS In thebet-
ter day coming will any man boast that as
a trusted guardian OF Ken!ucky's peacs
and honor, he winked at these infamous
disorders-nay, encouraged and abetted
them by emasculating our tribunals and
gagging the witnesses and the victims Of
such crimes ....
We hope the Legislature will not ad-
ourn without some assertion Of the dlgni-
ty and efficiency Of our local sovereignty.
We ask II not to put such shame upon
US all-not to leave this grand old Com
monwealth exposed, as no other genera.
ton Of her Sons ever exposed her, to the
mercy Of the lawless and tho derislon OF
her enemiesl . ,