Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-06-14
@nAea and TmfOrwers.

6paes and XmfOrmers.
SHES and inforners have ever been justly
considered infamous. There in something
inherent in the nature Of man that revoits
at the trade and at those who ply It.
Language utterly falls to give expression
to the loathing and disgust that men feel
for these creatures. In spite of this,
however, the trade Of the>spy and the
informer Is at this time probably the most
lucrative one in America. Yet If it be re-
membered that like causes will everywhere
produce like results this should be no just
cause for surprise. In the history of every
country doubtless there has been period
marked by a vigorous growth of w'retches
eager to gain money, notOifety or power
at the price of infanIy. 1t has been re-
served for our own generation, however,
to show that these foul beasts can fatten
and flourish upon American soil. For
this crowning disgrace we are indebted TO
Radicalism. If there was NO other reason
for the overthrow of the Radical party this
alone would be sufficient. Spies and in
formers gather about Radical Govern
ment with an instinct akin to, and as I'M
erring as, that which draws buzzards to
carbon.
The President does not hesitate to ia
form Congress officially that it was upon
| the information of spies and intormers that
he introduced military rule in the State OF
South Carolina; that upon the verbal state
nents of such men as these he suspended
the great writ of Hdbeas Corpus, men
| whom a distinguished New York Judge III
a recent case thus described in his charge
to the jury:
81 dc not say that detectives never tell
| the truth on the stand. do not say that
thew ALWAYS misstate upon the stand. What
| I do saw is that from their occupation, from
| their calling, from their living life OF de-
ceit, constantly engaged in the manufacture
| of this and that and the other story, their
statements upon the stand are not entitled
| tn the same weight as those of ordinary
witnesses of good character, taken from the
/ mass of the community.
! Yet upon the unsworn statements OF
! such men as these, President GRANT sus-
ponds the great writ of Habeds Corpus!
| Judge VAN TRUMP, a member of the
Congressional Committee appointed to i'll
| vestigate Southern outrages, declared in
his seat in Congress that Senator SCOTT,
/ the chairman of that Committee, was, in
! its tour through the South, accompanied
by secret spy unknown to the Democratic
members of the Committee.
In North Carolina a special act OF
the Legislature was passed comforting
upon the Governor unlimited power
to appoint and pay spies and inform
ers. This power was separate and distinct
from those conferred by the militia AND
Shoffner bills. Under this bill thousands 0
dollars were paid to spies and informers by
| the State authorities. In every town anC
! village in the State, almost, were these mel
to be found. Citizens, dOgged and followed
| by these wretches, found it necessary to bt
upon their streets lest it be picked up by
caves -droppers and reported to Headquar
tiers at Raleigh. The last Legislature hav
| ing ruined the trade for State spies, Fedora
spies are rapidly taking their places.
When a chief witness for the Govern
ment, in procuring the convictions Of scOre
of citizens in South Carolina upon his owl
testimony, is rewarded therefor by al
appointment as a Deputy United State
Marshal, as was recently done in the cas-
OF spy in South Carolina, named Williams
/ who claimed to have been chief of tn
band that committed the murders, out
RACES like that which recently occurred il
Charlotte will follow of courss. Last weel
Captain Trezevant, highly respected ant
an unOftending citizen of Charlotte, wa
stopped upon the stIeet by a man who PIE
sented a pistol to his breast and informed
hun he was a prisoner, and would b
carried to South Carolina dead OF alice
where, as the man boosted, ''they have wit
nesses ready to swear TO anything" TIL
ma making the arrest w as aspy from Sout]
Carolina. The Federal soldiers came to tn
assistance ofthe spy and Captain Trezevan
was carried out of the State. Where tn
civil offices of the Government are the re
ward Of spies and informers, and the Fede
raj troops are subject to their order, the in
fanny of the trade will not prevent me-
from following it. GRANT saves himsel
the trouble of declaring martial law in thi
State, by ar.esting our citizens and carry
ing them to South Carolina where the wri
of Habeds Corpus is already suspended
This is the third time within twelv
months that North Carolinians have beer
arrested and carried to South Carolina 70
trial. And in the face of all these outrage
the Radical party ask the people of Nortl
Carolina to vote for GRANTS continuanc
in power for four years longer
AS we have said before, we are indebted
for this state Of things to Radicalism, and 8
long as we have Radicals to rule over us
so long will we have informers and caves
troopers in our mid st, for the reason tina
these vile creatures are the instrument
that despotic ruler invariably makes us,
of to guard himself against the just retribu
ton Of an outraged and incensed people.
I The Two Conventions.
1t is interesting to observe the impress