Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-02-23

kansas. as they arr now undergoing ir,v.s-
tigation before committees ofIthe senate
and House."
The financial standing Of each State is
given, and the statement re"eals'a terrible
condition. .... 1890
81 he aggregate incrcasc Of the debts and
liabilities Of the Southern States will be-
found greatly TO exceed 5000, 100000
In this fearful account no notice what
ever has been taken Of the debt contracted
during the war, as all Indebtedness in aid
Of the REBELLION was repudiated by the
fourteenth amendment TO the Constitution.
The systematic system of robbery pursued
through the medium Of local taxation was
the exciting cause which led to the dis
turbances which did actually occur The
report says upon this:
This character of larcency committed in
neighborhOods caused more disturbances
than all the wholesale plumber Of the
States; it came home to every mans door
it was seen and felt every day and hour; it
was a fostering sore OH the body polite
ard the offenders were sometimes pretty
roughly dealt with, while sometimes they
professed TO have been 'Ku-Kluxcd to hide
their own villainy."
Looking over some Of the items of reck-
less expenditure, it is discovered that some
of the officials were remarkably kind to in
mates Of the penitentiary, for in Soutl,
Carolina it appears that Sl2,536 IL was
| expended for hired labor in that building.
Notwithstanding the fact that between two
! and three hundred convicts, a majority of
whom were colOred men, were, during the
/ year, living in that institution at the en-
! pense of the State.
Speaking Of the suspension of the writ Of
habeas corpus in nine of tie counties Of
South Carolina, the minority says
. We have no means OF knowing upon
what specific information, if any, the Presi-
dent has suspended the writ of habeas cor
! pus in nine Of the counties of South Caro-
| lima, because up to this time he has failed
to respond TO the resolution of the House Of
Representatives upon that subject. With
our opportunities Of knowing what has and
what has not transpired in South Carolina
since the passage Of the law TO enforce the
18th amendment Of the constitution, we
are bold to say that the exercise of this
usurpcd dominion over the great writ OF
right Of he people, falsely claimed to be
rightfully delegated to the President by act
of Congress is wholly unsupported by any
state Of facts which would Justify its sus-
pension, even by the rightful trustees OF
the pOwec under the constitution
The report closes with an aITaignment OF
the President in the following words:
III Is painful ully 10 arral5n the Cine
Magistrate of the republic before the grea
tribunal of the people. 1t would have beer
a much more pleasant task, i'm a crisis whicl
should hush into silence all mere part,
criticism, to represent him to that court o
last resort as having performed his higl
trust, in relation to the Southern troubles
with moderation, Justice, wisdom and tn
strictest impartiality; and that, under
/ broad and large hearted administration c
the government, peace and harmony ha
been restored between the people Of The tw
sections; and that all the bitterness an
ranking aniInosities Of great civil wa
had been lost and absorbed in the prou
rccolections of a joint struggle for indie
, pendence and liberty, and the commo
glory Of the earlier and better DAYS of til
republic.
r What we complain Of and what I'll
great body of the American people shoul
visit with their censure and condemnation
is the indifference and the positive matter
ton of the Federal Executive TO the terribl
5 results which may follow the maladmni
:. tration Of affairs i'm the Southern States
ii and that he seems to be so far forgcttul
e his duties TO uU the people as to subm
l. himself, perhaps unconSciously, to the di
tates OF party vengeance, or the accomplish
It ment Of party ends in the future, rattle
l. than to do equal and exact Justice TO a
e classes OF citizens" ..