New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-08-02
THE PROSECUTIONS SUSPENDED.

The PROSECUTIONS SUSPEkDED:
Our anti-Republican compeers have not
a word of notice for the kind act of the
Presiden. directing ,:oNe p-osequi to be
entered in the cases pending for alleged
violations of the law protecting personal
rights. Indeed, as this tends to remove a
subject Of Southern grievance. lit may he
even disappointment to those who have
no other political capital except Southern
discomfort. These gentlemen who have
gone to solicit an act Of clemency Of the
President may even in this view be re-
garded as officious informed Hers and the
prisoners themselves stigmatizej as white
livered poltroons for leaving their several
prisons under such al exercise Of federal
benevo!ence.
Yet those who thus ungraciously allow
an act of kindness to the ignorant to pass
without acknowledgment, have been IN
good part the cause of the otfenses and
punishment. When the war ended there
was strong disposition among the South
ern people to make the best Of their con-
dition. This spirit prevailed IL most OF
the conquered States In the Carolinas
however, the thought Of giving up forever
federal rule and federal Office was 50
shocking to the politicians that they en-
couraged the formation Of associations
among the poorer classes for the purpose
of arresting the social equality Of races.
This was readily done among class al
ways more jealous on that head than the
richer and more Intelligent.
Many of the upper classes had, through
personal influence or by the paid agency
of the pardon btoker. obtained remis-
sion Of their Acknowledgement, yet the
''agitation" by bands Of men in white
sheets and Mardi Gras masks went on,
no influence having been employed to pre-
vent it. Whether true or false the sworn
testimony before committee OF Congress
shows the merciless murder Of hundreds
Of black people, and the .lynching of
many white men, hence the act Of Con-
gress Furnishing these offenders. The ex-
ecutive has put this law in force just as he
has every other. and now thinking that
these poor men have been fully convinced
of theig crime and error. directs the prose-
cution against them to be suspended.
Tha Attorney General. however, advises
them that this act of clemency is expert
mental, and that the administration will
be governed greatly in its future action
upon the subject by tie manner in which
the recent indulgence shall have been re-
ceived. He. moreover, remarks that this
order will not effect other cases now pend
ing, nor operate at all in favor OF any
cases displaying turbulent temper here
after.
In these acts President Grant has con-
tinued the evidence given during and
since the war, that he has no v;ndictive
feeling to crafty against the people of the
South. Malcortents can find nothing
worse to say Of him than tina. he likes a
fine horse or good cipr. They reproach
him. that he takes Instantly to tie water.
ing places and sends his son on tour Of
Europe. This is certainly better than if,
like any of those tyrants Of the old world
and the new-frca. Dyonisi-s to DR..
occupied lis time with de-
vising new prosecutions for those who
were SO unhappy as to have fallen under
his power.
1t will be Motel. however, by the peo-
pie that those who claim to be their ten
ders exhort them into acts Of discomfort
and resistance to the federal government
that none. of the richer classes are con-
victed and imprisoned, and that when the
poor victims of delusion are discharged
from prison there is not word Of graft
tude to the government for having done
that which it might certainly have for
borne to do, nor of sympathy for men de-
barred from their liberty for months and
restored to their sorrowing and dependent
families.