American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-08-02
JUDGE Blztchford's Decision.

From the New York News.
The decision of Judge BlatchfOrd
IF the United States District Court
Is not special, but general, in its
scope. 1t conveys noble rebuke,
in strong judicial language,
of the crusade against an indepen-
dent press, which-since the era of
political corruption in this country,
has been waged by the crafty, ring
bound, ring-infected and wholly un-
money interests of tho
country. In the whole history of
'srlngs," there has been none more
reeklng with cnrruption-with
more absolute disregard for the in
terests of the public-and with
more shameless lobbying for, and
by the use Of money, purchasing
the success Of interested adherents.
than that which has become, IN the
light of recent events, prominently
as the "Nashington Ring" Mr.. Da-
Mas the editor of that journal,
The San, which with fearless pen
and irresistible facts, had attacked
this "Wasbington Ring" and spe-
ciallY, by name, implicated Mr..
Alexander Sheppard in the rogue.
ry-has been much annoyed late
~ by a bold faced attempt, on the
part of this Mr.. Alexander Shep-
pard, to bring his suit of libel, al
ready entered here in New York,
before the police court of Washing
ton City. Mr.. Sheppard wanted
Mr.. Dana to be carried to Wash
iugtOn City, and there tried, with
ont right of jury by this police
court-a certain Offshot of that rig
i'll governmental and nti-constitu-
tiOnal discipline, born OF the wretch
ed fate of that Unhappy city. Mr..
Dana, whose Offense-if Ofense
there had been, was to decline to be
tried before that court where the
aunthOrity ofthe Washington Ring
was xsariMxs, aud the precepts of
Justice and the Constitution of the
United States ssinimxs. refused to
90. On Wednesday the case was
tried. The ''Ring" was represented
by able counsel. Mr.. Dana-em-
bOdying in himself a great threaten
ed principle of the Constitution,
while representing the sacred cause
of a free and independent press
had also Jealous and eminent coun-
sci, Tue case was fairly argued;
also the cause Of . free and I'm.
trammeled press. E..
The case is memorable for the re-
petition by the presiding Judge of
sound Constitutional doctrines
that have been weIl-nigh forgotten
in these modern days. In deciding
against the right of the complain
ants to remove 80 important . case
to be tried by the newly organized
s'POlice Court of the District Of Co
lumbia (which involved the ar
rest of Mr.. Dana aud his incarce.
ration in Washington. Judge
BlatchfOrd delivered the following
just exposition Of law-pointing d.
rectly against the threatened trial
OF the defendant, without jury:
''In this case, as understand it,
is perfectly clear that it is tosbe
tried in the first case without q ju-
~. The Constitution says that all
trials shall be by jury, and the &C.
cused is entitled, not to be first con-
victed by a court and then to be &C
quilted by jury. bat to be con-
victed or acquitted in the first in.
stance by ajury. That seems to be
the sound high ground on which to
put this case"
This is a noble judicial saying,
delivered by what judge soever, or
before what court sOever. II is o
decision upon which the press,
without exception, can agree to
stand. 1t is decision that, hav-
ing been over and over formally an
uOunced by the courts, is never too
old to be true. Mr.. Dana, through
his fearless attacks upon all frauds.
not only in this city, bnt in
every city of the Union,
aud lately, by his bold and
earnest expose of the corruptions OF
that ':Ring' which, under the sbad-
Ow Of the '.White House," has so
long reduced the national capital to
a governmental slave, has earned
the respect and adherence of all
friends of the Constitution. The
entire journalism of the country
should, in this, regard the princi-
pies established by The San az their
principles, and make common Cause
with thai journal and its ahle edit