Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-10-21
Important Cases Before the Supreme
- --... . Court.

the most important, cases pending in
the United States Supreme Court dur
ing its present session, are the appeals
from the United States Circuit Conrt
of Wisconsin as to the power Of State
Legislatures to regulate railroad tariffs,
and the case of the Grant Parish pris-
oners, appealed from the United States
Circuit Court Of New Orleans. 1t will
be remembered that Judge Bradley held
that the Grant Parish prisoners were
merely guilty of the crime of murder,
which, he held, the late amendments
of the Constitution did not confer upon
Congress the power to punish. This
decision does rot seem to have been
| warranted by the facts and the law of
the case. The enforcement acts of
| Congress certainly provided for the
punishment OF the crime of murder as
we'll as those Of lesser outrases, which
are so common through out the South
ern States, particularly if committed
with the view OF intinidating voters,
or for general political effect. Now it
was notorious that the rebels Of New
Orleans, indeed throughout the South,
held that the Grant Parish murderers
were "poitical prisoners" and So styl-
ed them whenever speaking of them
The ouirages grew out of political con-
troversy, and were committed by the
rebel Democrat cut-throats of Louisiana
for the sole purpose of putting down
the Republican majority in that State
and recovering rebel Democrat ascend
ency The crimes were not ordinary
murders, such as are punishable under
State laws, as was enormously held by
Judge Bradley, but they are clearly
crimes against the State, as well as
against persons, aud most clearly are
punishable under the enforcement acts
of Congress and such in all probability
will be the decision Of the United
States Supreme Court. In any case it
is absolutely certain that if the laws Of
Congress do not provide for the punish
ment of such crimes, the defect will be
right rapidly remedied early next ses-
sion
1t will be remembered that the Dis
trict of Columbia originally embraced
tract ten miles square, ceded to the
United States by Virginia and Mary
land, as the permanent capital Of the
United States, and subject only to the
laws of the General Government. The
tract is divided by the Potomac River
about one-half formerly belonging to
each State. Some years since, at the
first dawn of secessionism, upon the
application of polit clans of the Virgin
ia Legislature. the United States ceded
back to Virginia its half, originally
contributed to the ten miles square,
and it has been considered a part of
that State ever since. The validity of
this act of retrocession comes before
the United States Supreme Court at IT'S
session which commences to-day in the
case Of Phillips vs.. Payne, Oh appeal
from the Supreme Court of the District
of Columbia. This case involves the le-
galit {, ,he retrocession of the Virgin
ia hal of the District to the State of
Virginia. The District Court affirmed
the validity OF the transfer The ap-
pellaut vii at an early day of the
term make a plication to the Supreme
| Court . advance the case upon the
calendar He has consulted the Attor-
ney-GeneraI # the United States, who
thinks it Of grave Importance that the
case should be early decided. The
points upon which the appellants rely
are: Flrsl that, whep accepting the
ces>lon OF Virginia, Alexandria became
part OF the permanent capital of the
United Safes, and Congress had no
Constitutional power to pass law
changing that relation; second-that
the act of retrocesslon is invalid, be-
cause il was made dependent for it's
force and effect upon the votes Of a
majority of the voters of Alexandria,
and Congress had 90 power to delegate
to it legislative functions. The State
Of Virginia has employed no counsel In
the case.
THFTHIRD TERM-Secre uary Robe
son addressed an immense Republican
mass meeting at Patterson, n j., Fri
day night, and in the course of his
speech said neither the administration
nor its chief would ever be found out
side of the Republican party, nor acting
contrary to the established trad itions
of the country. The latter remark was
understood to refer to the third term
business, and was vocferously applau-
ded. After the meeting Secretary
Robson said President Grant had no
idea of a third term, and only avoided
giving official expression to his opinion
on the matter lest he should seem to
attach to it too much importance.
B. Gratz Brown, of Missouri, has
written a letter announcing his adoption
of the Democratic faith, and promising
to take the stump for the Democratic
ticket as soon as his health will narmit.