The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-09-30

life with impunity. As Southern leaders are
wont to assert TO Northern ears their pro-
= LESSONS of friendship to the blacks, So they
: stcut,y deny that II IS impossible Tor
honest good men TO be welcome rs immI-
grants or unmolested in the ordinary pur-
suits Of life They claim that opposition IS
+; only conferred upon ~rsscals and SPECTATORS,
responsible for the nllsgoyernment uRder
which they suffer. They cannot truthfuiiy
I, m ain tain this assertion with more force than
their mock apprehension of = war of races,
or their defense of nassacres as acts of self
defense in protection of their wives, pro-
: perty and children used to nalign and
array public opinion against the blacks
:. Nolunllnous evidence on this point has been
ELECTED by Congressional investigation and
through other sources The latest evidence
of its hypocrisy WAS exhibited ST meeting
held in New Orleans few days since TO
i rstif,- the State ticket of the White League.
James b. Eustis, Chairman, told the as
Z sembied thousands that he did not beleve
any honest white man could fail to support
that ticket, and it was heartily applsuded-
Said Colonel ,hohn Nc Emery, candidate for
;! Governor IN 1872: Every decent white
man viii support it. Said 4. John Ellis.
candidate for Congress. in al!usion TO moneyed
men volunteering aid 10 Governor heiiegg'
/ Let them be spotted and branded as traitors
NOW and forever" | believe these to be fair
/ definitions OF honesty deceacy and loyalty
are weighed in the balance of Southern
/ opinion. The issue Is clearly defined,
and it is simply command: Follow Us, or
our vengeance will be inflicted npon yoa
When the prevalence of mob law Is
/ charged upon Southern leaders they either
indignantly repel it. excuse 1t by malIgnlng
: the murdered victims, or attempt 10 shit the
responsi bilty therefor upon a lower grade OF
leitizens not identified with fancifiil crea-
ton styled our best people The best
people have repeatedly served as "A nulwark'
against the waves OF public opinion w hat
weight should be attached to this plea was
! IN linz he
forcement of the kuksux law. Contribu-
tions were freely proffered of means
and talent, and enthusiastic efforts were
. made to release from the hands of justice the
midnight assassins of that State The law
and the courts were denounced, and the mob
exalted as heroes suffering under the tyranny
. of an odious government. The trial OF the
Grant Parish prisoners in New Orleans was
a similar instance. These men were impli-
Gated in barbarous, needless
MASSACRE OF NEGROES AT CoLFAx,
and on trial before United States District
Judge Wood, whose integrity was unques-
toned. They were provided with dellcaces
and comforts in prison, almost the entire bar
was ready to engage in their defense, public
appeals were made and Grammatical perform
ances by amateurs held for their aid the
cause, and when adverse decision was
thought to be near, even boldly assailed the
personal character of the judgel The mob
spirit carried the day, and justice was shorn.
with the shocking facts, which must cry out
against hypocrisy and in the cause of the
truth. What man living ever heard, saw, or
read of the conviction of single person en-
gagged in riot, nassacres, or political murder (
in Southern State court2 With over one
thousand political murders in Loulslana, |
alone, since the commencement of recon /
lstruction, have not heard Of the conviction
of a single offender in a court of law. 1t /
would require garrison to protect the white |
or black in the interior who should bear wit
ness against his prosecutors, and attempt to /
continue a residence among them, while the |
city merchant who, by voice or pocket, /
should assist the prosecution Of political free
hooters, would be branded as a traitor, and
put under ban by the best society. Juries
enter the box PREDETERMINED as to verdict /
and aided by witnesses to whom the
" hite League oath appears as the higher
law.
When reconstruction began. it was hoped
that an honorable submission to the results 4
of the war, and practical craftsmanship, /
would guide the South and from devastation I
and ruin she would arise as Phoenix from
her ashes, to prosperity never before equaled .
in her history. Slavery was dead, time would /
obliterate prejudees of section. and race. and .
war become a tradition OF the past But these
hopes have not been realized; laws are defed /
liberties and life destroyed. agriculture and
commerce ianguisb.
The South is seething political cauldron
an incubus to the Republic, threatening the
spirit and life of is foundation principles.
of 1900 armed men ready Ter duty; arms
and ammunition are being shipped and dis
trR3uted IN considerable quantities to the in
terror; Republicans are being driven from
their homes, and armed patrols placed
upon the highways; while Republican I
meetings are dangerosis at some points
and impossibiGties a. otheH. The re
action" in Northern elections is the
immediate occasion for the outburst Of
deep-seated dlsioyaty and is hoped by
violence to secure White League Congress-
men whore Republican majorities now pre-
vail, and give united South to their Presi-l
Dental candidate in 1876. 1t is plain to the
ordinary comprehension that the organiza-
ton OF white mans pagty is in itself
violation of the<pirit Of the law, and IS prinaa
Jacie evidence that the decisions Of the war
are not accepted in good faith. Tramplingi
the rights of citizens under foot, stoppingi
free discussion, and the re1noulding of a
sectional coafederacy, anti-Republican in
character Is matter OF no small significance.
The South cannot declare open war because
of impoverishmeut, but Lee is Washington
to the Southern youth, who are taught daily
to mock, dcride and nisreprescnt Federal
authorityi and the very neglect of the L
government to prevent riot and as
sassination is pointed to by the guilty
actors ~ evidence of It's weakness or
pusilanimuy. Southern Union men tire OF
their faith in a government that Allows their II
persecution to continue. Southern RepubIi-l
cans are powerless because of the united (
WtAitii against them
in courts and the execution of local laws and 1
it cannot be expected when Federal authority Il
Is successfully held in contempt. that a tenn
porary skeleton of State government should i
withstand the assaults Of mob law The band (
of negroes whites who should arm in self
defense woilld invite the fate of the sworn II
deputies of Colfax and Coushatta, and those
examples of heroic slaughter just public
opinion cannot desire repeated. 1t is high 4
time that Federal authority should be exer-!
cised thoroughly and fairly to give dignity
TO American citizenship, and to save
republican government from ridicule.