New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-22

Outrages, according 20 she limited Under
standing Of the modera Democrat, ie con.
strued to mean not the killing OF Repub
licans. but The punishment OF murderefs.
When sig kepublicans Of Cousha:ta were
fcully mn rdered for no other reason than
that they were Republicans, the affair was
passed upon lightly enough by tho White
League journals. There was no hope ex-
pressed that the murde.egs might be brought
to justice. There was NO advice given TO
the guard who stood by and saw the deed
that they shonld divulge the names Of the
criminals. When these men are ARE sted
for their crimes the event is heralded BY
mnrderers' apolOgists as one OF unparalleled
outrage. We are told that men are dragged
from their homes, men Of good standing in
the commurity-and respected enough 70
vote the Democratic ticket-that they are
arrested, too. in busy season, and will be
put in prison. For what For no other
reason than that they have killed a few Re.
publicans. We are told that such arrests
not such murders--afe Outrages.
The recent commitment Of Stephen Rem
4EO Auu Su0IIC1 OuIAOCAs Au XAOOACS uANSA
the enforcement act, for trial before the
United States courts for the murder of
Walter P. Billings. is universally pro.
nounced by the Democratic press as an out
rage. Nothing else was expected. The
opinion Of partisan press. however. is not
sufficient to stay the hands of justice. and
| if the statutes now existing prove unequ
| to the suppression of lawlessness in our
! land, it is certain that others will be added.
! In passing upon the Alabama case, Com
missioner Gillette said:
! It is not the province of iesioner
| who is merely committing magistrate. to
| decide upon the constitutiOnality OF an &C,
! of the Congress Of the United States. That
! is the duty of the judges Of the United
States courts. They interpret the law. II
is the duty of the commissioners to enforce
| it. as written by Congress and interpreted
by the judges: until decided by the Supreme
Court Of the United States to be unconsti
tutlonal.
The law known as the enforcement act
! under " hich this case lies. seems to me e
have been passed by Congress with view Of
meeting just the class Of cases presented by
the evidence before me, and for the purpose
! OF Furnishing evil disposed persons who
band and consprc together for the purpose
of perpetrating acts OF intimidation or vlo
| lence. with view of depriying citizens o
the United States OF rights guaranteed by
! the constitution and the laws. IL has fol
years been used TO punish cOnspiracies re
sulting in murder similar to that perpe
trated on Walter p. Billings, . citizen O
the United States. ON the first OF August
1874, in Sumter county. Alabama. Thl
view Of tho law has been held BY all th'
IA ~
since the act was passed.
In this case five witnesses were examined
before the comlpital for the prosecution
two Of whom swore positively that the.
saw the murder committed. and identified
Renfro and Bullock as the murderers. Ant
yet We are told the simple arrest of thes
men was an outrage. Ii they are innocen
it can be 90 shown; if they are guilty. it i
hoped that can be shown also. In eithe
case where is the Outrages The arrest wa
made at Livingston. September IS. TIL
men arrested were in attendance upon ,
Democratic county convention at the court
house. There was no outrage committed
oD the convention, for at the request OF tn
chairman the deputy marshals waited unit
q certain ballot was counted before callin.
out the men for whom they had warrants
and the arrest Was made without disturb
ance. Tho prisoners were also kindly
treated. and at Montgomery were allowed
bottle of whisky. flour Democrats wisf
to talk Of real Outrages let :hem talk OF
murders. and apply some other term &c
express the action Of officers OF the law il
| aryestiny the murderere.