, 1874-06-29


trado whore ho is gattlng profit ho will shake
hands with anybody.
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JUSTICE At Last IN LOUISIANA.
Tho public will romombcr TINT, oarly In tho
spring OF 1879, thoro Was conflict between cor
Parish, Ls., III which o largo number Of peraonB
we're killed. The origin Of tho difficulty was In
the muti1atton Of tue clootion returns. Despite
tho efforts to chango thom, ono candidate who
was vot ed for by both parties had to 10 declared
elected. By somo mistake or oversight. the
official onnvaBaors never doo1arod the result Of
tho election in that county, and Gov. Kellogg
had to appoint oillccra. Ono or moro Of those
go appointed wore Questionable to tho ucgroes,
who declared tho officers should mover bo in-
stalled. For this purpose they took armed poB-
session Of the Court. House, and akirmisliing
between tho parties took place porhapa for two
days. finally, white aag was aont for
ward to tho Courthouse to present some
proposition looking towards poaco. When tho
bearers Of this flag got near tho Court-House,
fire was opened on item, md several Of them
were killed. 1hs outrageous act resulted in m
Assault. by which tho negroes were drlvcn out Of
the Court-House, aud many of them were killed
in tho fight tint onsued. For this proceeding
eight white men woro Indicted undor tho Ku-
Klux act. On the first trial tue jury did not
agree. standing nine for acquittal and three for
conviction. On tho second trial all whites wero
excluded from the panel, and tho jury, undor
the direction Of Judge Wood, tho United States
Circuit Judge. convicted tho accused. Amotion
IN arrest Of judgment was heard before Judge
Bradley, OF tho United States Supreme Court,
and Judge Wood, and on Saturday Judge Brad-
Icy delivered m opinion on tho caso, which, per-
haps, ia tho first judicial expression, sanctioned
by law and in tho inturest Of Justice, that has
boon hoard in that State for ten years.
Justice Bradley makos q masterly exposition OF
the absurd assumptions and usurpations under
tho Ku-Klux act Tho indictment itself WAS
marvel OF legal abaurdity. It charged the pria-
oners in sixteen counts with ~ a conspiracy to
take amy certain rights from citizonB Of African
descont, and (2) With murders whilo engaged in
this conspiracy. Tho conviction WAS upon nil
sixteen counts. Tho Judge said that while Con-
gross had the power to legisla.o to carry out tho
several amendments to tho Constitution, there
WAS atill question whether this law was designed
for that purpose. The Fifteapth Amendment de-
clares that shall bs disqualified from yot-
Ing becauae Of his color or previous condition OF
seryitudo; but the United States is not given the
power to pass laws relative to elections or voting
but simply to SEQ that the States do not interfere
with thoao rights, and to enforce them. Whom q
State falls to comply with tho duties, the United
States Is callod on to interiors bnt tue inter.
| forenco Of Congress when 4 State 1B ready tc
punish violation Of these rights is unneces.
sary, injullcious. and illegal. To give The
United statos jurisdiction, it must be ahov1
that q conspiracy was formed to take away cer
tain rights from person because Of his color
When state refuses to man tho right to vott
because Of his colos, race, or previous condition
Congress has power to enforce the amendment
. The first count charged tho prisoners will
conspiring to prevent persons Of African deacen
from peacoable aHsemblage. Tho Constitution
prohibits Congress- from interfering with til,
right Of peaceable assomblage, but this doe
not givo Congress Jurisdiction over nj
persons who thall interfere with poace
conspiracy to tate the lives Of certain person
Of African descent without due process OF Law
Every murder i6 an offonse OF this Kind. Ha
the United Statoa jurisdiction over all murders
Several counta arc too yaguo to be considered
The sixth and seventh counts charge conBpir
acy against certain persons because they ha
voted, or Waro going to vote, but not wor
waB said that this was done becauee Of thoi
color, race, or previous condition, which alone
undor the act, could give the Federal Court
jurisdiction. To Interfere With the right 9
voting Is no offoneo under the jurisdiction c
tho United States. To charge men with murdc
or conspiracy to murder because Of ract
color. or previous condition. is an absurdity, an
does not take it out Of tho ordinary case
Of murder. Justice Bradley deo1arol that in hi
opinion, tho indictment waB fatally defective
Judge Wood affirming tho validity OF tho In
dictmens, q certificate Of division Of opinion wa
made out, and tho caso sent up to tho Suprenl
Court Of the United StatoB. The prisoners wol
, admitted to bail.
THIS Is the first time In any OF the courts
Louisiana, alnco Reconstruction, that any judy
, has boon heard to utter word Of criticism
dissent upon tho laws, proclamatIons, aud otht
/ proceedings making negro rule supreme. IT
opinion OF Judge Bradley ia 80 clear that thel
eau hardly be any doubt as to tue decision OF til
! Supreme Court on the question. Willie he d
, clinod to say that tho enforcement not waH III
. constitutional, no 30 stripped 1t Of all apple
, tion to tho majority Of oasoa In which II h'
, boen invoked, that the law booomos compar
lively harmlese.
, ANOTHER LOTTERY SCHEME.
, | Now York has appeared In tie fold Us cor