The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-18
A Bill Of Particulars.

We have been asked to specify few OF
the aggravated cases" in which we advise
the southern people to prosecute Federal
officials who have abused them so outrage
ously during the political campaign. We
shall be pleased to do so from time to
time, and we begin with the detectives
Beach and Hester in Alabama. On the
eve of the election these officers arrested a
great number of prominent Conservative
politicians in the district misrepresented
by the Hon Charles Hays, and instead of
taking them before the Federal Commits.
sioner at the place of their arrest and OF
the alleged offense, sent them three humid
red miles under guard, to submit to pre-
hmiaary examination at Mobile, Some
of the prisoners were speedily discharged,
there being no evidence whatever to justi- |
fly their detention, and the Others released
on their own recognizances, will probably
be discharged in due time, This outrage,
committed purely for political effect, per
baps cannot readily be punished under the
existing laws. But there was one achieve
ment by which Hester seems to have fair
ly laid himself open, just as an import
ant Democratic meeting was about to take
place at Livingston, he arrested Col Wet
more, Chairman of the Democratic Exc,
cutive Committee of Sumter county, and
sent him to Mobile with three other prls-
oners on charge of "conspiring to inJure
him Last Tuesday the defendants were
discharged without argument, there being
no case against them. 1t now appears
that in order to compass this political ar
rest Hester made use of papers issued two
weeks before the alleged Alfonso in con
nection with totally different affair. w,
hope that in this aud every other instanc
OF lawiess interference with personal liber
ty the aggrieved persons will prosecute tn
criminal officer with the utmost rigor.
The country cannot afford that such trans
actions should be forgiven.
In Louisiana it seems to be very wei
understood that Mr. kellogg's canvasser
are cooking returns for the purpose of de
frauding the people out of their votes cas-
at the recent election. No sensible mar
doubts that the Conservatives carried tn,
state by large majority, and unfortunall,
it is equally clear that the Kellogg officials
intend to make the figures read the other
way. If this fraud should be carried ou
it will be the duty of the Louisiana Conser
vatives to pursue it through congress and
the courts, and exhaust every means not
merely to undo the wrong but to punisl
the swindlers with the utmost severit,
the law permits. They must never res
until this crime is avenged, even if justic
keeps them waiting for years.
Then there is the case of Major Merrill
This officer requires very severe over
hauling, not only for the benefit of tn,
state Of Louisiana, but for the credit of tn,
army. He can be reached through con
gress, and though he may be protected fol
a while by the administration, it will be
easy enough next year to bring out the
true story of his career, Detailing mill
tary officers to regulate state politics is al
anachronism which the next congress viii
not fail to correct, if the south only cult
Yates the virtues Of patience, resolution
and long memory ~ y Tribune.