The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-20

reduce persons 10 slavery, or tozcxact fuyel'
| untary service from them, mat DO heidfo
| he Offences within the meanimg OF the com
prehensive language oEthis SECTION. Iou
may, therefore, Inquire whether any such
offence has been committed 10 this State,
aud, -if you. find that it has, yousmay present
! the parties found guilty, 30 chat the question
ab,,Ye suggested may be considered. aud dis-
nose,s of after full discussion in court.
7 shall not here epuInerate the crimes and
offences against the United States OF which
this court has jurisdiction, and touching
which you may inquire. This was done 10
INV charge to you at the opening OF the
court. and youhave not, | am sure, forgotten
that charge. Il1ave herein mentioned some
other offences of which you may also III.
ouire. These would have been mentioned
before had supposed that any such crimes
had been committed, or had the District At
torney suggested that he desired you 20 IN
uuire respecting them. In the former charge
yonr attention was called to all the statutes,
and parts Of statutes, defining onences
against the United States, of which then
supposed you would require information.
The opinions announced in my former
charge, and those now announced, have not
been hastily formed they have been arrived
at after the fullest argument IL open court,
and after the most careful consideration.
In conclusion, let me say that all good men
deplore the numerous outrages which have
been committed in this State by lawless
bands commonly known as kuklux,' ana
which have been directed chiefly against
colored people. These crimes have tar
nished the fair name of the State. They
have paralyzed its industries, and, besides
the suffering they have Inflicted on their
victims, they have created feeling OF 'lnse-
curity which affects our whole population:
| They have almost Convinced the world
that we are unfit to maintain free gov.
erument, ana unless suppressed by lawful
authority they must ultimately result In an'
archy or in some usurpatlon-scarcely less
to be deplored than the outrages them
selves-adequate to deal with them. NO man
laments these wrongs more than | do. l
sympathized with their victims in their for
mer condition Of bondage, and sympathize
with them still. No man is more willing to
exercise all power conferred on him for
their protection than am. To this enc |
have been inclined to construe the amend
ments of the Constitution OF the United
States, and the laws passed to enforce them,
most literally but cannot derive from these
amendments of these laws jurisdiction
which they plainly do not confer. lcannot
allow my sympathies to control my judgment
or my conscience.
Let us exercise all authority conferred on
| us fully and fearlessly; but let us not, by
attempting to exert an authority which is
not conferred, excite hopes which cannot be
realized, and create an antagonism which is
sure to result in sympathy for the criminals
whom we all long to see brought to punish
ment. Let us endeavor to concentrate public
opinion against lawlessnesS, and especially
against the cruel rufians who, without any
conceivable motive other than the prompt
ings of wicked and savage heart, pour out
their vengeance on the unoffending blacks.
Let US uphold and GRall proper ways) encour'
age the Governor and all other officers Of this
State in their endeayors to bring these crmi-
nails to justice; and let us hope that by thus
heartily sustaining al authority which is IN.
doubted and unquestioned we shall soon re-
store order throughout the State, and furnish
the amplest security to persons of all classes
and of all races.
You will now retire aud proceed with
YOUR inquiries.