Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-19
THE ENFORCEMENT ACr.s
Death struggle of KadIealEsn I'm PC.
tersburg. Va.-An Infamous Pro-
eeedfng

Death Struggle Of Radiealisn I'm Pc
tersburg, Vs.-An Infamous Pro-
eeeding.
Washington tJune 14) Special to the Louisville
Courier Journal.
The conduct of the United States
Government IN reference to the NUM-
cipal election lately held in Peters
burg, Va, has excited intense indigna-
ton in that State. At that election the
negroes, who had ruled the white pop
ulation for five years after the fashion
of their brethren in South Carolina and
Louisiana. were completely routed, and
white mans government set IN oper-
alton. The election was conducted
with perfect order and fairness under
the State law, which had provided spe-
cial securities against the usual me- no
frauds upon the ballot.
"The result of the election naturally
gave mortal offense to Stowel and
Platt, the carpet-bag members of Con-
gress, and to the ring of Federal Office
seekers. In Petersburg the judges
of election were seized under the United
States enforcement act; and although
there is a United States Commissioner
in Petersburg, these. gentlemen were
dragged over to Richmond and there
tried before Commissioner Peasants.
Various negroes testified on the trial,
nearly all of whom confessed that they
had perjured themselves, and the
charges were shown to be utterly frivo-
lous and void; but the United States
Commissioner decided to hold all these
judges to bail forappearance and trialat
| the United States Circuit Court upon the
ground, as stated by him, that at apre-
hminary examination an accused party
was bound to prove his innocence.
This proceeding created much feeling
in Petersburg; but though it led to no
disorder or violence, the carpet -baggers
made it the pretext for call on the
President for troops TO be stationed at
Petersburg. Instead of rebuking this
application, or communicating with the
Governor and authorities of Virginia
In the matter, Attorney General Will
Hams utterly ignored the latter alto
gether, and writes a letter to the
United States Marshal in Virginia, a
carpet dagger, and tells him to sum-
mon posse to protect the property of
the United States Government In Pc
tersburg and the oficials-as if the
people there were ready to perpetrate
outrages on both and there was no local
law or authorities to maintain the
peace. He also leaves It to this OBJ
seure carpet. Dagger to decide whether
Federal troops shall be called there
from Fortress Monroe or not All this
time there is perfect order throughout
Virginia, except here and there negro
incendiarism, one gentleman living near
Richmond having had nine attempts
made to fire his dwelling.
This attempt to introduce IN Yir-
ginia the tyranny which was perpetra-
ted in North Carolina and South Caro-
lima under the enforcement act, will
eliminate from the Republican party
there the last semblance Of respectable
ty. The President had hoped for a
party IN this State; but no man of any
position or weight in the Conservative
party is willing to quit that organiza-
ton, or to countenance his ambition for
a third term. The idea thrown out by
some of a ticket with the names of
Grant for President and Gov. KEN
per for Vice President, was repealed
by Gov. Kemper in the most emphatic
manner.