Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1874-09-02
DEFEND TIE INNOCENT--PuNIsH
THE GUILTY.

Our kilograms bring US most melan-
choly intelligence, if true. Melancholy,
because the deeds, if they have occurred
rs related, will aid in maintaining the
ascendency of the yillainous carpet
baggers that have so long robbed the
South. Our dispatches say that train
was stopped in Alabama and the col
ored mail agent shot in cold blood.
Further. Congressman Hayes, carpet
Dagger, pretending to represent Alabama
confirms the story, etc. Now, what
man like Hayes, or any other carpet
Dagger. would say on such matters, no
sensible man would for moment credit,
though verified by thousand of their
oa,hs and afidavits. The fact of the
train being stopped, or not. and what
occurred after the stoppage. is matter
to which other people can testify. The
actual facts as they occurred, may thus
be got at with reasonable degree of &C.
curacy. For our part, We can only say
that if the train were halted for the pur-
pose of killing an innocent or any per-
son, guilty or not, without due process Of
law, We trust that the most vigorous
and strenuous efforts will be made to
arrest and bring the cowardly assassins
to condign punishment. Again; if a
church when filled with worshipers has
been fired into by band of numbering
miscreants, no punishment is too great
for a crime Of such iamning enormity.
For the sake Of human nature, the honor
Of the American people, and especially
that of the unhappy South; we pray, we
trust, that this i'll omened intelligence
may prove unfounded. We are well
aware that for years it has been the
practice of the carpet-baggers in the
South, on the eve of an electoral cam
paign in the Northern and Western
States to get up stories of this character.
They did SO in 1872. in 1870 and 1868.
II is their sole stock in trade to charge
their victims with the crimes that are the
favorite weapons of their oppressors. 1t
is very probable that the tele-
graphic intelligence referred to
may prove nothing but ca
nard of this character. Whether true
or not, we hope that the matter will be
Immediately and thoroughly investigated
by impartial examiners, and whoever
proves to be guilty, on their heads let
the punishment fall. If there were the
slightest probability or possibility of the
present Congress doing its duty and act
ing with any degree of fairness or even
handed justice, the truth might easily be
got at, but as that is out of the question,
the only hope is. from the press. The
great New York dailies, with commenda-
BILE enterprise, are in the habit of send
ing capable and reliable men to ascertain
the facts in cases of popular excitement
or disturbance. Let us hope that they
will do so in this case. Let us hope that
in some manner the truth, the whole
truth, will be brought out, so just and
impartial opinion can b, formed and
equitable proceedings be had. There is
no question of party about this any
more than there is about pluudering the
people. If murder is stalking red
handed through Alabama, it must be
stayed and the offenders promptly and
adequately punished. There are nc
politics in the prevention of assassina.
tions. To attain that object, all good
citizens will at once unite, aud to accom-.
plish so desirable an end, might
for time endure the company of q
swindling carpet-bagger. In short, there
must be security for property and person
throughout the settled portion of the
United States or else we will have to ad
init that our present institutions are a
failure. We do not believe they are
We believe they are founded on the rock
of truth and justice, and for that reason
We would drag every delinquent, white
or black, rich or poor, Democrat or Re
publican, to the bar of justice. If these
people in Alabama are guilty, punish
them without mercy; but if these dis
patches are cooked up and published fol
political purposes, without any rea
foundation, then we say punish seve rely
the authors of the Islander.