Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-10-13
STILL HARPING, ETC.
Secretary DeIaHO Gives the People of
Chic e. Few Lines about Southern
OusraEeA
He PIsys AvHnt Courier 10 Grants
Great Third-Term Acf, IN PrePaE-
RIfoa at WashiB stOn.

WASHINGTON, October u The tele
gram OF Governor RgOwu, Of Tennessee, Il
ne PTesi5diep., , ieS weeks ago requestiin q
conc rhing the trial Of the Gibson county
outlaws, in order that the tate might deal
win them, hRyl been fired % the a..
torney general, that ON lcr referred 70 to the
United states attorney frr tho western district
o. Iennessee- The latter, In response thereto.
] IorNards a iona re ort detsLing many OF the
oaireses alleged 10 have been committed. He
I aiiudes % the arrest OF bisck men IN that
neigh oorhoJd, the details OF which have been
heretofore pubAs' ed, making particular
srs taken nom Jail recently sLc
! nan ed, aud says that IS soon as
] these facts were properly brought to his etten-
ton, he csus-d warrants 20 De Issued f.r the
apprehension Of such Of the per-ons a. he be-
ileFed 70 be guilty nom the testimony In his
pos e-sion. sixteen men have already been
Indicted, aud Others will probably be As soon
as testtmOn can Be addUced. Dislricl-Attore
ney Murray further says; Il have great
engsged In this transscuon, and IN some
Instances witnesses do not obey processes Of
the court, and am obliged 10 have wriLs OF
attachment issued IN order 70 secure their
attendance" He further Subnius that the
crime was violation Of the acts of congress-
and was crime that emphaticslly calls for
acuon on he part Of the United states as to
me prosecution Of the parties in state court
de says he i reliably informed That the forty
one men supposed 10 be guilty are those In
0tcted not for murder, but under sections OF
lHe code OF the State, cited IN Governor
BrOwus telegram 10 the President lie eIso
saysi There are various grounds Of pre3u-
dlce, which viii readily sugEsst themselves 10 |
YOU exi ,tirs in a local court which could lot |
exist IN this the United 81 .tes court and !
am well convinced that parties tudiet-d here
can have q iuii, lair and Impartial trial"
Z pom receiving tais Communication from
t ne nlted Sta--s attUrney, Attorney General /
y lIlams addressed the following Letter to |
Governor Brown;
DEPARTMENT OF JUsTTCE,l |
NAsHINGToN, october 10, 1874. |
Hon. John c. Brown, Governor. Nashville:
SIB-Referring to your dispatch to the Pres
ldent OF the eighteenth ultimo, asking him /
70 order, IN respect 10 The Gibson county out
m e-shal, snd that the parties slready n Gus
tOdy be turned over 10 the proper local trfbu-
nals for Trial, aud to the Presidents answer
thereto, in which he stated that your teIe-
gram had been referred 20 The United states
dlstrlci-auOrney Tor the western district Of i
lennessee for Information, and that when
such report was received = more definite an
sweT would Be maie to your Feq uest, I have
the honor 10 enclose hereEiJh a COPY OF that !
report detailing the circumstances under
Nnlcn lhls acuOn Of the Federal authorities
Was taken in that case. No reasoua bic doubts
can exist as 70 The jurisdiction Of the courts uf
the lited States, 90 the facts A. stated by the
that % Is as much the duty OF the President 10
enforce the so-called enforcement acts as any
otleE acts OF congress. To admit that persons
charged with and arrested for a criminal vfo-
latlon OF the laws II the United States ought
% be turned over for trial 10 the tribuzsls OF
the state in which the crimes sre com nftted,
upon demand Of the executive thereof, be
cause such persons may also be chargeaole,
upon such 8 sta o. facts. VII q violation OF 4
: tate law, would be. 10 seems to me. 10 gurreu-
der a p Wer essential - The existence Of the
nauOaal au hOrity, and introduce q practice
.hai would tend more 70 retard than prouot-
ne a. mi nts:rstlon OF justice Iou hing your
"a cement !h Al the parties may be punished
under The laws Of the Stale. and. therefore.
,nat criminal proceedings in The United
s-ales court ous ht 10 te uisc0UtIn nued. beg !
re. as Sufficient comment thereon, what N.
usilce 0reer says, in delivering the opinion
" fhe suprrn NE court VI the I uiteu rSiatos IN
ne case OF Moore a.. the people OF the state OF
lnnols, "A Howe, 20, as follows: every cIti |
en- OF Tue nlled STA eS is also a citizen If /
ate or Terri lory." He may be said TO owe
20 LwO eOyersgns, and NAV
s e - liable to punishment for an
ne same act msy be an offense assinst q
ranSgress on OF the laws OF both Thus, an !
sssult uuon a msrshal OF the United -tates I
nd nlnueung him IN the execution OF a legal :
rOcess Is q high offeuse against the United y
ate-, Tor which the perpe rator il liable 10 y
Gulshluenti nd the same a. may be also
ross breach Of the peace Of the state, or riot '
ssduli, or murder, md subject the same per o
On % punishment under State laws for N ;. /,
em-Anor o. felony. That either or both / d
lay, II they see ht, punish such an offender \
annot be doubted. I know OF no reason 10 r
lppOse tha parties arrested ~ not be fsir- c
tried IN Z tied States cOUrt>. sut n innO- q
ent acquitted; 0ut Il found guilty I aIa sure l.
% one y IA % set 10 their p Oper punish ment Q
ecause they we're not convicted IN q Stats | .
0urt. hhlAe, II cOnsiStent with his ofici-l 4
uty the President would be pleased 10 | q
ccede 70 your wishes. be docs not feel 81 lib b
r 10 ntsrfers VITO the judicial pr0ceediugs +.
-ierred 20, and they VI therefore be allowed Z
proceed IN the usual way 10 fiusl detsrmIn- ii
non IN the courts OF the Uni, ed States. Very o
sspectfulIy, your obedIent servant, Il
GEO. W WILLIAMS, q
AttOrney-General. q