The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-09-12

OUR dispatches, n few days ago, gave
the information that Attorney General
Williams had gone to Long Branch to
consult the president in relation to the
troubles that were reported in many
portions of the south. The result of
that conference appears from the fol-
lowing paper:
LONG BRAICH, September2.
General w. W. BelknaL Secretary OF War
The recent atrocities in the south,
particularly in louisiana, Alabama
and South Carolina, show disregard
for law, civil rights md protection of
person that ought MT to be tolerated in
any civilized government. 1t looks as
if, unless speedily checked, matters
must become woEe until life and
property there willreceive no protec-
tion from the loca authorities, until
such authority becomes poweress.
Under such circumstances, it is the
duty of the government to give all the
aid for the protection of life and civil
rights legally authorized to this end. l
wish YOU would consult with the at
toney general, WHO is well informed as
to the Outrages aready committed and
the localities where the greatest danger
lies, and so ordr troops as to be avail
able in cases ofnecessity. All proceed
ings for the protection of the south
will be under he law department of
the government and will be directed
by the attorn& general in accordance
with the prpvisions of the enforce
inent acts. NJ instructions need there
| fore be giventhe troops ordered to the
southern staes, except rs they may be
transmittedirom time to time on ad-
vice from tie attorney general or as
circumstances may determine hereaf-
| ter. Your truly, U. S. GRANT.
| AS resilt of the conference held at
! the war department. on the Sd instant,
| between Secretary BristOw, Belknap
and Attorney General Williams, the
following circular was issued to the
/ United States attorneys and marshalS.
It has the approval of the president,
the substantial parts of the same hav-
ing beef communicated to him during
an interview with the attorney general
at Lont Branch:
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
! yAsHINGToN, September 8, 1874. !
SIR-Outrages of various descrip-
tiops. and, in some cases, atrocious
murtrs have been committed in your
district by bodies of armed men, some-
tims i'm disguise, and with the view,
it is believed of overcoming and in
timdating peaceable and law-abiding
citizens, and depriving them of their
rights guaranteed to them by the con-
stiution and laws of the United States,
yolr attention is directed to an act of
! congress, passed April Q, 1866, entitled
al act to protect all persons in the
United States in their civil rights and
+ furnish means for their vindication,
md to another passed April 20, 1870,
Untitled an act to enforce the provis-
ons of the fourteenth amendment to
the United States, and for other pur-
poses.
J Also to one passed May 80, 1870,
entitled an act to enforce the rights OF
citizens of the United States to vote in
the several states of this union, and
for other purposes, which, with these
amendments, make those deeds of vi
olence and blood oflenses within the
jurisdiction of the general government.
/ consider it my duty, in view of these
circumstances, to instruct you to pro-
ceed with all possible energy and dis
patch to detect, expose, arrest and pun
ish the perpetrators of these crimes,
and TO that end you are to spare no ef-
fort or necessary expense. Troops OF
the United States win be stationed al
different and convenient points in your
district for the purpose of giving you
needful aid in the discharge of your
official duty. Understand, of course
that no interference, whatever, Is
hereby intended with any political
or party action not in violation of law
but protection to all classes of citizens,
white and colored, in the free exercise
of the elective franchise and the en-
joyment of the other rights and privi.
leges to which they are entitled undel
the constitution and laws as citizens O
! the United States.
These instructions are issued by tht
authority of the president, and will
the concurrence of the secretary o
war. Very respectfully,
GEO. III. WILLIAMS,
Attorney General,