, 1874-10-13

THE CONFLICT III AUTHORITY 1Hf"EfS THE
UNITED STATES ASp sTArE oorHRn,u:Sra.
WAsntSarox, y. G., Oct. 11.--Tllo telegram OF
Cos. brown. uf Tennosaec. tn thu pehsi<lont,
fow weeks ago, .o1,cstlng that Tho uritcl 5tatos
withdraw f.H action concerning the trial Of tho
Gibson County outlaws, In order that tho State
might doal with thom, having bcen referred to
Tho Attornoy-0o,,eral. and ',y that officer re-
fcrrcd to Tim Untted States Attorney for tho
Western District OF Tennessee, tho lattor, in re-
sionso thereto, forwards long report detailing
many Of tho outragcs alleged io havo bocn con,-
mttet1. Ho Rf1rdoH to tlle nrreHt Of black men
in TINT moigl,borhoot. tllo "details Of wl,ic7,
llaro beon heretofore published, making
particular reference to tha sixteen nceru
prisounts takon from Jail recently and
hanged, aud Haya that, as coon m
theao facts wero properly brought 10 his
attention, ito caused warrantn to bo isslctl for
Tho apprehension OF s,clt Of tj,a persons NE llo
believed gultty. from testimony I'll his posson-
sion, Sixteen mon havo already beon Indicted,
mud others will probably bo III tx,on ns tho tost-
ray further says: ~ havo. gzoas difficulty in
securing prouf against parties ongagcd in this
transaction, alld III somc inB!nrcoa Witnesses Ito
not obey tho process nf court, and On obliged
to have urits Ut attachment is1lucd In order to
secure ttaoir attendance" Ilo tntthor subtnita
Tint tho crimo was violation Of tho acts or
CongscBR, md was n crime that cnlphnsically
calls for action on tho part of tho United stateH.
Ar to tho prosecution Of parties III tho Htnto
Court lao Bnys lls is reliably Informed that the
Indicted, not for murder, hut nter sectiouu OF
tho State code citod III Gov, Browns telegram to
tho President lfo also enys: ''Ihoto are vastnuR
grounds Of I.ro1idco which will roadily suggest
themselves tn you existing in tho local Court,
Which could rot c1iHt III thls title United Statos)
Court, and atm vol conyr,cea tint pnrtioa
indicted lsoro can have full, ia IT, md Impartial
trisl."
Unitnd states Attorney, ntton,oy-f'cneral
Wil]ia1ns addressed the foloui ng letter to Gov.
BroTn
Ay1oHSEY-aENEHA1. WILLIAMS GOV. ngo,vH.
DEPARTMENT or JUSTICE,
. WAs,uHti TON, uct. III.
the 1ath ltimo askn lin t5 "rcr. ii rc,pcst 10 tho
0.hson County outrage, that farther arroeta DO
faa'e by Tho Marbha aud thst j,artles already III
r trial, aud tho prcsl!cnta answtr therein. In which
ho statc1 tnt yn',r telegram ha Men reierrr to Tho
trict Of Tenncsres Tor Information, and thas wien
a,,c report reeevedn def nito nnswcr would
s tnaao to your request have tbs onur to iuctoso
herewith copy Of that report. del alng tho ci1ct-
stance. under which ais action Of tho Federal au-
tortics taken III that caac, No reasonable da,btn
liz United States uron ito f.e,a rs i atate,t ID
hy tho. Distric-Attoruey. Dor es.n thero no any
Aotlbt that " IN ne mitch the hy OF tho President to
cntorc tho so-callel Enforcement ao aB any other ncs
Of Congress- 10 admit that tho penns charged with
and arrested for criminal violation <f tic lawB Of tho
United States ought to be turned otter for trial to tc
tribunals 7! the Stao in which tho crimes orc COIN
1nitcd, upon demand Of tho Exratiyo thereof, bo-
state nj faca With violation III the st1te ts,
would liz. M II seems TO me, tO surrender power
genital to the existence Of the nntor1l alturty eu1
introduce practice that would tent to rctnra
than TO promote tsie Naturalization tf Justice.
Touching your statement that tho parties may lie
punished under tho lawa Of tho Saf, and therefore
that criminal proceedings In the United Sates to,rt
ought 10 be discontinued, beg u clio sufficient
c0sne1t thereon what Mr.. Jtat1ce Green Aayu In de-
lycrlng opinion of tue Supreme Court sf tho
State Of 1llsnola IA Hove, !0), ss follows:
Every citizen oftho Utui :,tstcs IL also citizen Of
State Territory, lie nny r Eaet In nlegiauce
to two RnEcreigna. ami may TO lfae to punishment for
infraction Of the tawa Of either. The act may
hc All ocnsc against OF trsnsgression Of THO nwa of
States, aud !iilltrug lin in tue execution Of legal
process, is high ottcnsc against the nl:e States.
for which hf Is lialr 10 punishment, AMI the
a:t may lie uleo gscss breach Of tho Of the Stae
aon to punishment under State lans foe nslenseanor
or felony. That either OF both may, r. they TT,
punish such All offender, Cannot he dolhtel."
know of no reas9n to snppasa t1et the partlc. ar
rested will nat bo fai.ly tried IT, TIM United Satcs
Courts. and, Il innocent. II m;e1uItts'. hu! II found
punishment t,cca1so they wctc not tonrictcta III Il
SHtu court. Nhilc, II consistent with hiR n!icial
duty, The President would b rlsEae.f 10 accEic 10
your wishes l,u o"s not rce al iiher!y to Interfere
will t1rret,rr be allowed 10 proteed in tho uaual way
to final ds:crnination IN .ho Courts ct tho United
STATES. Very rtsIrelfuily your ohcdtT1t servant,
tiEoEoE v. WtaLZssiE, Atto1ney-Gcncral.