National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-31
IHHUMAH TREATMENT OF DEFENcELEss
AND MN0CENf CITIZENS.

courts. va ~ ...'re :E'..--
EIIaEs
1HHUMAH TRRArnRIr OF DKrENcxIEss
AND NH0cKHf CITIZENS.
When we recall the earnest interest be-
trayed by the Republican party Of the
North. at the close Of the war, in the well
fare of the blacks Of the South, Ii seems to
be almost incredible that the present con-
dition OF affairs IN that section could pre-
vail without arousing the deepest indigna-
ton, and provoking the most stringent ef-
forss to protect them against the tyranny OF
their enemies. Even to this day the
pledges Of the party to protect them In the
exercise Of their rights IS citizens, are re-
peated as the basis Of boast that IL Is the
only party in the country which gusran-
tees the equality Of every class Of citizens
before the law. But the facts show that
these pledges and boasts are barefaced
falsehoods. They have not been kept and
they are as untruthful as the assertions
that the constitutional amendments and the
reconstruction acts have been faithfully 40
cepted by the Southern Democracy. The
masses Of the party, however. are not to
be blamed for this deplorable and disgrace
full condition of affairs. Their love for the
principle Ct equality before the law, and
their desire that citizens shall be protected
in the exercise of lawful rights, as well as
their demand that the dearly bought re.
suits Of the war shall be preserved inyio-
late, are as earnest and dsep-seated as
ever. But they have been misled. They
are constantly being deceived by such
limp backed leaders as Mr.. Vice President
Wilson, who deceive them with declare
tons that the party has succeeded in its ef-
forts to reconstruct the Southern States on
the principles of true Republicsnism and
that the Southern Democracy has Loyalty
accepted the result of the Confederate ap-
peal to arms. In the face of the plainest
deductions of truthful logic. their declara-
tons are accepted because those who utter
them are supposed to be consistent with
their past records, and because the people
have been in the habit Of looking to them
for instruction and advice. The so.cafief
Independent press has also had an ap-
preciable influence in this process of decep-
ton which has gone 90 far as to destroy the
usefulness Of the party in measurable de-
gree. and it is becoming apparent that the
weak kneed leaders to whom we have refer
red, have either been deceived themselves
by the fslsehoods of these journals, or are
attempting to curry favor with them by
giving AUTHORITY to their maliciously preju-
diced statements Of the condition OF affairs.
In short, the truth is seldom told, and those
leaders and journals like Senator Morton
and the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,, who do
not fear to tell 1t, are soundly abused for it.
They are denounced for keeping alive the
passions of the war when they are really
engaged in nothing more than an honestly
loyal effort to prevent traitors and unrecon-
structed rebels from destroying the results
of that contest. Evidence of these attempts
sboupds everywhere. 1t Is especially abun-
dant in Georgia, one Of the leading Demo-
cratic States of the Union, in which
the Democracy enjoy unrestricted op-
portunities to prove their loyal sub
mission to the changed condition Of
affairs. But what do we find they have
donef Are the blacks secure in their
rightsi Does peace reign, and happy
condition Of complete reconciliation exist
mol Instead Of this condi-
ton, we find that the combined power Of
private citizens and public officers is con-
upon an effort to deprive the
blacks Of the privileges Of citizenship, and
TO re-establish, as far as possible, within
the Union the principles they failed to es.
tablish without the Union. The Judiciary
of the State affords no protection to these
oppressed people, but Is rather an agency
to force upon them the alternative
Of assassin or Acknowledgement. Even
when one Of their leaders succeeds
In obtaining . recognition Of his rights
through the suffsges Of his fellow citi-
zens, he Is practically debarred by the
Of the highest courts Of the
State, from using his office for their protec.
ton. In short, the blacks are being put
down and Rsdicalism is to be stamped
out, +" as Ben Hill declares It must be at all
hazards. To illustrate our meaning and
to show that we do not exaggerate In our
description Of the combination to effect
these dishonorable purposes. we quote the
from the Buffalo Egpress, as q
single sample Of the thousand and one SINH
lar cases which really exist in Georgia:
s.Tunis G.. Campbell, of Dsrien, Georgia,
ID the foremost man Of the colored people OF
that Stste-one Of the foremost Of bis race.
he never was Q slave was highly educated
and college graduated, and fitted for the min
istry. Six years ago he was elected to q local
judgeship at Darien, for four years, and was
April white man arraigned In his court for
. crime, became rebellious and deHed the law
and court with terms of abuse, Finally, in
the court committed him for
and he was held under arrest by the
officers Of the court for the space of two hours
until he had cooled down and the proceedings
could 60 on. For thus -yindicatins the su-
nifty Of It's court, Judge Campbell was ar
rested on bench warrant from higher court,
and srrsigned for exceeding his judicial duties.
BE was examined and held TO bail. He pro-
cured bail, but by the Interference Of the OH
GERS of the court In which he was srraigned,
his sureties were either persuaded or intimi- |
lated as fast al he procured them, and he was |
forced into the jail at Savannah. Here he has
lain ever since. This Is the third time Judge |
Campbell has been arrested on similar charges,
but on the two previous occasions he was able |
10 find bali, or TO effeetually dispose Of the |
proceedings. ~
a prominent citizen of Buffalo happened to
be travelling through Georgia last April, and |
was cognizant Of all the steps in this outrage
upon American citizenship and official right. |
he visited Mr.. Campbell In prison at Savannah,
and got from him all the particulars Of his
case! Upon his return North he forwarded
these 70 the Department of Justice, and |
afterwards furnished the same with docu-
mentary evidence TO corroborate II 70 Presi- |
dent Grant. The case has been inquired j
into by the United States District At
.orney Of the State Of Georgia, and he reports
hat this being case In, The hands Of |
he State authorities, It would DO iinjudicious |
lor the United States authorities to interfere,
under the present excited state Of public sentf |
ment In Georgia and throughout the Union in |
I'd n ths uro rofyotfvaa M Sfata and Eed- |