The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-01-19
CQArUMBIA,SS3 s.. G..
T1sSiSy Morning, January 19. 1875.

tVC VIC oOutu III tua HutiCbpateO COD.
, 6tmation by the Supreme Court Of
Nr. Justice Bradley's decision in the
Grsut Parish case. Four citizaus of
Louisiana were indicted under the En-
foroement Aot. charged with having
feloniously bauded together to intimi-
date citizens OF African descent, and
Co deprive them OF certain specified
constitutional rights, to peaceably as-
aerhhIe, to lbaaf arms. to be ,pl ntt oted
in life and liberty to vote, SO. They
we're arrested BY United States officers
and bEonght directly before the United
Slater Court. There was no allegation
shas sbey; we're deprived Of any Of these
rights by on In consequence of any Of
the lsvs'bf the State The Justice
Hiscgssed the terms or the amendment
apf Enfdfoemanst Act, pronounced it
adcopbtisutiodal. aahd practically null
and mids sHsgsaid,
e'IfthAseyisss nrs correct, there can
pc no o0nstitnt,ohaf legislation Of Con-
ktesslfd disSbsg5 leufofoihglahe privi-
keges and Observation-Disclosures of the
pnited Ststes. by 'ofigthal proceedings
yHTSkFYO FYOoprtsgof7the' Unlted States,
where thes only 90 INSTITUTIONAL guaran-
geo of aach privileges and immunities
DO that no State ehall pass any luw to
abridge them, and where the State has
paasedE no law adverae to them, but, op
eh6<contfary, has passed laws to sus-
tain and enforce them"
4 Tbe case will come up before the
Supreme Court on appeal early in
4atch. Unless political considera-
tions are to Influences its decisior, the
Court can hardly fail to sustain the
clear and just decision OF astice Brad
ley. The thirteenth amendment pro-
Aibits slavery. aad makes void any
Slate Law which should attempt to re-
enact it. Tue fourteenth declares all
persons born or naturalized in the
United States to be citizeus of the
8sAte in which they live. aud of tho
United States. and forbids any State
Co abrfdgs the privileges or immuni-
ties Of its citizens. or to deprive any
one OF lie, liberty or property. With Z
out dae fptocfeas Of Law, or toi deny
dim the equal proteation OF the laws.
The Acknowledgements the United States
or apy stete TO, deny or abeidge>the
xight'to vote on account Of race, color
cx!cpreyiauS condition Of eeryitade,
The asnehdmente deal only with Statea,
AID afe only prohibitory of State laws
aud OF Tho dots of State authoriNed
under them, They give no cover for
Federal power TO interfere with the
local affairo OF q State. Il is only fair
to conclude that this power remaina
the same. neither more nor less, as re-
CARDS such affairs. The Enforcement
Acts profess for their object the carry
ing out these amendments. They
confer upon officers Of the Federal
Government anshority' to arrest.
Try anu punish uiii4-no ioF oGn;uioos
and oriues properly and usually fall
ing under notice OF the State authori-
ties. Under them, as the Southern
States have experienced to their cost.
Federal msrshals and their subordi-
mates act as Federal police. assuming
and exercising the power to summon
60 their aid Federal troops. and bring
ing those whom they arrest for trial
into Federal courts It was a case OF
ehis kind brought before Justice Brad
icy, which gave him the opportunity
aud the right to pass upon the oonsti.
tutionslity Of the law. It is TO be hoped
that his viev Of it Sill be sustained.
AS the ACT stands. 1t gives o pretext,
and constantly acts as stimulus for
these subordinates OF the Federal Go.
Sernment TO meddle with things they
do not understand. No matter how
peaceable the disposition OF people,
however discreet their conduct, such a
law as this, with such an attorney as
Williams ut Washington, and the
egsnta OF the central power established d
in every State, and politicians, hungry
for office and intent on mischief, pass.
inc between them and oeftino mn hor