The Morning herald., 1876-03-30
TINE ENFORCEMENT ACE.
FOR PRESIDENT
The Democracy Vindicated.

The Democracy Vindicated.
The Judiciary is the stronghold of right,
A partixan, ignorant, or corrupt Legisla-
ture may enact unconstitutional laws to
serve party parposes; but when they are
tested in the court of last resort, they are
sure to meet merited condemnation. 1t is
we'll worth bearing in mind, ard being in
fuenced thereby:-that in the long contest
between the Democratic and Republican
parties, whenever the principles of either
were so moulded by facts as to come before
the Supreme Court at Washington, for final
decision-that Court, Republican in it,
personal organization, has always decided
in favor Of the Democratic policy, and
against that of the Republican. In other
words-the Supreme Court has uniformly
adjudged that the Democracy was right,
and their opponents wrong. This is an ur-
enviable position for party 20 occupy, and
it is an unanswerable argument, agains t
all the ISLANDERS and vituperation, spewcd
cut upon the Democracy by Republican
speakers, editors, and politicians, for their
course upon all questions affecting the
rights Of States, and the liberty of their
citizens, in the past sixteen years. In
1870 the Republican junta at Washington
were alarmed at the recuperative power of
the Democracy and resolved to stamp outthe
uprising, and trample under foot the rights
Of the States by the infamous enforcement
act. In both the Senate and House, the
Democratic members with ardor and vehe-
mence, protested against the enforcement
act, as unconstitutional. They were Knocked
and derided, as copperheads and secession
ists Six years have come and gone-and
Chief Justice Waite in most exhaustive
opinion has pronounced the legislation Of
the imperialistic junta, illegal, and uncon-
stitutional. To properly understand the
case we briefly state the facts. Certain
citiye4a 4aG&&lI G& 4ss@aisil9pa- Indicted under
the have to be negotiated, or no tice to
"ed nate the treaty of 1912 be given the
Nelson anu AicAs.aoo. ~--------
coler, with intent to hinder them in the ex-
ercise Of their rights, &C."
The section of the act under which they
were indicted we quote in full:
"That if two or more persons shall band
or conspire together, or 60 in disguise upon
the public highway, or upon the premises OF
another, with intent to violate any provision
Of this act, or to injure, oppress, threaten
or intimidate any citizen with intent to pre-.
vent or hinder his full exercise and enjoy
nent Of any right or privilege granted or
secured by the Constitution or laws Of the
United States, or because of his having ex-
ercised the same, such persons shall be held
guilty of felony and, on conviction thereof
shall be fined or imprisoned, or both at the
discretion of the Court, the fine not to ex-
coed s. 900 and the Imprisonment not to ex
coed ten years, ard shall moreover be there
after Ineligible to and disabled from hold
ing any office or place Of honor, profit Of
trust created by the Constitution or laws O.
the United States. (16 Stat, 141.)"
The defendents were convicted and sen
fenced as felons by the United States Dis
trict Court at New Orleans. An appea
was taken to the United States Circui
Court Of Louisiana which resulted in
division of the Court. A certificate of tn,
Circuit Court was presented to the Su
preme Court of the United States at Wash
ington, and upon it, that Court adjudge'
the case, and held that every one of tn
counts-sixteen in number-of the indict
ments were bad-illegal, and ordered tn
Court below to discharge the defendants
The position assumed for many year,
and by the way, again, and again, argue,
upon Democratic platforms, by tn,
writer of this article, and for which he ha
been roundly abused for disloyaIty "tha
it was the State which conferred upo
citizen all the rights to DO enjoyed-ex
ceptiDg citizenship of the United States
acquired by birth, or naturalization; and i
was an illegal assumption of power Of
part Of the United States, to interfere witt
= citizen in the exercise Of any politica