The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-26
south CaroIina-Actiono OF the Supreme
Court.

The clear, ringing words of Judge Will
LARD OF the Supreme Court OF South
Carolina, delivered from the bench and
speaking the majesty OF law. will do moro
70 reveal to the people OF the United
States the desperate wickedness OF the
men who, in defiance OF law and justice,
are determined to falsify the electoral re-
turns OF that state, than anything that has
been uttered since the present situation
became what II H. That situation has
grown TO be so indecent that re-
spectacle Republicans must be both
ashamed aud alarmed. In South Caro-
lima the conspiracy has eliminated in an
open defiance OF n mandate of the highest
judicial authority of the State, which has
been properly punished by fine and i'm
prsonment. IL this does not open the
eyes OF the whole people to the character
OF the plot by which the Electoral Colleges
OF three States were TO be packed with
men whom the people have not chosen, to
the exclusion OF those to whom they did
give their votes, then nothing but villaiuy
and pelfdy can dare and do, will rouse
the consciences of Republicans to activity.
II seems almost incredible that in any
civilized community "a Judge should find
n necessary 10 speak as Judge WILLARD has
spoken. He is not Democrat. and there
fore there is no tinge Of party feeling In
what he has sail His solemn and weighty
words have been wrung from him by the
conduct Of men who belong to and are
working for the same party which placed
him aud his associates In the seat OF judy
ment. Their nefarious schemes have
brought them into direct conflict with the
highest judicial tr bunal OF the state; and
they have refused TO obey its mandate,
doubtless because they know that there is a
power behind them which expects them
TO act out the plot against the rights OF
the people TO the end OF the infamous
programme. They would never have dis
obeyed the mandate of the Court II they
had not counted on tho support Of the
Federal Administration in that refusal,
and on it's physical force ms the means by
which they could resist the law. The coun-
try now has the highest evidence when
u could have, that the course OF these
men IL engineered and directed from
Washington. People in their position
do not put themselves in the pre-
dicament of being punished for contempt
Of court OF high and finai jurisdiction,
without having reason to count ON the aid
of power which in mere brutal strength
will be superior 10 the force that the min
isters of justice can command In executing
Its process. Il ordinary circumstances il
Is enough for such n Court to intimate
that punishment for contempt will
follow disobedIence of its orders to
willing and refractory OF respondents
because the respondents are always
conscious that for any physical resist.
hnce they have no resources adequate tC
the issue which they make with the magis-
tracy OF the land. But in this case
the Supreme Court Of South Caro-
Ina has been dehed because those
who have dened il believe that u lawless
force will rescue them from the hands OF
Justice The force on which they have re-
he'd is the arm Of the general Government
welded by n man who would trample
down any tribunals that stood In his way,
in the belief that public opinion would be
deaf and dumb to the voice of duty and
the dictates of justice.
Tho reliance of the conspirators will
fail Judge WuLARD's words have dis
armed the lawless force on which they re-
lied. Those words have gone through the
country like the rays OF the sun breaking
through thick clouds, revealing TO the APP
prehension OF the whole people that this
indecent and wicked scheme has imperilled
the sovereignty of law. The danger will
last but for "A little, for pubic opinion may
be relied upon to save the supremacy OF
p1nlust il.