Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-05-12
CURTIS HI. BROGDEN-A FAITH


self to be a designing partizan rather
than an impartial chief magistrate
faithfully administering the laws with
out regard to race or color, and hon.
estIy ignoring all considerations of
party or previous condition of servi-
tude.
But possibly, as it is impossible for
the leopard to change his spots and
for the Ethiopian to change his skin
it may also be impossible for man.
who has been a mere partisan rs
long as Governor Brogden has, to dis
charge the duties of his high office
with an eye single to the good OF the
| whole State.
Perhaps too it is expecting too much
of any white man who though born
and reared in the South could bring
himself to act with political party
that derives it's power and its numbers
from the negro race, to expect that he
would not at all times and in all places
pander to the prejudices and to the
passions of that race. We hal hon
estly hoped otherwise and so hoping
we announced upon Gov. Brogden's
| accession to office that we would not
| hastily condemn or criticize his official
| conduct. That we kept our promise
faithfully the columns of the JOURNAL
bear am pie testimony. But the time
has now passed for Governor Brogden
/! to expect any more consideration from
us than is extended TO the most pro
| nounced and undertaking member of
the Radical party; for whatever may
be the cause, it seems certainly to be
the fact, that he perverts to partizar
purposes the great trust confded tC
him. The INSCRIPTIONS measure he
| resorted to in the interest of bis party
| to secure control of the organization
of the Constitutional Convention of
last year, still fresh in the recollections
| of our readers, would alone be suff-
cient to Justify what we say this morn
ing.
| But there is another case unanswer-
| able it seems to us. chat is equally
| strong, the facts of which appear fully
ence recently furnished to the Raleigh
Meas for publication by General Cox,
the Chairman of our State Executive
Committee. This correspondence
shows Enthusiastically to what lengths a
white Governor will permit himself to
fail in the performance of his official
duty, rather than give offence to his
ignorant negro constituents, who
though constituting great mai rity
Of his party are yet minority of the
people. Read the evidence and pre-
serve it carefully. It will be seen
that for near three months after the
matter has been brought officially tc
his attention, the Governor has utterly
failed to make any response to the
duly constituted officers of the Law
who were urging him to perform his
duty:
| From the Raleigh News
! RALEIGH, N. c., Feb. IA, 1876.
| HIS Erc cheney, Curtis II. BrogCle1a
| Gove1nor of North Carolina
SIR have the honor to lay before
| your Excellency petition from Col
W. Fl. #. Cowles, Solicitor 10th Judi
cial District of this State. the Sheriff
and other highly respectable citizens
of Catawba county, requesting tina
you make a requisition upon the Gov
John Cowles, fugitives from justic,
from this State, and who are represent
ed to be at this time members of tn,
Legislature of Alabama.
/ also hand you certified copies O
, | the indictments against them with tn
records of the courts pertaining t,
their cases duly authenticated, show
ing that they are fragrant offender
t | against the majesty of our laws as tn,
| following brief recapitulation of thei
conduct in connection with these in
dictments clearly manIfests:
In 1867, Hugh Carson, colored. anl
Amos Carson, colored, were jointly in
dicted IN the county court of Iredsll il
two cases, viz: for stealing bacon, SC
from ]. l.. Nicholson, and leather, &c.
from John Haynes.
i February Term, 1868, case continued
| for defendants, who were recognized
to appear ut the next term.
May Term, 1868, Hugh Carson faill
to appear and forfeits his recogniz
| ance.
i September Term, 1868, Amos re
moves his case upon affidavit to Davit
| county.
/ Spring Term, 1869, Davie Superior
| Court continued.
| Fall Term, 1869, Amos forfeits hi
bail.
| Spring Term, 1870, defendants no
found.
| Fall Term, 1870. defendants arrested
in Person county, and upon their aft
davits they cannot get fair trial IL
Davie county the case is removed tc
Davidson county.
| Spring Term, 1871, Davidson county,
case continued for defendants.
| Fall Term, 1871, Amos Carson tried
and convicted and j. Carson sent tc
the States Prison. Hugh Carson
failed to appear for trial and from that
time to the present has evaded arrest
Notwithstanding repeated capiases
have been issued for him.
| Spring Term, 1870, Catawba Supe.
rior Court, Hugh Carson and John
Cowles were jointly indicted fol
breaking and entering in the night
time the store of Adam Hagan, ESQ.,,
and stealing large quantity of goods.
After a long search by the officers ot
the law, John Cowles was found. in
Rowan county, arrested and commit
ted to Catawba county Jail, and Hugh
Carson was arrested in Davidson
| county and likewise committed to Jail.
| From this Imprisonment both of them
escaped by breaking jail and since
have never been arrested.
I have been this minute to enable
| your Excellency to perceive at glance
| the history of these fugitives and how
| considerably they were treated by the
| courts-having fled from justice and
up to this time eluded the laws of the
State. They are now legislating for
the people of Alabama. Ihave letter
from J. A. A. Billups, Esq, Chairman
of the Committee on Privileges an6
Elections in the House OF Representa-
tives of Alabama, in which he desires
me in behalf of the people of that
State to request your Excellency to
demand that these fugitive criminals
shall be delivered up for trial as they
| cannot be punished in Alabama for
crimes committed in this State, and
his people feel natural indignation
that they should continue uumolested,
to act as law makers for the State of
Alabama.
Feeling confident that whatever
course the comfy existing between