New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-08
Taft's Instructions.

The Washington correspondent OF the
New York Herald writes under date Of Sep
tember 3:
The Attorney General, in giving his in
structiOns to United States marehals IN the
Southern States relative to crimes against
tie elective franchise and civil rights, as
provided in the Revised Statutes of the
United States, has been controlled by
very discriminating and careful cOnsidera-
ton of what may properly come within the
purview of the Federal laws as distinguished
from those acts which constitutional'y fall
under the jurisdiction of the several States.
Besides having taken a very copscieHtious
view of what Congress intends that he shall
ernment, is faithfully observed BY all the
States in the matter Of elections, he i.
determined that, since a number of ou,.
RACES in sections of the South have been
brought to his attention, thorough eA
animation shall be made into them, an.
the Just penalties prescribed by Congress
shall be vigorously inflicted after proptl
trial according to law. He has had a coy
dition of affairs, conspicuously in Alabama,
Mississippi and South Carolina, brought I"
his knowledge recently, which requires the
stern correction Of the law, and, if found
to be as represented, he will, so far as in
him lies, under direction and with full un-
derstanding Of President Grant, see to it
that the remedy is applied. He has d.
rected the marshal of the Southern District
of Alabama. upon the representations made
to him by Senator Spencer, of Alebama,
and others, to look carefully into the man
there, and to cooperate in bringing to trial
under criminal prosecutions, aided by the
district attorney, where proper and neces-
sary, all persons charged with crime He
has also given strict instructions to call to
justice all parties concerned in political
murders.
While speaking over these cases, and the
general complaints made against people In
the Southern States, Judge Taft manifests
great conservatism and conscientiOusness.
He will not be acruated by any feeling Of
animosity or bitterness which parties may
seek to arouse in him, but will do his full
duty in the premises impartially and IN
finchingly. In many cases he has been
considerably perplexed to get at the true
state Of facts, but he personally weighs
every one of them, with all the evidence
presented to the government. in the most
cautious and exacting manner, and 80 la-
to the task that he may be said now
truthtully to be working night and day.
He says he ie determined, 80 far as Uni
ted States district attorneys and mar
shals are concerned, to have an honest.
reliable and fearless set Of officers 70 aid in
the fullest administration of the law. He
realizes fully how much importance at
taches to the duty of seeing that the latter
are accurately instructed and bound by law
in the faithful performance of their duties,
because, he added thoughtfully, 'they have
the power to make war, and may call in the
forces of the United States" The instruc-
tions to the United States marshals under
the civil rights and elective franchise laws
will be promulgated at once, and the coming
campaigns, as they relate to the Attorney
General and she Department of Justice,
will be supervised, where such authority is
prescribed by law, in vigorous and un-
tiinching manner. However, no right of
the States as constitutionally understood
| by the loyal element of the country and as
interpreted by the constitution is to be in.
| fripged, yet at the same time many Of the
| tallacies of the day upon this point will find
no favor in his estimation.