The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-29
JUSTICE BRADLEY SUSTAINED.

The public will read the Geographic re.
port Of the decision Of the United States Su.
preme Court, confirming the decision rem.
dered by the United States Circuit Court for
the District of Louisiana, in the case of the
Grant parish prisoners, with sense Of great
relief. A year and nine months ago the de-
cision Of Judge Bradley was hailed by rs as q
profound and righteous judgment which had
"sent thrill of joy and gladness through
the hearts of our long suffering people,"
Until that day some four hundred negroes
had for months thronged the Custom ,use,
but dispersed when this decision was read.
On the streets, in club rooms, at saloons, and
in family circles "the triumph of constitu.
tional law and liberty" was the exclusive
topic Of conversation. Praise Of Judge Brad
ley was heard on every hand, and his noble
decision and course were contrasted with
those of the Durells, Woods and Bsckwiths.
Much merited praise was bestowed on the
counsel for the defense, Messrs. r. H. Mari,
E. John Ellis, W. R. Whitaker and NJ. Ryan,
who were the first to obtain favorable de-
This was a. time when sixty prisoners,
convicted under this law. were confined in o
Georgia Penitentiary. The trial was long and
as tedious as the heat Of an oppressive sum-
mer could make it. The prisoners were fero-
ciously and savagely prosecuted, and even
after the decision Of Justice Bradley, the po-
litical prosecutors were not willing to let the
prisoners go. After trial Of such prolonged
and venom, during which the
prisoners appeared to be fore-doomed to con-
viction, the relief from the luminous dscision
" was as unexpected as clap Of thunder in
clear sky, and as refreshing as rain after
long drouth" In reference to it the BULLETIN
remarked:
Let the hearts Of our people throb with
profound gratitude when they reflect that,
from the very bench upon which sat the in
famous Durell, whose decisions bereft us of |
Dur liberty, has been proclaimed the cheering
fact that the laws were not made for the black
man exclusively, but that under the law all |
men are equal.
The effect of the decision Of Justice Brad.
Icy, which has just been confirmed by
supreme authority, was given June 80, 1874,
BY the BULLETIN, as follows:
The importance Of Judge Bradley's decision |
il the Grant parish case can not be overesti- |
mated. The theory of the prosecution was
that, where two or more persons band and |
,onspire to deprive another of the right to |
vote, the right peaceably to assemble, the
right to keep and bear arms, the right to the |
equal benefit and protection of the law; or to
deprive another of life, or liberty, or proper
y, without due process Of law, the persons so
banding and conspiring were offenders against |
he laws Of the United States, and punishable
IL the Federal tribunals.
Under this view Of the law, whenever any
difficulty has occurred between white people |
md the negroes, or between persons of differ
,nt political sentiments, the United States
have caused the offending
parties to be arrested and brought to New Or
cans from the remotest parts of the State,
md have either imprisoned them or held then
lnder heavy bonds to appear before the Fed
raj Court to answer.
The law has been SO administered that
White people have been made the victims; and
{ has been generally understood that any re-
distance by white people to the outrsges and
.ggressions OF the negro would be followed by
heir arrest and prosecution by the Federal
authorities. Tne consequence has been that
he white people have passively endured the
most intolerable wrongs on the part of the de.
uded negro, and the latter has become in
ufferably arrogant and insoIent
Judge Bradley decides, in effect that the
avs and Constitution Of the United States,
10 not protect individual citizens againss
ggressions and violations by individuals, of
be right peaceaby to assemble or the right
o keep and bear arms, or tbs right to vote;
or does the depriving of individuals by indi-
iduals, OF life, or liberty, or property, without
be process oflsw, subject the offender to pr ose-
ution in the Federal Courss. The Constitu-
ion of the United States and Fourteenth and
fifteenth Amendments forbid the Federal
Government and the State Government to
iolate these great rights; but, il they are
ioiated BY individuals, the offenders are to