New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-04
THE HABEAs CORPUS REPUDIATED.

The Times, commenting upon the APP
plication of Triplett and Turrbull, col
ored men, for writ of habeas corps, re-
marks:
1t looks ae though the object of this ar
rest was simply to rescue these men from
the hands of the law officer of East Baton
Rouge and give them the chance to escape
under writ of habeas corpus, or if possible
by bail.
Well. are not these legal rights, secured
to the citizen by centuries Of suffering and
strife? Has no white man applied for 8
writ of habeas corpus? Has no white
man charged with murder applied for and
been admitted to bail? Has no white man
| charged with such an ofense left his bail
to meet the recognizance entered into on
his behalf? The records Of New Orleans
abound with numerous cases in which
this process, the right of freeman, has
been applied for. and fragrant cases have
occurred in which the offender bailed has
dwelt abroad beyond the jurisdiction Of
the courts, and without fear of extra
dition. But all these cases were those of
white men. 1t is only when persons
raised to be legally equal to others in
rights and responsibility are advised by
counsel that they may be taken from a
custody which they deem wrongful an
afforded speedy trial before an impair
tial tribunal, that the organs of the bull
dozers come forward and intimate that
these rights should be denied the appli-
cants, because the grant might afford the
parties applicant an opportunity Of es-
cape. Was it not as natural that these
men should avail themselves of all legal
rights. as that Mr.. Henderson and his
colleagues, convicted Of violating the
revenue laws, should have done the same
thing, even to engaging the services of
Republican friends to implore pardon Of
the President?
1t is very well for the Times to keep
step in the procession of the bulldozers,
by finding fault with every act of Re-
publican. 1t is very judicious to approve
by speech, or silence, the acts Of every
White Lacquer, but this one-sided policy
does not sustain the character of an i'm
partial and fearless journal. Process has
been sent from Feliciana for the arrest of
colored men charged with having MUIR
dered co!ozed man. Why has no pro-
cess been executed on the white men of
that parish for the murder of colored
John Gair, by white men, upon charge
of having murdered d man now alive?
Why has no local process issued for the
capture of the man who killed one Re-
publican and mutilated another in the
village Of Coushatta? And why have not
the organs of the White League reproached
those parish authorities with their derelic-
ton Of justice in the one case, as they
have applauded them for their active pur-
suit of alleged offenders in the other:
This answer is palpable. The alleged
offenders in the one case are defended by
the entire White League party; those Of
the others are poor and unprotected.
They have no patronage to bestow upon
their advocates, and no power to hold
them to any personal responsibility if they
deny them the common legal rights Of
freemen, and charge, as the Times does,
that an application on behalf Of colored
man for writ Of speedy trial or for bail
is but device to facilitate their escape
from justice. Oh! the sham cbivalry
which applauds the strong and finds the |
weaker always in the wrong.