New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-02
VJTUOUT FORM AND VOID.

In Washington to-day may be witnessed per-
hans the most striking illustration ever pre-
scented of the stability of our Government, ana
of the reserved force which it carries with 1t
for meeting emergencies. In South Carolina
to-day NAV be witnessed the most lamentabie
lack of coherency ever experienced, at least In
North America Never did State more need
due and steady administration OF the laws and
respect for them on the part both of the gov
erned and governing classes, and never was
there a nearer approach to anarchy complete
and universal. With such population, and
with all the elements of society so unsettled,
what could be worse than two persons each
claiming to perform executive functions or
two Houses of Representatives each exercising
legislative pOwer1 This would be awkward
in the most peaceful times, if in such
times it could occur at all; but In
South Carolina there is anything but peace.
In every telegram from that quarter
we expect to find tale of the EXTREMIST vio-
Ience. How can it be otherwise when the two
Governors are each appointing local officers OF
the law who must inevitably come into con-
flict, and whose authority must be rcpudiated
by one faction or anOther3 Here is Darlington
County, for instance, in which we find a Cham
berlain trial justice shot in his own door, ne
with other functiOnaries of the same quality
having refused to vacate his office. His death
arouses the wrath of the negroes, and there are
frightfu threats of murder and OF arson. The
black soldiers parade with their Winchester
rifles and go into ambush with the probability
of shooting the next white man who may go
by. The work begins by'a vOlcy discharged
at the special police going the rounds; and
now we are told that both races are upon
war footing Meanwhile, to whom are law
abiding citizens to look for protection9
What cain the courts do for them
Judge Carpenter decides, in case spe-
cially made up to get ut his decision,
that neither Chamberlain nor Hampton has
been legally inaugurated, yet he makes mat
tiers right by ruling that Chamberlain holds
over until the legal qualification Of his Sic
cessor. But even now nothing is settled. An
other similar case is pending before the SUI
preme Court, another negro convict having
been pardoned by Gov. Chamberlain expressly
for the purpose of making it up; and there
are convicts in plenty of either color the raw
material for no end of litigation. Was there
ever such a burlesque of government, OF JUS
ticc, of law-making, and of legal execution
Truly we want a President OF the United
States. and we want him soon. We wantS0me-
body outside South Carolina to see to it that
the laws are executed in that State. If inse-
curly and uncertainty were ever toerabe in
tho National Government, they are mtolerable
now. If only obedience to law can be secured,
it will 90 far toward disarming aIl criticism of
ways and means resorted to for securing 1T.
Let it be understood that each State is respon-
sible for order ard peace and public safety in
all the States; and that national legislation
now means, or should mean, the full authority
Of the law in South Carolina and everywhere
al