The New York herald., 1877-03-02
A JUDGE INTIMIDATED.
Justice Wright (COlOred) Forced to Recant His
Concurrence In the Court Order.
TERRIFIC PARTY PRESSURE.
Blood!ess Termina.ion of the Combahee
Negro Riot
lpr TELEGRAPH TO THE HxnA1p.1

COLUMBIA March !. 1877.
Tho habeas corpus case Of Tda Norris. pardonsd
convict. involving she question OF who was Governor
OF tho State. has been pending for some time In tho
supreme Court Tho arguments, as already stated IN
the HERALD, were closed days ago. and the de-
cision has been anxiously expected. II was pretty
well ascertaned PRIOR TO the sickness OF the Chief
Justice that the Court unanimous In It's confer.
enccs in favor OF Hampton. and II was rumored that
the decision was to be announced Friday last On
Thursday night the Chief Justice had paraytc at.
tack
TnE BENCH
This left the Court with only members, Justice
Willard and Wright, the latter colored. Immediately
tho heaviest race. pressure brought upon the col
orcd judge TO get decision In favor Of Chamberlain.
Judge Willard. although republican, known to
bc iu,exible tho conviction that Hampton was Gov
ernor Wright could DO Influenced was tie. and
no decision could be had.
JUSTICE WRIGHT IxTIMIpArED.
Judge Wright resisted the pressure manfully, and
have ascerancd from very reliable authority that
tho 9th ult. he signed opinion
concurrentiy With Judge Willard. recognizing
Hampton. but tho pressure was too heavy. He
actually In fear Of his lfe and said that his con-
victons OF the law were with Hampton, but that r
against his race he would be killed." aud to-day
he signed opinion rccantng and revokng his order
OF the 9th and declaring that Chamberlain Gov.
and II Is beloved that he has left town TO avoid
tho humiliation OF hearing his two contradictory
opinions read in court.
SOURCE or THE PRESSURE.
The effect OF the two opinions Is current ana has
caused much excitement, II Is well known
that II is duo entirely 70 tho terrible pressure
that has been brought upon tho coored Judge. the
States District Attorney d. T. Corbin who claims 10
bc United States Senator. His credentials are signed
by Chamberlain. and II the Court had recognized
Hampton they would have been waste paper, anu all
tho federal appontees hero deprived OF his AID and
comfort Hence the noble army OF martyrs rallied ~
secure the Court, and through It the Senator, and
through HIM their Offices
POPULAR INDIGNATION
This action OF the Court will lead TO trouble No
American community will quietly submit to result
procured by in,imdating the supreme Court The
feeling IS moro determined thnn ever that Hampton
must be Governor. A condition Of things SO dsgracc-
ful will scarcely be permitted to continue.
have Just succeeded in obtaining a copy of tho
signed by tho coiorcd Justice twrigh Fsbru-
81 and also copy oil his note to Associate Justice
willard, recantipg the same. The following - tho
order:-
scr.rxK Court, Feb. %, 1877.
Er parfe T!lda Norris, alias rilda stevens
1t ordered that the reator be discharged from the
custody Of the Superintendent OF the Pcnitcntiary
y. WILLARD, Associate Justice, presiding
j. j. WRIGHT, Associate Justice
THIS order recognized Hampton AS Governor, but TO.
day coorcd Justice endeavorcd to revoke Il 10 tho
elaborate opinion, which recognized Chamberlain
Governor and which was sent TO Justice Willard
wRGHrs OPINION.
Having attached my name to an order dischareing
the petitioner this case, tho 9th day oil Febru
ary 1877, after more mature delberation believing
that the order should not have been made, now
hereby revoke, recall and cancel SAID order so lar
my signature may have given sanction, and subst.
tute the foregoing opinion In its stead
J. J. WRIGHT, Associate Justice supreme Court
DECISION.
Tomorrow the court meets, according to adjourn.
men at eleven A. NJ, when the extraordinary specta-
clio viii be presented OF having Two opinions read,
cmanating from tho same Justice Associate Justice
Willard will deliver his opinion and announce tho
order signed by himself anu Wright tho decision Of
the
Wrights dissenting opinion VIII also be read, but
will be utterly disrcgarded by Hampton and his fol-
lowers, VINO may IN all probability proceed TO moro
firmly establish their government having now the
legal recognition the highest tribunal OF the state.