The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-03-02

l0vS kIc0SOeos
The following 10 the editorial that Don
Piatt published In the Washington Capt.
tai last Sunday, aud for which President I
Grant Is going to prosecute him on the
ground that IL Il rcditious and libel
|ous:v
"The sickenisg apprehension felt BY
the people, 10 which we referred last
week, that the Supreme Court would be
found as rotten ~ the other powers Of
our unhappy Government, has been
realized.
The swift decay that IN the last ten
years has made our sclf-government q
sham and npockery, and In the Execn-
tive and Legislative branches shamed us
before the world, has been silently work.
ing It's way through the judiciary until
now. In it, first trial. II otfends with its
stencil the nostrils of all honest citizens.
THE appeal made 10 the Judges OF
the Supreme Court from the people,
s0rely distressed and perplexed, was TO
save them from the wicked conspiracy
OF men they had repndiated At the polls.
They saw their iaithless agents for wears
robbing the Treasury Of their hard
earned taxes. They saw their highest
officials indicted for the meanest crimes.
They saw President coarse, brutal and
ignorant, and appointing sycophantic
pImps to the highest positions. They
saw him the associate Of roughs and the
commoner Of thieves. They saw carpet
baggcrs, sustained by bayonets. manipu-
lsting the polls, that ignorance and ras-
cality might tyranize over the South.
Thav co ~ RinOo orcro N f1oI l., A. l~lL..
control their Congress They saw huge
monopolies created by .heir government
eating out their subsistence. They saw
themselves reduced to want, trade para
lyzed, and labor without employ. and
they made a desperate effort to right
their wrongs through the ballot.
"Witha subsidized press against them
with an army Of hungry otiicc-holders
that counting those Of the General
Government with those Of the States
made horde Of Treasury-eaters greater
than any standing army in Europe with
lall the accumulated capital in the hands
of monopolies arrayed on the side OF
their oppressors. they made one despair.
ing effort and came up from the poll,
with majority Of over half million il
their behalf And OF iwhat avail
Through dishoncst Returning Board
made up Of criminals who have escaped
lconviction and punishment under tht
protecting arm Of corrupt Govern
ment, enough vOtes are thrown out Il
Irendcr all their efforts vain, and saddl ed
lupon them the old corruption and ths
Iold horde for another term Of years
lperhaps forever.
From this appeal was taken to Ave
Justices Of the Supreme Court. Fol
that, no more and no less, was the Com.
mission created. 1t was believed thai
by such process the question at issue
being a charge Of conspiracy among cor.
lrupt men, could be lifted from The politi.
cal arena TO Tribunal OF high-toncd
Impartial Judges, who would decide in
accordance with law and Justice. Tc
the amazement and disgust OF ali
thoughtful minds these Justices divided
Ias the partisars had, on q political line
iand three indecent old men joined with
the enemies Of the people in fixing cor.
Eruption upon us, and destroying ali con.
J lfidencc in the very foundation Of ouI
flpolitical structure tho ballot. They
decided that fraud does not vitiatc. and
,lbcyond this, that they have nothing e
rldecide, and SO send the question 70 ths
people.
Il ave have not the patience to argu,
what the people, In their broad common
|scnse, will not consider the fine-spur
legal technicalities under which thess
Isged scoundrels seek 10 hide theiI
shame. Their real brief Is to be found
lin the uttcrance of one Of their Com
mission, James A. Garfield, who SAID
boastingly, "You'll have 10 grin and
bear IL. We hold the cards and Intend
Ito play them" Poor political rambler
The stakes for which he plays arc III.
rights Of 100000 OF people, the peac.
lsnd prosperity Of the only republi.
known TO humanity. For oil that free
imam hold most dear. these hands, STAINED
with plunder, gamble rs the soldiers 81
Plate served In direpiion the carmen
of the Crucified Christ. AZ we said
week since "This IL not law, Il Is rcvc
luton and If the people tamely submit
we may bid Q long farewell TO Consti
ltuiional Government. Fraud no lonpe,
Ivitiates. A corrupt Administration ha,
only BY its bayonets to hold q Stat,
usurpation long enough In power for
lcorrupt Returning Board to do its vii,
task, and the work Is done. II mar
thus returned TO power can ride II
! safety from the Executive Mansion 4
T the Capital to be inauguratcd. we Nv,
fitted for the slavery that will follow
the Inauguration.
I'VE do not believe the people Of IN,
United States are Of this scryile sort
/. We do not believe that they are pre-