The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-06-02
Southern Estimate of Murder.

The declaration of Gov. Stone OF Mississ-
ippi in relation to the Chisolm butchery that
''it will not do to stir the thing up'' is very
generally endorsed by the Southern press and
leading Southern men. Indeed not few
journals Of that section declare that the as
sasslns shall not be punished, an d that the
murders are but illustrations of "the wild
justice OF revenge" feeling which to South
ern apprehension is one of the holiest which
the human mind entertains. Northern peo-
pie, however, are not satisfied with this very
general statement of the case. On inquiry
they lea1n that the victims of this "wiId jus.
tice" are invariably Republicans, and that
the wrong for which revenge is taken is the
defense of the rights which. the Constitution
guarantees to the negro citizen. In the light
of the Mississippi massacre ard like tragedies
we are justified in questioning whether the
constitutional amendments are accepted so
heartily and unreservedly as Southern Con-
gressmen would have us believe. On the
contrary we are forced to the conviction that
the authorities in the Southern States have
neither nor disposition power to punish crime
where the criminals belong to the Democrat
ic party and where the victims are negroes or
their white allies. The South certainly can
not object if we apply its own logic in the
case of the Chamberlain and Packard govern
ment and contend that a state government
which cannot enforce the local laws is
unworthy of respect and has no excuse for
being. Our judgment must needs coincide
with that of the Attorney General of Mississ-
ippi who says, speaking Of the Kemper coun-
ty murders: eff the press of the State per-
sist in their attempts to palliate, excuse or
sassination, it will only serve to invite rep
etition of such disgraceful savagery and ad-
monish all good citizens of the State to fee to
Mexico or Santo Domingo for a better en-
forcement of the law and for a higher grade
of civilization" From present evidence the
North is not far wrong in assuming that the
South is unfit for self-government.
Southern leaders so far fail to see the enor-
nifty of the offenses committed in the COM
munities they represent that they attempt no
apologies and speak of the expressions OF in
dignation at the North as attempts to for
ment sectional strife. They say that all
harsh reflections upon murderers are in op-
position to the policy of conciliation. Even
meaner crimes, fraud and the like, are not
to be condemned if committed by Southern
gentlemen" Senator Morgan of Alabama,
as reported yesterday, has written letter to
the Attorney General, very decided in char
acter, urging the dismissal of the indictments
against those who by ballot-box stuffing de-
feated Jeremiah Haralson (colored) for Con-
gress. Haralson's district was Republican
and gave nlm large majority. Shelley, his
opponent, and some fifteen others were dis
covered practicing the most shameful trands
upon the ballot-boXes, and were indicted.
Mr.. Haralson has been informed, so his
friends say, that he will be killed if he re-
turns to the district to prosecute his contest.
for his seat. and that his life will only be safe
after he abandons the contest. Senator Nor
gan now writes that if the policy of concilia-
ton means any thing, it must embrace par
don for all political offenses, and that if the
President expects any support from the DEM
ocrats of Alabama he must not countenance
the further prosecution of the matter in the
United States courts. 1t is safe to assume
that the President desires no support which
has for its price conformation of murder and
fraud