The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-12-12

SO carefully prepared, and OF such SINH
arity, that it cannot be doubted that it
was the result of an organized conspiracy
of some central directing agency to de-
feat the will of the people, and falsify the
true result of the election. The canvass
and election were accompanied in the
State of Louisiana by series Of cowardly
and cruel murders, the only apparent
motive for which was to prevent the col
ored people from exercising their right
of suffrage. These murders occurred in
Caddo, Tensas, Natchitoches, and other
parishes. 1t has been my duty to advise
the proper subordinate officers of the de-
partment in such manner as seemed best
calculated to secure the ends of Justice,
to promptly assert and enforce the au
thority of the laws of the United States
in order to bring to justice those who
have violated them. | have seen no rea-
son to believe that any arrests which
they have caused to be made have not
been fully justified, or that they have act
ed otherwise than as their duty, plainly
demanded. The attempt to bring to
justice the violators of the law has, how
ever, been followed by a system of perse-
cution of United States officers, and of
witnesses who have been called to testify
in regard to the transactions complained
of, which cannot be too severely con-
demned. The resistance to the laws of
the United States has in some instances
taken the form of brutal violence, but
more generally that of complaints and
prosecutions under the State laws for
alleged offenses. In such proceedings
bail has sometimes been refused, or fixed
at amounts so exorbitant that the accus.
ed coulG not be expected to be able to
obtain it. The character of these prose-
cutions may perhaps be better under
stood when it is observed that large num-
bers of them are for alleged periuries
committed before United States Commits
sioners or the courts of the United States,
ofenses of which it is entirely clear that
the States have no Jurisdiction. 1t will
be my effort fairly but decidedly to do
all in my power to execute the laws of
the United States, regarding the purity
of elections in the same way as all its
other laws and to bring to justice those
who have violated them. Some addition
to the anticipated expenses of this dc
partment for the current year may be
occasioned by doing this thoroughly, and
the means for meeting these should be
provided by Congress I respectfully
submit to the consideration of Congress
whether additional provisions may not be
made more effectively to protect officers
of the United States and witnesses sum-
moned on its behalf against causeless
prosecutions, and to enable them to trans
fer the examination of them to the courts
of the United States"
The N. Y. Times is severe upon the
imbecility of the Presidents message
and the Cincinnati Gazette, in the course
of weak defense, says:
1--WE have not failed to lament the
crushing out of Republicanism at the
South not so much on political grounds
as because it was done at the cost of the
Constitution and law, and over the pros
trate rights of citizens; but if the New
York Times, or any other complaining
journal, has pointed out the way through
which the President could have brought
different result, We have failed to see it.
For ourselves, anxious as we are to see
the Constitution and the laws enforced at
the South as they are at the North, we
have been unable to suggest any policy
different from that which was per-
suaded."
That is substantially what old Buchan-
an said about secession and war, in his
last annual message to Congress, in De-
cember, 1860 It is the same old copper
head cry that was heard from 1860 to
1S65-"No coercion" If our Govern
ment is such a miserable affair as is
claimed by the Gazette and if there is no
remedy for the condition of the country
as represented by these Cabinet officers,
let the miserable thing be destroyed at
once. A monarchy, despotism-any
thing but anarchy, ought to be tried and
tested There is no Government now
existing upon the face of the earth so
powerless, inefficient and utterly con-
temptible, as is ours, under Hayes and
his gang.