New-York tribune., 1878-12-03
THE REPORT OF GENERAL DETENS.
NEED or BETTER PROTECTION TO THE OFFICERS
or THE UNITED sTATES-THE FRAUDS AND VIo-
IENcF IN Tile sOUTH.

NEED or BETTER PROTECTION TO THE OFFICERS
or THE UNITED sTATEs-THE FRAUDS AND yIo-
LRNCE IN THE SOUTH.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The annual report
OF Attorney-Genera Devens. which was sent TO Con-
gress to-day IL very voluminous document. devoted
mainly % detailed statements Of the business trans
acted by the Department OF Justice and the DisrictA-
torneys Marshals etc. under It's control during the last
fiscal year. The report says under the nead OF fFo
lection TO Civil Oiicers":
It's important that additional provision should be
made for the protection OF the executive cyl onces'
The punishment attached 20 resistance 10 the pro-
cess OF the United Courts Is not proportonate to
the crme OF murder. which IN frequent instances have
have arrested endeayOed 10 arrest vloators OF the
law II should not be left 20 the state TO determine ana
cntion of Justice OF such serious character.
but appropriate LEGISLATION should ena9ie 6 tue
faithful officers been killed TO administer the pen,
ieor that n this he LETT 60 the courts OF the States 1t
cannot he expected that IN certain portions o thc Union
it will now be faithfully and efficiently performed
On the subject OF violations OF the Federal election
laws the Attorney General among other things,
The Attorney Generals office IL not provided with the
means Of any general system OF investigation OF nfac
tOus of the laws IL depends mainly upon the reports
of facts IN individual cases made by the Occts of the
Department upon the ground aud upon their requests
these as VOL as OF information from those public
cpt that I'm vnriuus parts Of the Union. especially
i'm certain portions OF the States OF Louisiana, south
and Virginia, Instances OF
hinutou and violence intended To prevent Tree ana
ncacefn advocacy candidates for Congress occurred
preyous 10 the daY OF election aud upon the day OF
cccon deliberate frauds rcsOred 10 In voting and
canyassng votes often accompanied by threat ana
intimidation. Reference IL made to the tissue paper
tickets aud blll0tbox sullng, and tho General con-
tnuesl: The canvass and election were accompanied
in the state Of Louisiana DY series OF cOwaldly and
cruel murders the only apparent motive for which was
to prevent the coored people from exercising their rRh
OF suffrage
Tne attempt to bring to justice the yolators OF the
law has ,weycr, been followed by system OF perSe
cution OF United States officers, and OF witnesses who
have called testify regard to the transactions
comp pianed Of, which cannot be be too severely con-
demned. This resistance To the laws OF the united
states in instances taken the form OF brutal
violence but more generally that OF complaints ana
prosecutions under state laws for alleged ohences
IL will be my effort, fairly but decidedly, 10 do all In
my power TO execute the laws OF tn United states re-
garling the purity of elections, In tue same way as all
ia Oner laws and TO bring 10 Justice those who have
violated them Some addition To the anticipated ex'
peuses of this Department for the current year may
be occaslohed by doing mis- Thoroughly and the means
fer meeting these should be provided by Congress
re sppctfuy submit to the consideration or Congress
| whether additional provisions may not De made more
effectively TO protect officers OF the United states ana
witnesses its benaf against causeess pro
secuons and enable thom TO transfer the examlna-
| tion of them 10 the Courts OF tho United States