National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1878-02-11

tives o. that high position than the hum
Eblest citizen of the Republic
But II, onAthe other hand, the members Of
the returning board are innocent men, p
we conscientiousfy believe they are, and are
suffering the consequences Of q semi-bar-
barrie persecution in the midst of their limo
cence, for the reason that partisan and
prejudiced tribunal have predetermined
their sacrifice, then the President must-at
all hazard place the Federal power between
those men and harm. To fail to this
would evince degree of ingrstiNde for
which there can be no atonemeut The
honor of the Presidency, under the circum-
stances, cannot be preserved in any other
way. To permit their punishment Is yir.
tually TO admit their guilt, and when that
is admitted, the President is not by right en-
titled to the position he now occupies.
This places the question where it must
be met, and these prosecuted men must be
saved harmless or the world will adjudge
the President to be unjustly in power, SO
long rs he shall, under the circumstances,
occupy the chair Of State. .. There is but one
way of escape from this conclusion, and
that Is to vindicats and rescue these
men from prison and set them
free at whatever cost to the nation
This is no occasion for sentimentality or
temporizing. The right must be yindi-
Gated, or there is no safety to the rights Of
citizenship in the future. II a prejudiccd
court is left unmolested, and at its will to
pack juries, accept perjury rs testimony,
and convict Of crime without the slightest
regard TO truth and justice, then. long
farewell 10 o true and honest rcpub-
lican form of government on American soil
The President, in view Of the facts and
circumstances of this case, cannot afford to
stand hstlessly and permit this outrage to
be contaminated without Federal interposi-
ton in behalf Of justice and right. When
State rights are pleaded in defense of such
an Outrage, the plea SHOULD be no more re-
spected than when asserted in an attempt
to break away from the Union. The prin
ciples and necessities of protection centre
more strongly in the individual citizen thar
in the Federal compact, for the reason thai
the nation can take care Of itself, by the ait
of the people, while an individual is power
less, except rs the Government throws it!
protecting arm around him.
The developments of the case relating t.
ANDERSON must convince any unprecedented
mind that the trial has been mockery o
| he "a i'm INST
fled by the proofs. The jury were empan
neled to convict regardless Of the merits o
the case, and it has fulfilled its mission thu
far. 1t remains to be seen whether thu
President and his constitutional adviser
will remain passive spectators to this pal
pable outrage or command halt. We ar
not disposed to anticipate their action, bu
the path Of duty in the light Of common
justice appears to he very plain. Tn
emergency, under all circumstances,
of no ordinary character, and the implie
completely of the President, insomuch as h
shares the fruits OF the wrong and crime,
any exist, places him in an attitude wh!c
he cannot, safely to his own official estate
maintain in listless silence and inaction.
The present posture of affairs in Louis
--- .---L-- - $780, - ",'Hiso ~ ~.
American citizen. The judiciary of this
State Is now made an engine Of wrong, an
: there is no oppression as insuherable as thu
which emanates from q subsidized and pro
tituted judiciary. If there is no power
3 reform its action there is no safety to pc
sOnal rights.