The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-12-18
couRrs oRcAs1zEp TO coNvIcr.

1t is difficult to conceive of greater ca
lsmity to society than the organization of
strictly partisan judiciary. This, however,
has been accomplished by the radical party,
and some of its organs have the audacity to
boast of their success. The fact that the rad
ical party, by the enfranchisement of the
southern states, the removal of carpet-bag-
gers and troops has lost its grip upon them,
has aroused all the latent sectional hates of
radical conspirators, and now, as a last re-
sort, they rely upon the courts to do that
which all honorable men abhor-convict
upon mere partisan grounds those
who are charged with violations
of the laws. The New York
Tribune, in the wealth of Its malignity,
champions the new departure and exultant-
ly refers to the action of Judge w. B. Woods,
whose district includes the states bordering
upon the gulf. This Judge has decided that
the test oath must still be required from
grand and petit jurors in United States
courts when the offenses charged are viola
'tions OF certain United States laws" The
Law referred to, of the existence OF which
the Tribune boasts that southern demo-
'crats' were entirely obl:vious, is found in
the Federal Statutes, section s22, and reads
as follows:
No person shall be a grand or petit Juror in
any court of the United States, upon any in
Quiry, hearing OF trial Of any suit, proceeding
provisions of tiIIe "Civil Rights" and OF title
aCrimes," for enforcing the provisions of the
fourteenth amendment TO the constitution,
who is, in the Judgment OF the courts. In COM
plictty with any combination or conspiracy In
said titles set forth, and every grand or petit
juror shall, before entering upon any such In
Inquiry, hearing trial, .ake and subscribe
an oath in open court, that he has never al
rectly or Indirectly counseied, advised or VOL
untarialy aided an, such combination or con-
sptracy.
Without stopping to comment upon q
statute. the purport OF which is easily per-
ceired, ID better subserves the public welfare
to point out in what regards the law is be-
lIeved 70 pander to partisan hate by convict
ing political opponents. In this connection
the Tribune lets the cat out of the bag. 1t
says:
II happens that the crimes charged in South
Carolina and some other states come under
Ihe provisions OF this section. In any Inquiry
as to such crimes, and in the trial of any per-
sons accused OF them, It appears that the jurors
must take and subscribe a special oath. They
mnst swear not only that they had no part In
the particular combination or conspiracy In
uuestIOD but that they never have voluntarily
aided or directly or Indirectly eounseled or sd
yised any other combination or conspiracy
aimed az the free and full exercise
of his franchises by the colored
voter Moreover, almost unlimited discretion
is intrusfed to every United States court In
the selection of jurors for the inquiry or trial
in such cases "No person shall serve who Is,
in the Judgment OF the court, In completely
with any combination or conspiracy" OF the
character named. njudges are faithful and
honest, how many democrats m south Caro-.
lima win they ind OF whom 1t can be believed
that they are not in corupliclty with the re-
cent successful conspiracy TO capture the slater