The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-01-30
A Custom House is not Haven of
Refuge.

A little light 10 dark place is generally
timely and serviceable. Especially so, if
it discloses and brings to view crook
edness and iniquity which are being per
petrated, or attempted to be accomplished,
under cover of darkness and by cunning
and overseeing in defeating the ends of
Justice The case of the members of the
Louisiana Returning Board are exactly in
point. These men were under an inforlna-
ton or indictment of a grand jury for
felony under the laws of the state, When
the time'for trial had arrived, instead OF
appearing for trial like honest men they
forfeited their recognizances, and when the
sheriff with wrlts for their apprehension
went to make an 'arrest. they fed to the
Custom House for shelter, and their place
of retreat was Immediately protected by a
band of marines taken from a revenue
cutter lying at the city levee. The sheriff
being thus frustrated 10 his attempts to
execute the mandates of the court Ethe
attorney general of the state telegraphed
to the United States attorney general the
state of affairs, and inquired whether OF
not the general government had authorized
or would sanction such conduct. The
answer was proper and to the purpose
directing the United States marshal not tt
interfere with the execution of the writs Of
the state courts. This action on the par
of the general government, giving fugi-
tiYes from the orders of state court tC
understand that the public buildings o.
the United States are not to be converted
into fortresses and places of refuge fol-
their special protection, may possibly
contribute to dispel some of the
vague indefensible notions which
have arisen in the minds of many
that states have no rights as against the
awful protectorate of the authority q
Washington. In times past, and il
Louisiana especially, liz was understood
that all good republican needed was Il
shelter himself at the custom. house and hi
could defy the entire state with impunity.
1t is becoming dimly conscious to the ap
prehension of many of this classlthat the
old state of affairs has kpassed away, anC
that there are courts of the state with suff
cient powers and which have the right by dut
process of law to bring offenders to justice
and tolinfict punishment As it happens
Louisiana is a sovereign state, with all thu
rights, privileges and powers of any othe
of the United States, SandIno more to b.
interfered Within her legislation or hel
judicial action than the estate off Illinois
just the same, neither lessinor more. Tn
Returning Board of Observation-Disclosures
ture of state law, amensbleSto state law
andits members punishable by state author
ity for crime or misdemeanor, and if the!
committed fraud or forgery in the perform
ance of their official duties as a Returning
Board, it is to be hoped they will be fairl
tried, convicted and punished, without an
outside interference, just as like crimes in a
election board of this state would
treated through the medium of our ow
state courts. Or, to put it in plain an
distinct language, let there be no mol
federal interference in matters which b.
long exclusively to the state.