National Republican., 1878-09-30

rid that State Of this terrible outrage. The |
laws are now the same rs they were then,
with the exception OF the power of the
President TO suspend the writ Of habeds
corpus. When the experiment was so sue
cessiul in North Carolina, why not try II in
Alabama, Louisiana, md other Southern
States? II no doubt would be as etfectual
in those States. The sane legal machinery
exists, Then, we say, why not try
itH The army WIS never intended
for any such purpose, and concili-
alton is not known to the law rs q
remedy for its violations. 1t seems to us n
strange idea, solecisn in government, to
attempt to prevent violators of the law
from recommitting the same otfenses, under
similar circumstances, by conciiatiug them,
by conccding to them the fruits Of their
violations Of the law, upon their leaders
promising they would not repeat them.
Who, In his senses, would b,lieve any such
promises would be respected whenever 1t
became necessary to accomplish an object
by their violation?
But is 1t true the violators Of the civil
rights and elective franchise laws of Con-
grcss cnunot be successfully prosecuted and
punished In tho South in the Federal
courts? We say every earnest attempt in
that direction has been successful. Wit
ness the prosecution of the Ku-Klux in
North Carolina, tho conviction of the Grant
Parish Outrage prisoners in Louisiana,
who only escaped punishment on account
Of the Indictment not charging an otiensc
under the statute, rs held by the Supreme
Court of the United States in the CnUIK-
SHANK case, not on account of the failure
of the jury to convict, ns they were con-
victod by the jury.
We believe 1t to be n fact in Louisiana
that great numbers of persons charged with
violating the penal provisions of the civil
rights and election franchise laws of Con-
gress have been charged on oath with those
crimes, commitments have been issued, the
accused arrested and brought before the
commissioners, and upon examination COM
mittcd ortrial before the Circuit Court of the
| United States and released on bail, and all
those papers forwarded TO the United States
Distrct-AttOrney, who has failed in every
case to bring the cases before the grand
jury or take any action whatever in them.
This has discouraged the people. When they
see the officers Of the law fail to prosecute
Offenders who have violated their rights
they have nowhere to look for protection,
aud give it up. We have been speaking
in reference to the violations of the
United States laws where all the officers ex-
ccptthc judges are under the immediate con-
troll of the Executive Department Of the
Federal Government. We do not allude TO
the State laws, State officers, and State OK
ccutivcs. II is notorious that the State laws
have not been, and perhaps in the worst
localities cannot be- enforced. The local
organizations of White Leagucrs, Bull
dO2ers, or by whatever name they may be
known, are too powerful in their immediate
parishes or localities to be successfully
prosecuted; but when they are taken ont
of that locality before United States
court, with n Jury selected au over rne dis
trict, and of persons not in sympathy with
them, they can he successfully prosecuted.
Now, we submit that this is the remedy to
put down White Leaguery and bull-dozing,
or any other violation of the United States
laws, and We have not the least doubt but
that if earnestly and persistently carried
out, in 1880 there would be rs peace
able and fair an election in Louisiana rs in
the average of the Northern States.
We say, why not try it? Certainly the
laws are ample, and we think it is only nee
essary to have IL understood that any viola
tiOns of these laws will be earnestly prose-
cuted to test its efficiency.
The Democrats of the Southern States do
not respect the civil rights and elective
franchise laws Of Congress because they
have not been enforced nor any attempt
made to punish violations of them.
If the Federal authorities would see that
these laws are enforced and any violations
of them promptly prosecuted and punished,
it would have the effect that the enforce
ment of all laws looking to the peace and
order Of community have, and in this case
insure peace order, and free and fair cleo
tion.
The laws are regarded as ample for this
purpose. All that is wanting is an enforced
obedience to them if there is an attempt to
violate them.
Is it expected that the wrongs or dis
orders in any community can he corrected
in any eilectual way, except by laws adc-
quate to the occasion and their strict en-
forccment? When the evil is so prominent
and universally conceded, and the laws re-
garded as adequate to the suppression of the
disorder, il seems 10 us it is great failure
OF duty not to have those laws enforced.
And again, when those violations of law are
practiced by men most Of whom were lately
in rebellion against the Government, with
the avowed purpose of preventing those
who were loyal TO the Government during
this rebellion from exercising their most
sacred righ,s-thlt Of the elective franchise
it Is Il stronger reason why the laws
should he rigidly enforced.
No good citizen can object to the enforce
mcnt Of tho laws or to the punishment OF
its vio!utors, ald any government which
fails to 10 70 il r2Creant to 1t duties.
The officers of the Government have no
right 10 give away the rights of one portion
Of the pcOplc'to Conciliate another portion