Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-02-23
The conviction Of andersen.

the contempt which rogues enter
| tain for the law when they feel the
halter around their necks. The
conviction of Anderson, one of tho
| Louisiana returning-bOard rascalS
has produced much indignation
among the gang of conspirators who
profted by Anderson's villany.
Sherman, Mathews, Hale, Garfield
and White offer the convicted cliI-
prit their sympathy and coincidence.
They tell him he Is ''guiltless of any
1 offense against the law" that he
| and the other three knaves 'tare
/ falsely accused and maliciouSly per-
secuted and that the trial was a
mOckery of justice. With hyDo-
critical whine the conspirators in
the great fraud by which the Ameri-
can people were robbed Of the Pres
ident they had elected, inform the
country that the conviction of
scoundrels for the crime of puriery
and forgery twill disturb the best
interests of the whole country and
revive sectional animosities. Such
braZen impudence is marvellous.
The country has no more to do with
the conviction of these periurers and
forgers than it has with the recent
conviction of the bank forgers and
peuurers of New York. The at
tempt to make it appear that the
conviction of Anderson is the re-
suit of rebel hatred is a paltry sub
terfuge. Judge Whitaker, who is
presiding atthe trial of the returning
board, is a gallant Federal officer
who served four years in the Union
army, lost leg in defense of the
Union, and is now ready to die in
the last ditch in upholding the con-
stitution and his principles of self
government, which is the right of
the people to have their votes count
ed honestly. The Philadelphia
Times, independent in politics, in
sists that the conviction of Thomas
G.. Anderson, q member of the
Louisiana returning board, marks
another and the first important step
in the onward march of retributiOn
against the Infamous conspirators
who fraudulently manipulated the
returns of election and falsely GER
titled to the result in favor Of the
Hayes electors. The offense of
which General Anderson is con-
victed was the greatest crime in the
political history of the country,
committed, as it was, without a
palliating condition, and powerful,
as it was, for evil in example as
we'll as in immediate effect, and
any other result of the trial that
has just closed in New Orleans
would have been a travesty of JUS
tice and a lasting reproach to |
American civilization. The crime |
was not committed in any corner
it was seen and known of all men. |
Some of the most eminent citizens I
of the United States were present, /
and, knowing the infamy in pro-
gress, held their peace if they did |
not actually encourage its perpetra-
ton and assure the criminals of |
protection. Others Of equal emil |
nence viewed the proceedings with |
world with indignant protests. t
Everybody knows how that Loui-
siana voted for Tilden and was
counted for Hayes, and that men
who thus prevented the will of the
people in utter defiance of the real
figures, were Thomas G. Anderson
and his associates. 1t is idle to pre-
tend that such men are entitled to
and absurd to say that
the legal proceedings against them
have any of the characteristics of a
political persecution. Sufficient
time has been allowed for the pas
sionS of the hour to be dissipated.
The.jury that convicted Anderson
was fairly chosen, and embraced
two colored men, and perhaps, 9TH
an fair hearing, in the face of
light that constituted presumption
Of guilt, and no one who has follow
ed the testimony dare say that any
0ther verdict could be given by a
sworn conscience. We believe that
1 New York or Philadelphia jury
would have arrived at the same
1t was a just finding,
md Justice demands that the penal
" of the crime shall be eXacted, un-
ess executive clemency shall inter-
1ene. There is no motive for per-
scouting the Louisiana perjurers, be-
,Ond that of furnishing crime.
Their conviction does not affect
either Hayes or Tilden. On ac-
count Of the course Of Hayes in
the policy of the Demo-
ratio party, by removing the
roOps, the people Of Louisiana feel
Kindly toward the President, and
would gladly have gratif1ed his de-
ire not to prosecute the members of
he returning BOARD, whose infamy
made him President. But a great
rhine lad been perpetrated, and
grateful as were the peOpleof LOuisi-
ina toward the President, and, anX-
Gus as they were to crafty him,
hey felt that the majesty of the law
hould be Vindicated. The magni-
ude of thecrime committed, instead
# affording immunity to the crimi-
lals, should make their punishment
he more certain and severe. Sher-
nan, Stanley Mathews & Co., who
re now denOuncing this conviction,
ear that the revelations on these
rails will show that the members
# the Louisiana returning board
purjury and forgery at
heir suggestion, and the indigna-
ion they express is intended as a
HELD for themselves should they
De indicted and carried to Louisiana
or trial on a requisition from Gov
rnOr Nichols. Memphis Appeal.