The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-13
THE PROSECUTIONS.
THE JURORS TEST OATH AVID FED
ERAL ELECTION LAW MUST BE
REPEALED.
what ths Republicans Propose To DO
Democrats Already Convicted ana sen
tenced In Florida and south Caro-
Cor. Washington CapItal.I


fenced In Florida and south Caro-
ICor. Washington CapitalJ
WASHINGTON, February 6, 1879.
Three weeks from next Tuesday the Forty
NTH Congress will expire by law. Within
that time the four principal appropriation
bllis Will have to be considered by both
Houses; 1t Is the policy. OF the Republicans,
House by Foster, Hale and Garfield, to crowd
the consideration OF these bills all into the
closing days OF the session, believing that
the Democrats, In their desire TO avoid
called session, will at the last moment pass
the appropriation bills, without repeating
THE TRoN-CLAD TEST OATH
for Federal jurors, or the Federal election
law.
This programme is well known to many
Democrats in both branches, and they are
considering the propriety Of a compromise, by
the terms OF which, In consideration of the
Republicans agr, eiBg to repeal the test oath.
they the DeInocrats) will let the election law
stand as 1t Is.
Now If such compromise is made, and the
appropriation bills passed under it, the Dem
ocrats will find themselves securely fastened
In one OF Edmunds' traps, just as they did
after they had agreed TO the electoral bill.
The repeal Of the jurors test oath will not
amount to anything so long as its companion
In inquity and it's corollary in iDfamy, the
election law, Is allowed to stand On the stat
ute books.
The jurors test oath merely gives base
and beastly panderers to party despotism, as
JUDGES BOND, SETTLE AND BILLINGS,
power TO pack juries, grand and petit, TO do
the Internal bidding Of desperate concIave
here, who, holding Office by fraud, seek to
perpetuate their power by force, exerted
from behind the specious mask OF the Federal
judiciary. But the repeal OF the Law would
not prevent the packing Of juries. Given
conspiracy between the Judge, the district
attorney and the marshal Of a Federal court,
backed up by the Attorney General, and a
jury can be packed as well without as with
the present test oath. / am surprised that
the Democratic lawyers In the House and
Senate should seem 10 overlook this impor-
tant fact as they do.
The real Pandora's box In the premises Is
THE FEDERAL ELECTION Law,
and / hope that before they agree to a
compromise which simply knocks off the
splinter Of the test OATH leaving the box itself
practically as good as new, the Democrats in
the House and Senate will examine all the
facts in the case,
Without the test oath the election law can
still be made, by viliianOus judges, like Bond,
Settle and Billings, an engine OF partisan tor
ture, oppression and terrorism. But without
the election law the test oath would find it's
rates:
The election law, as interpreted by Bond,
Settle and Billings, and as executed by the
district attorneys and marshaIs OF their
courts, amounts TO a Lsttre de cGchet, lying
ready for issue against any citizen OF any
State, whenever any Niger, carpet-bagger,
thief, ptmp, or peTiurer in the service OF the
Radical party sees fit TO go before a grand
jury, made up of similar jail-birds, and file
Information against him.
I have recently taken the trouble to ex~
anime this election law, section by section,
comparatively with the socialist law under
which the SWine-faeed Bismarck is now en-
gagged In crushing free speech and sitting
free thought In imperial Germany. To my
astonishment find that
BIsMARCK's SOCIALIST LAW
Is the more liberal OF the two In its bearing
upon the freedom Of the individual citizen
The Bismarckian law Is aimed solely at pop
ular assemblies, public utterances, oral or in
print, and concerted movements by aSSocia-
tions. But 1t does not touch the ballot Of the
individual Germap, not even by implication.
On the other hand, 1t expressly admits and
conServes the freedom OF the ballot, by de-
claring that none of it's provisions shall be
deemed to apply to any act Or expression of
the individual subject done or made in a man
ner not calculated to influence others. II the
Federal election law were applied to the edi-
tors OF Democratic newspapers and the men,
berS OF the Democratic committees, 1t would
be a duplicate of the Bismarckian socialist
law. Conversely, II the Bismarck law were
applied to the individual German voter, it
would be copy Of our election law.
But Bismarck, though chancellor Of an i'm
perial despotism, lays his hand only upon
those who have means OF defense-men OF
local power and prominence, sparing the poor,
obscure and defenselesS individuals who SIM
ply vote the socialist ticket.
On the other hand, Devens, Attorney Cen
erai OF the best government the world ever
saw, not daring to lay his hand at the throat
of the organization or the journalism Of the
Democracy, instructs his foul judges, and his
Internal district attorneys and Inarshals, to
drag from their humble homes, hale hundreds
Of miles, before packed iuries and send a
thousand miles TO the penitentiary, poor,
helpless. defenseiess citizens OF the back
woods Of Louisiana, the swamps Of Florida
and the mountains Of South Carolina
Within the last sixty days the infamous
Bond, with packed jury at his beck and nod.
has sent eleven American citizens to the
Albany penitenttary upon the testimony Of
white thieves and negro ruffians who ought
themselves to be hanged without the formal
fty OF a trial
Judge Settle, In Florida. has sentenced
three, and intends to sentence dozen more
Judge Billings, in Louisiana, has indicted
nearly hundred, and Of these at least thirty
have been toled off for conviction and sem
tence, including Kiag, tcho is q member elect
of the nert House. Not three DAYS ago
heard Louisiana niger, now in Washing
ton and hanging around the White House for
an appointment, boast that within thirty
days after the adjournment Of Congress King,
member elect for the North Louisiana dis
trict, would be
IN THE PENITENTIARYl
have heard other Southern Radicals boast
that between this time and the converting OF
Congress In December next 500 Democrats in
Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina-judges
of election, supervisors OF registration and
local election officers generaily-would De
tried, convicted and imprisoned under the
Federal election law. That these things Will
be done have not particle OF doubt
l suppose the Democrats in the House ana
Senate are aware that the programme OF the
administration is to concentrate its powers
Of tyranny and repression under the election
law upon the
THREE STATES
have named, for the purpose OF taoLousuLy
managers in them, in order that they may pe
carried for the Radical presidential tieAet Ii