National Republican., 1880-05-04
Let Lnstine be Dome.

To the Editor Of The National Republican.
SIR In the light of tho existing situation John
II. Johnson, who recently killed negro in quar-
rel, becomes public bcnciactor. II will
be very dificultto get jury to convict Johnson in
the present enraged and alarmed state OF the pub
lie mind. Whether our ministers of JUS
tice know 1t or not, there is strong and growing
tendency to conflict of races in our midst and
one of these days or nights there Will be music in
the Rir.-Sunddy Capital
head OF Topics of the Week" in Dom Piatts Sun
ddy Capital The writer of the article containing
izen, and the super or of Tom SmOthers, tho raw
shor, even may be the equal Of Johnson, the pub.
lie benefactor," who wantonly killed an unohend.
ing negro for the good Of the public and the pro-
motion of peace and good order in our midst. IT.
however lie be a peacaGe, law abiding citizen
can account for his desire 70 violate law for he is
evidently III sympathy with "cOnllict of races")
only upon the hypothesis OF insanity superinduced
by race prejudice. out ofa school, for which, no
doubt, the writer In the Cgpitdl or his ancestors
were Immediately responsible, came such charac-
ters as Tom Smothers. Ignorant and brutal, and
made 70 by brutality In the laws by which he was
governed and by the barbarous treatment meted
out to his race, few negroes may be- still il is
fhct that Notwithstanding the strenuous and per.
sistent efforts of the civilization and christianity
negro, many very many of them are at least re-
spectacle and worthy clti2cns In the case of Tom
smothors recently tried, the jury was composed of
eight colorcd men. He was convicted. II was an
inhuman outrage committed by Smothers Not
more so, however, than that committed by tho six
or eight white men year ago in the northern part
of the city, every one of whom were recognized in
open court by the prosecuting witness and who
are to-day at large, roaming our streets by the lail
IRE ofa Jury, composed mainly of white men, to
agree.
We hear no threats to raid upon the Irish of
Swampoodle, of no conflict Of races as between
Americans and Irish. We saw no demonstration
against Curtis, acquitted by jury, the majority OF
which was white, after having enticcd an orphan
girl to the National Hotel and brually ravished
her No. the writer in tho Capital is full OF patience
for crime and criminals II the criminals be white,
ana is no doubt ready to acqult every white man
who may murder negro. lie has sounded note
of warning to every peacenble, law-abiding coored
citizen and coored property holder IN our midst
to be on the lookout for outrage. The warning
should be needed. II will be needed.
Tho trial Of Johnson will be the test of the prose-
cutting attorneys desire to have justice meted out
in this community irrespective of race, color or
previous condition OF fserVlude. II will also be the
test of the fairness OF white men jurors We will
be able after the result of the Johnson trial 10 COM
pare the jury of the Smothers trial with the jury
trying the former criminal and TO see il the judg
ment formed By the Capital is the true one or not.
UTEsA.
WASHINGTON, d, c., May 3, 1880.