The daily gazette., 1880-03-08
From the Philadelphia Times.
Look at Our Own DoorsI

Look at Our Own Doorsi
II Ia common for Philadelphia partisan
journals to give prominence 10 all report
from the South presenting instances o
the miscarriage of jusiice, and to embel
festly dictated by political interests. Th,
trial of the Kemper county, Mississippi
outlaws and the failure 10 convict tht
murderer of Chisholm are fruitful
themes for p iladelphia partisan news
papers, and they, as rule, suppress, dis
tort or deliberately falsify the truth To
infame Northern Judgment against what
is represented as the violent subordina-
tion Of justice to political ends.
When we look at our own doors, what
is presented 10 us How have law aud
justice been administered in Republican
and loyal Philadelphia, when partisan
interests have interposed? Whatever
may be done in the South to oppress the
colored race, 20 pollute the ballot by
fraud, or to pervert it by intimidation,
there can be no excuse for unpunished
murder, violence and fraud In Philadel-
phia elections; but have we made our
skirts clear while assailing the South?
When the colored men were first en-
franchised and attempted to vote in
Philadelphia, they were hunted on the
streets and shot down like beasts be-
cause they were black men. The graves
of Cato, Chase and others stand as
monuments of Philadelphia lawless-
ness and the consuming shame comes
back to us in the fact that not one Of
all the murderers and lawless ruffians
has been brought to punishment.
With Republican courts, Republican
power in every department. of National
and State authority, the murderers of
the black man have defied the laws
and are yet unwhipped ofjustice. One
of them was subsequently convicted of
election frauds in Cincinnati, ana
President Hayes made haste to pardon
him.
1t is nearly year since one of the
prominent officials of this city, and
one of our most respected citizens, was
killed on the most public street of
Philadelphia, by government official.
The offending official was permitted to
resign /; he is at large on bail, and his
trial belongs to the future. Had such
a case occurred in Mississippi, it would
| have made most effective campaign
document, and the failure to execute
the offender, whether the act was de-
liberate murder or excusable homicide,
would have been heralded as the stud
led failure of justice in Southern
| Courts.
But few months ago the primary
elections of one of the great political
parties were held in this city, under
the eye of a Republican police and the
guardianship OF Republican courts.
The result, or anticipated result, in
one ward was unsatisfactory to certain
leaders in an adjoining ward and a
mob swcoped down upon the convsn-
tion, scattered the delegates, forced
the presiding officer to escape by the
window and killed one man and
wounded others. 1t was within sight
of the Mayors office, of the courts and
of Independence Hall. The dead was
buried, the wounded healed, and the
only parties accused by the law were
acquitted by our juries. Can it be as
sumed that such atrocious lawlessness
can be perpetrated without guilty par
ties who should be made felons instead
of political leaders7
Only a few weeks ago, at an impor-
tant election in the city, a member of
the highest legislative tribunal of Phila-
| delpha, a subordinate officer in charge
0f the records Of the court and a dele
| gate to the Chicago Convent ion, headed
gang OF roanders and bsllot-smashers
IN the Fifth Ward, ok possession of a
| ballOt-box ami the return after the
count had been Completed, intimidated
the election Off ers by threats of vio-
lence, falsitied tie return and cheated
an honestly electeL Councilman out of
The po ition to which the people had
chosen him. His confession in open
court, when called upon TO make the
best excuse he could invent, practically
admitted the crime; but he is still q
IN ladeiphia legislators "a court officer, and
rartl' an juries are expected to shield him
rom punishment. How would such a
record in Mississippi or Louisiana b
embellished by the organs which take
little or no note OF the lawlessness that
Is at our own doors?
If fire government is TO be preserved
tie p Ople lawlessu uess must be BRAN
led aud punished as crime in North and
) uti in Mississippi aud in Phiadel-
| phia; and the subordination of adninis-
tration Of justice 10 partisanshIp of any
s''ade must be ended. Philadelphia il
a running sore of lawlessness in the
maj aeemenL of our elections, and with
pure courts and faithful prosecuting off
ctrsJuslice is often in the leading strings
| oi party leaders, who make the law ex-
use murder, violence and fraud to serve
degraded partisanship. Is it not time
hat we should note the lawitssness at
our own doorsp
DIR. g. W. Golf of New York. sailed