The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-03-18
Partisan suprem me Cour,.

n Su PIG !" e court
The opinions of the supreme court
of the United States on the issues
raised under the thirteenth and four
teenth amendments to the constitu-
ton are Of great importance to the
entire American people, but it is to be
regretted that the justices of the court
Or majority of them-seem to be
so blinded by partisanship that they
have been unable to treat the question
at issue in spirit OF judicial fairness.
In all of the decisions published they
take the pains TO enunciste the doc
triue that the courts of the several
States are required to give to pris-
oner the right of trial by jury COM
posed of white and colored jurors,
and the fact that the latter may be eX-
cluded from the panel is regarded as
prima facie evidence that such exclu-
sion is due 10 prejudice against race,
color, or previous condition of servi-
tude, and therefore s. violation of the
fourteenth amend nent to the constitu
ton. In the cases at issue the parties
making the appeal were negroes tried
and cOnYicted of murder. By reason
of the fact that the mass of their own
race where the trial took place were
warm sympathizers with them and
would therefore bring in verdict Of
acquittaI, all negroes were excluded
from the juries. Against this they
protested, but the courts, in the inter-
est of justice, overruled the objection
and only white men were permitted
to act. This the majority of the Sn-
preme court hold to be an error, and
the cases are remanded to the State
courts for trial before mixed juries.
Justices Field and Clifford dissent
emphatically from the conclusions of
majority of the bench. They hold
of q person from jury services on &C.
count of race or color criminal Of
fense, it can make their exclusion from
office, on that account. also criminal,
and by the adoption of the doctrine
will be presumptive evidence of their
exclusion on that ground. 1t is very
evideut to see, that these distinguished
jurists, do not regard Jury duty as a
right which the State owes the citizen,
but rather that it is duty which the
citizen owes the State. This is the
common sense as well as the legal
view of the case, and will be upheld
by every citizen of honest impulses
and ordinary inteliigence.
The question: Of the rights of States
to govern their own internal affairs is
brought prominently before the public
in these opinions. or course the ma
jority of the justices held the advanced
idea that the federal government has
q right to dictate in all matters to the
States, treating them simply as de-
Tendencies with no reserved powers.
In his dissenting opinion Justice Field
makes use of this vigorous aud point
ed language:
"Those3 who regard the independ.
ence of States in all their reserved
powers, and this includes the inde-
pendence of their legislative, judicial
tial to the seccessful maintenance of
our form of government, cannot, fail
to view with the gravest apprehen-
sion for the future the indictment in
the court Of the United States of ju-
dicial officer of State for the manner
in which he has discharged his duties
under her laws, and of which she
makes no complaint. The proceeding
is gross insult to the State. 1t is an
attack on her sovereignty in matters
OtCt WhiSu ohO Has GU
her Jurisdiction. The doctrine which
sustains it, if carried to its logical re-
suits, would degrade and sink her to
the level of mere municipal cOrpo-
ration
These are brave and true words
braye because they attack one of the
most powerful and aggressive political
heresies in our country, hcresy pro-
mulgated and upheld by the now DOM
lmant party, and true because they are
III enuucialion oi the very theory up
III which our republic; is based. The
purpose OF the Republican party TO-
decrease the authority of the States,
and to centraiiZ. all power in the
hands OF the federal government, has
long been notorious. 1t is part of
he scheme to destroy the republic and
erect upon its ruins monarchy great
er than any other OIL the face of the
earth. To assist in carrying out this
scheme the supreme court was packed
with bigoted partissns ready to pros
stItute their high office to the most :un-
patriotic purposes. With this same
object in view, the econspiracyof placing
Grant once more in the Presidential
chair was conceived, and has almost
been successfully carried out. 10 pre-
vent the voice of the people from be-
ing heard, one after another of their
safeguards against despotic encroach-
ments have been swept away, and the
time is almost ripe for the coup d'etat
that shall destroy popular government
forever on this continent. The men
who are engineering this matter are
inscriptions, fertile in resources, and
capable Of committing any outrage
upon the rights of the people. They
have the whole power of federal gov
ernment at their back and q supreme
court subservient to their every wish.
The danger to the republic is immine nent
far more SO than many people imag-
ine-and these opinions of The supreme
court are suggt stive of how far that
tribunal will go to aid the conspir acy