The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-10-25
Press kilograms.
WASHINGTON,
News Gath red About the Capital
CITY.

l.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE Star
says j. w. Niles, of Arkansas, who
advocates separation" for colored
people, has received a letter from At
torney General Brewster in answer to
his communication addressed to the
president, saying that the colored peo-
pie of Arkansas were suffering GER
tain grievances at the hands of not
only private persons, but of the civil
authorities. The attorney general
says: "Your statement has received
careful attention, for no good citizen,
whether in public or private station,
will regard with Indifference injuries
such as those under which these peo-
pie are said to be laboring.
The questions, however, which you
raise, are questions of law, and so, Of
course, are to be determined by the
constitution of the United Stats, as
interpreted by the supreme court, for
instance. 1t is very much to be re-
GREETED that impedimentS should be
thrown in the way of the efforts of
our colored fellow citizens to better
their conditions by regularly entering
and settling upon public lands, but 1t
abhorS that the particular lands of
which you speak are public lands OF
the Statesof Arkansas, and that state
has entire control over them. Clearly
the United States, having no power
over the subject, cannot interfere for
your relief; nor can the United
States interfere, by their exec
utive power, in respect TO the
prosecutions Of which you complain,
n GnDS wv rnrrn1nnt
oppressive and enforced by imprison-
ment. If the laws of Arkansas and
under which these prosecutions and
those fines are imposed are contrary
to the constitution, it is in your own
hands by appeal from judgment of
the State courts to the supreme court
of the United States. The same is
true of the cruel punishments inflicted
upon the colored people at the prison
farms, to which, upou trilling preteXtS
they are condemned. If the state
laws under which these privileges are
had are unconstitutional the only rem
edy is by appeal to the highest court in
the state, and from that to the SUI
preme court of the United States.
The executive of the United States
has no power whatever in the pre-
misses as to mere mob violence, no
president nor any other authority of
the United States can afford redress.
1t is only in case of such instructions
as the state cannot put down that the
power of the executor OF the
United States can be employed and
only when invoked by legislatures
or the governor, and the judicial pow
er to try and to punish, individuals
who make up such mobs and commit
such outrages us you describe, is in
the state alone, as those acts are di-
rected against life and personal liber-
ty." After citing CruikShank'S case
(92 L. S. 65o3, the attorney general
proceeds. lie refers to the imposSi-
bility of congress enacting laws to
bring such cases into the United
States courts, and concludes by Say
ing: 81 believe that, upon due consid-
Grafton, the good citizens whom you
represent will admit their remedy lies
in such appeals to public opinion with
in the state of Arkansas as has always
heretofore prevailed, and, while the
cause Of free government and human
happiness remains hopeful, must al
ways hereafter prevail, in the long
run to the subYerSion of wrong and
the advancement of right amongst
civilized men,"
Nile has prepared an address to the
colored people, declaring their only
salvation is to prepare to leave the
country.
A number of naval officers of high
rank haye been ordered to duty on
the United States steamer Hartford
now at Panama, to form Il court
martial for the trial of Medical In
spector 5. d. Kennedy, against whom
charges of drunkenness on duty have
been preferred,
Value of exports of breadstuffs in
September, 1883, SIG, 192, 800, against
1924, 662 600; same time in 1882 for nine
months ended September 80, 1888
$780, 1876, against $l34, 937, 1893 fol
the same period in 1882.
Postmaster General Gresham made
the following ruling: The reduction
on the first instant on domestic ratt
of postage from three to two cents; re
duced also from date from six to foul
per half ounce. A double postage
charge will be made in pursuance o.
section 3943 of the revised statues OF
letters for delivery in the United
States of what are commonly calleC
ship letters, which are conveyed t.
this country by vessels not regularl.
employed in conveying mails.
A number of pioneers from the Ia
cific coast called to pay their respect
to the president to-day. They wer
presented by J. Curtis, of Idaho.
Secretary Lincoln and Genera
Wright, Gen. Parker and Col. Crag
hill, of the engineer corps of tn
army, have gone to Charlestown, W
Va, to inspect the engineering i'm
proVements
An immense crowd attended tn
races to-day. The weather was coo
but the track good and fast. Tn
first race, one mile, was won by Co
Sprague, Amazon second, Mark thirt
The second race, for the Anacost
stakes, one mile and flu long, wa
won by Birch, Wandering sec0uC
DELTA third; time, :5S4. The grea
event of the day was the District
Columbia stakes.
The French and American claim
commission to-day made an order +,
auiring briefs on both sides in a
cases undisposed of to be filed befol
the 2lst of January next. The nun
Der of cases on the docket are abol
2O3, and are set for every day betwee
this time and the date above mel
, toned. Counsel for either governmeI
!, is.reuuired to file notice in case he il
a tends to avail himself of private arg
ment.