The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1883-02-02
KUKLUx.
Important Decision Of the su.
promo Court.

Clarioa Of The 3lst.]
A d,oision hss hssa rendered By
the Supreme Court Of the Unitsd
States in Q ease from Tennessee. The
United Safes W R g Harris, 70 ths
eject that section $3.50 Revised Stat.
utss) 10 unconstitutional The section
10 a. follows:
1.-TWO or more persons in any State
or Territory conspirs OF 20 In die.
guiss on the highway. o. on ths
premises Of another, 10, The purpose
Of dspri,ing, either directly OF indi.
rsctly, any person Or any class Of
persons, Of squsl protection Of the
laws, Of an equal privilege under the
laws. or for the purpose Of prevent
ing or hisdsring the constitutional
authorities Of any State o. Tsrrit,ry
from giving or securing TO Oh psssons
within such Safe or Territory equal
protection Of The laws, sash o. such
psrsoas shalibs punished By . sss
Of not lee than $500 nor mere thsa
Is. 900, or By impsisonusut with OF
withost labor Of NOT less than nix
mo, ths or more than ok years, or By
both such 6ns and imprisonment"
The court holds, In a elaborate
opinion BY Justice Woods. that this
section is not supported ry the ~.
,horisy Of The Federal constitution,
snd that Ito enactment Was beyond
the power Of Congress.
The facts out Of which this hsigs-
ton arises, 20 fer % they are disclos.
Cd by tie nemd and plsadings, are
briefly - follows:
"S,ms time IN the year 1877. four
citizens Of Tennessee, supposed 10 be
colorsd men, although not ~ dss-
cribsd in the record, were arrested
by one Tucker. = deputy sheriff, on
warrants Issued by . Justice Of the
peace, and held to answer certain
criminal charges. the nature Of which
10 not set forth. While in custody
Of the SHERIFF. deruiy, these four
prisoners wsre attacked BY On armed
body Of men, Of whom defendant
Harris was one, and SO 'svsrsly bss-
ten, wounded and maltrsatsd, that
N P Wells, one OF the number. died
from his injuries. Aa indictment
wss found sgai INST Harris and bio ~.
sociatss Of the attacking party By the
grand jury under section 55lo Of the
Revised Statutes, charging them with
conspiracy to deprive the four pris'
onsrs above mentioned Of their right
to due snd equal peotsotioa Of The
laws Of Tennessee and their right 10
be protected from vioISnes while IN.
der arrest. DsisndAaAs demurrsd 10
The indictmshts on ths grounds
/. That otfensss created by section
55i9 Of tho revised Statutes are not
onstitutiona'ly within tho jurisdie.
ton oiths eourts ofths United Stats,
but arc equitable by tho Slate trib-
unals only: and
2. Tuat section 55l9. in 20 far -
Il crsStss otfensss and imposes penal.
ties, Is in violation Of the Federal Con.
st;tution end an Infringement Of The
right Of the several States and Of the
people thereof
Upon the trial Of The ease, the iud.
gss Of the Circuit Court hund them.
selves unable 10 agree - 10 the con.
s,itutionality 1esshs section Of The
Revised Statutes above referred 10,
and certified tho question to The su.
preme Court for . decision. which
was that the law ID unconstitutional.
When the rights Of . citiz'n 10 viola
ted BY another oitiz,u. bic remedy
must be found in the State Courta
A Washing special Of Jan. 80, 10
The Times ,Dsmosrat. ssys: "The
Postmaster Gsnsrd to-day issssd %