Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-18
WASHINGTON.

' ~ Il
Attorney General Brewster Explains State
Sovereignty to Mr.. Niles-Breadstuffs
Exports-Court Martial Scr tence Con-
firuned.
GOOD ADVICE WASTED.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE Star saysJ.
W. Niles, of Arkansas, who advocates sep
aration for the colored people, has received
from Attorney General Brewster an answer
to his communication addressed to the
president, alleging that the colored people
of Arkansas were suffering certain griev-
ances at the hands, not only of 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 sta
tion, 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 consti-
tuition of the United States as interpreted
by the supreme court; for instance, it is
very much to be regretted that impedi-
ments should be thrown in the way of the
efforts of our colored fellow citizens to
better their condition by regularly enter
ing and settling upon public lands, but it
appears that the particular lands of which
you speak are public lands of the state of
Arkansas, and that state has entire control
of them. Clearly then the United States
having no power over the subject, cannot
interfere for your relief, nor
can the United States interfere by their
executive power in respect to the persecu-
tions which you claim or fines which you
represent are 80 oppressive and enforced
by imprisonment. If the laws of Arkan-
sas under which these prosecutions and
these fines are imposed are contrary to the
constitution of the United States the
remedy has been placed by that constitu-
ton in your own hands by appeals from
the Judgment of the state courts to the
supreme court of the United States. The
same is true as to cruel punishmeDts in
ficted upon colored people at the prison
farms to which upon trifing pretex they
are condemned. The state laws under
which such proceedings are had are un-
constitutional. The only remedy is by
appeal to the highest court of the state
and from that to the supreme court Of the
United States. The executive of the
United States has no power whatever in
the,premlses. AS to mere mob violence,
neither the president nor any other author
ity of the United States can afford redress.
It is only in case of such ins directions as
the state cannot put down that the
power of the executive of the United
States can be employed and then only
when invoked by the Legislature or govern
or, and the judicial power to try and punish
individuals who make up such mobs and
commit such outrages as you ascribe ls IN
the state alone. The acts are directed
against personal liberty. After citing
Cruikshank's case, 92 q. S. P. 553, the at
torney general refers to the impossibility
of congress enacting laws to bring such
cases into the United States courts and
concludes by saying, ST believe that upon
due consideration those whom you repre-
sent will admit their remedy lies in such
appeals to public opinion within the
state of Arkansas as have
always heretofore prevailed, and whilst
the cause of free government and human
happiness remains hopeful, must always
hereafter prevail, in the long run, to the
subversion of wrong and the advance
ment of right amongst civilized men.
Niles has prepared an address to the
colored people, declaring their only saliva
tion is to prepare to leave this country.
HE CHARGES TOO HIGH.
NV. Fitzgerald, pension claim agent,
lately arraigned and confined in the police
court for an assault, has brought libel
suit against the Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette company and it's Washington cor
respondent, b. V. Boyton, for 100000,
and another suit against the st. Louis
GlobeDemocrat and its Washington CORES
pondent, G. T. Murray, for $4,000, for
publications which he claims have damaged
his character and his business.
BRRADsTUFFs EXPORTS.
The value of exports of breadstuffs in
September, 1883, is $16 .099,260, against
$24, ,662, 600 in the same time IN 1882. For
the nine months ended September Both,
1893, S13O,43O,436, against $134,937, 1893
in the same period of 1882.
Postmaster General Gresham has made
the following ruling. "The reduction on
the first instant in the domestic rate of
postage from three to two cents, reduced
also from the same date, from six to four
cents per half ounce, the double postage"
charge made in pursuance of section 1913,
revised statutes, upon letters for delivery
in the United States commonly called
'ship letters" which are conveyed to this
country by vessels not regularly employed
in conveying mails.
MISCELLANEOUS.
A number of pioneers from the Pacific
coast called to pay their respects to the
president to-day. They we're presented by
E. ]. Curtis.
Secretary Lincoln and General Wright,
General Parker and Col. Craighill, Of the
engineer corps of the army, have gone to
Charlestown, West Virginia, to inspect en-
gineering Improvements.
DRUNK ON DUTY.
Anumber of naval officers Of high rank
have been ordered to duty on the United
States steamer Hartford, now at Panama,
to form court martial of Medical Inspec-
tor D. Kneddy, against whom charges OF
drunkenness on duty have been preferred.