The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-18
C0L0RED COMPLAINTS.
ALLEGED GRIEVANCES OF ARKAN.
sAs NEGROES.
Attorncy-Generni Brewster Explains that
the Federal Government Cannot Inter-
fly telegraph to the Dlspa,cb.I


for colored people, has received from At
torney-General Brewster an answer TO his
communication addressed 10 the President
alleging that the colored people in Arkan-
sas were suffering certain grievances at the
hands not only OF private persons but OF
the civil authorities. The Attorney. Gene
raPs letter says: "Your statement has
received careful attention; for no good
citizen, whether In public or private sta
ton, will regard with indifference injuries
such rs those under which these people
are said 10 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 States, as
interpreted by the Supreme Court, Tor in
stance. Its very much to be regretted that
! impediments should be thrown in the way
OF the efforts OF our colored fellow-citizens
to better their condition by regularity IN
entering and settling upon public lands.
But II appears that the particular lands OF
which you speak are public lands OF the
| State OF Arkansas, and that the State has
entire control Of them. Clearly, then, the
| United States having no power over the
subject, cannot interpose for your relief:
nor can the United States interfere by the
! Executive power in respect TO the State
prosecutions OF which YOU complain or
the laws which You represent are so OPP
pressiye and enforced by imprisonment.
| III the laws OF Kansas under which these
prosecutions are instituted and these fines
! imposed are contrary to the Constitution
| OF the United States, the remedy has
| been placed by that Constitution in
your own hands-that is. by appeal from
! Judgments OF the State courts to the SUI
preme Court OF the United States. The
same Is true OF the cruel punishments in
! 1ictcd upon The colored people at the pri-
son-iarms TO which, upon tri0ing preteXts.
they are condemned. II the State laws
under which such proceedings are had are
unconstitutional, the only remedy Is by ap-
peal 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 premises. As 10 mere mob violence,
neither the present nor any other authority
| OF the United States can AFFORD 10 redress
| il. II is only in case Of such instructions
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 Gov
crnor; and the judicial power to try and
punish individuals who make up such
mobS and commit such outragcs as you de-
scribe i in the State alone. These acts are
directed against.life and personal liberty.'
! After citing Cruikshank's case (92 |. =,
| page 5j3.) the Attorney-Gcneral proceeds
and refers TO the imposSibility OF Congress
enacting laws TO bring such cases into the
| United States courts. The Attorney-Gene-
ri concludes by saying: Il believe that
upon due consideration the good citizens
whom YOU represent VIII admit that 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 suppression Of wrong and the advance
ment OF right amongst civilized men,
Niles has prepared an address to
| the colored people, in which, after set
ting forth the contents OF The letter. he
saws "that it will be seen there is little
hope for redress for any grievances that
the colored people OF the South may COM
plain OF to the General Government as the
colOred people, as a rule, have not the
means to test the constitutiOnality OF the
State laws"
The whole tenor of this answer, says
Niles, is simply to - tally" the colOred peo-
pie of the South, or else they have been mis-
led by politicians and shysters in the South
who have professed friendship to them.
| have only 10 repeat again: ''Their only
salvation as people il TO prepare to leave
this country, and in the mean time to re-
iran from voting at any OF the polls until
some party makes provision for the redress
Of all the grievances Of our people. \ fund
should be placed in each State to remedy
our wrongs and give us protection Tor the
future. II this should fail, the sooner we
appeal to Congress for indemnity for
our race to enable us TO separate
from the whites the better it will be for
both races. | would advise the colored
people who have taken a hostile attitude tC
the southern whites by doing the service
OF the arpet-bagger and his associates &c
seek the favor ~ that class in the S0utl
which will really consider our rights, and
act with them hereafter and against az
Administration which refuses to render III
redress. The decision OF the Supreme
Court Just rendered gives force and empha
sis to this view Of the case, and shows tha
we have no rights which other people ar
bound to respect. Therefore let us seel
refuge elsewhere and establish status 10
ourselves. Let us found a civilization II
some congenial climate that will give Il
sanding in the world OF commerce and in
dustrv. and enable Us rs a race to play
nObler part in the great drama OF history