National Republican., 1883-11-17
IL It InsurrectiOn J

IL It InsurrectionE
Tho blood of the murdered negroes at Dan
willie stains the soil that should be free. They
were murdered. If they had been democrats
they would be living to-day. They were
butchercd to make bourbon holiday. Not
one of their friends, relatives, or political
associates at Danvillo has yet dared to make
oath before magistrate accusing tho muir
derers A single move in that direction would
be quite certain to produce another outbreak.
No prosecuting attorney has made 1t his busi-
moss to have a complaint lodged or warrants
to issue. No magistrate has taken any steps
to vindicate tho insuted majesty of tho law.
The state of Virginia is bound hand and foot
by a mob. and the enforcement of her laws is
obstructod by combinations too powerful to
be overcome by the ordinary processes. This
is instruction. If the governor Of Virginia
were to SO declare, does any sane man believe
it would be possible for him to maintain the
state authority against that of tho mob
Ought he to mako the bourbon volcano belch
forth its deadly lava again as it did on tho
third of November and at other subsequent
times What step can he takep Men
take their lives in their hands now who dare
to collect testimony TO prevent the wholesale
unseating of legislators under fraudulent
certificates. Some of the best citizens Of Vir-
ginia have been mado to understand that
their lives are in danger solely because of
the political opinions they entertain. Only
friendly warning and an increased police
force prevented deadly work in Norfolk on
election day. Five thousand negroes
prudently and instinctively hid away
from the view of the exultant
bourbons at Richmond on last Tuesday night,
though every man knows that only power
full reason could have kept them away from
the gay illumination and the music of which
they arc SO fond. The constitution says
The United States shall guarantee to erery state In
ts anjOn a republican form OF government and shall
protect each Of them against iRU1SLOn; and dppli-
cation Of the legislature, or Of The ercctiue (OeH The
tence.
Domestic violence is organized resistance to
state authority. When wholesale murders
for political purposes are committed by lead
ing citizens in county and defended by n
party armed for more bloodshed if the safety
Of its criminal agents shall demand it, and
when the mob is so evidently irresistible that
no attempt is made to arrest the offenders, it
is because domestic violence reigns supreme,
and the law lies subjugated at its feet. Inter
arma silent legiS--LAws ARE SILENT IN THE
MIDST OF ARMS,
We have not seen nor communicated with
the governor of Virginia nor heard in any
manner what view he takes of the situation
He is man as capable as is the governor OF
any state in this union to determine in what
direction duty lies, and as brave as any man
can be to pursue the course his Judgment may
SO determine. He is wise to deliberate wei
and to wait, if waiting will allay the present
exasperations. If ho shall find that forbear.
ance increases the boldness of the lawless,
and that they tighten their grip against the
public peace and the states authority
if the state is prevented from inquiring into
the Danville massacre through her constitu
tional agencies at that place, thereby demon
strating that every citizen holds his life by
sutferance of an armed mob. then he will b(
called upon to decide whether the time ha'
not arrived to make application to tho Presi
dent of the United States for the protection
of the state of Virginia against domestic vic
lence as expressly guaranteed by the Language
of the constitution above quoted. twill b.
better if reason shall be permitted to resume
her sway. The murders at Danvlle must, il
of legal inquiry. Tho men who witnessed
them should be able to testify without dan
ger to their lives. The reign of terror whicl
is relied on to stihe the truth cannot continu
if free institutions are to live. The reigl
of law and order can be restoreC
through tho submission of the dis
turbers or the application of force
If force becomes necessary-and it should b
a last resort, to be used only when to spare
would be to cruelty the rights guaranteed b,
both state and national constitutions-if force
we say, should become necessary, the peopl
of the nation would expect to see their Presi
dent, sworn as he is to preserve, protect, an
defend the constitution of the United States
Rspond with all necessary power to the cal
of the governor of Virginia. And they woulc
not be disappointed.
The War In Nlississippi.
We published Yesterday a series of resolu