New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-20

leader, and one OF the largest taxpayers, III
Copiah County Mississippi, at the polls on eiec-
ton day. The circumstances show that the
murder was entirely unprovokcd, and that 1t
was done for political effect. We have the
word of the Democrats of Copiah County them
selves for this last statement. They met IN
mass meeting the day after clcction-to do
what1 TO take steps to bring the murderer 10
Justice? No, but to announce that he must not
be brought to Justice Tho resolutions adopted
stated that rmOrs were current that relatives
of Matthews intended to ayenge his death, and
declared that if any such attempt were made,
they would be held accountable" and re-
garded as without the pale and protection OF
the law and common enemies of society," and
promised them "certain, swift retributlon."
Two additional resolutions deserve to be quoted
in full. The :" best citizens of Kemper County"
after the murder of Chisolm and his children,
would not have expressed themselves differ
emily. They are:
Reolred Further that in the opinion of this meeting it
is necessary to the safety Of society and the welfare OF
all and classes in this county that hereafter the
Matthews family shall keep out OF politics in Copah
Comfy.
Reolred Further that from hcnccfOrth no man or set
OF shall organize the negro against the whites
I'm this county aud shall be attempted in the future
hereby give notice that 1t shall be at the peril OF the
person or persons attempting to do So
These are the utterances of the C0plah
County DemOcracy-nOt the assertions OF their
enemies. Is it "waying the bloody shirt to
dcnouncc political murder and Ostracism and
despotism such az these resolutions approve !
If so, waving it becomes the duty of every
newspaper in the United States which believes
in freedom of political action for the black as
well as the white.
Here il the "verdict that was passed upon
the murder of Matthews, taken from the
Copiahan, and not published before, we believe,
in the North:
In regard to the killing OF j. r. Matthews, it was sug-
gc,tcd to 10y r. r. Ware that had better nave aJuty
Of Inquest the body; before summoning the jury
was told L. b. Wheeler did not deny the act saw him
and ne told lie had done 1t and could make ont my
verdict that WAY W. NJ. ROBERTSON, Coroner.
This was the end of that case of political
murder. 1t is not wrong for Southern men to
do murder. q. no it is wong Tor Northern
newspapers to object to it!
We dwell upon this case because II is the
latest made known. But there have been
others. Senator Mahoncs facts regarding the
failure of thousands of negroes to vote, who
were already registered, must convince those
who would not be influenced by his rhetoric.
WHY is it that in Danvilc, where the Read
ulster ticket received $50 vote, two years AGO,
and Sll votes last year, and over l'3oo Read
ulster vote, were enrolled, only % negroes
dared to vote This is n fact, and in other com
muniic, it was the same way. Will the news
papers that dcprccatc the bloody SHIRT please
explain it : And if further proof is wanted that
the buldozing spirit is still alive in the South
the comments of papers like THE Charleston
Ne,cs and Courier and The Macon Telegraph
mon the Ku-Klux convictions in Georgia
would furnish it, These and numerous other
Democratic papers had no condemnation Tor the
crime. but reserved their abuse for the prosccu-
tor and the Government SO long "A such
things continue, The TRIBUNE will continue to
dcnouncc them. If that be "waNing the bloody
shirt. " then make the most of it.