The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-06
THE SUPREME COURT ANSWERED.

THE SUPREME COURT ANSWERED.
In his opinion declaring the two sections
of the civil-rights act unconstitutional and
void Justice Bradley made use of the ex-
preston that 1.-The time must come when the
negro must cease to be the special favorite
of the law and take up his position as a mere
CITIZEN The inevitable answer has come a
little sooner than could have been expected.
1t is grim reply to the decision of the
Supreme Court that comes up from Dan
| vile, Va. The Associated Press report from
that city, presumably fair and without bias,
says that the riot began by ''citizen" beat
ing NEGRO" and the result as usual was
that no citizens were killed, while four
negroes were murdered. If the recent decis-
| ion, as interpreted by Justice Bradley means
anything it meant that the time had already
come when The negro must look out for him.
self in his struggle for a foothuld among the
people. Danville, Va, it appears has not
yet reached that high plane occupied by the
Supreme Court. They draw line there.
negroes. The former, it seems, have rights,
and are not afraid to defend them, after
placing their own Interpretation upon them.
If the latter have any rights now, they are
not apparent. The Supreme Court has seen
fit to thrust the negro out on an equality (O
with white men, There is no longer need,
so the court argued, for special legislation,
and the ink on the written decision is not
black yet when race riot takes place, with
the aggression on one side and the victims
on the other. This prejudice however, does
not confine itself to narrow limits, but
appears to be general throughout the
State. In perfect accord with the
murderous spirit evinced at Danville, the
citizens of Richmond the capital of the
State, meet in council and deliberately and
formally pass resolution "that whenever and
wherever this conflict [sic] shall take place
in the State of Virginia, all whites are affec-
tionately, earnestly and solemnly entreated
to take the part of their own race" What
is this conflict that the Supreme Court
saw fit to ignore? If the recently-enfran-
chsed slaves are equal before the law, why
should certain men be Citizens and
others but negroes? 1t ought
to be apparent to the most
obtuse that the political millennium has not
yet dawned. The Democratic lion will not
lie down with the black lamb unless the
lamb be on the inside In face of such
marked contradiction, self-assumed and
formally promulgated, it is useless to argue
that the negro stands equal before the law
with Citizens" Is anybody simple enough
to believe that justice will be done at Dam
vile? If so, let him undeceive himself by
watching the outcome of this one-sided
tragedy, and see if any harm overtake the
citizens" who murdered four colored
against the colored man is doubly intense in
South Carolina, Louisiana, and others of the
Southern States Just so soon as it becomes
apparent that local popular" sentiment
shall rule in cases between whites and blacks,
which means there shall be no justice given
the latter, the true spirit of persecution and
prejudice will reveal itself The conflict
at Danville will be reopened in the obscure
regions of South Carolina, and in the river
parishes of Louisiana. This was the history
of those and other portions of the South be-
fore tine enactment of the legislation throw
ing the protection of the general government
around the negroes which Justice Bradley
and the Supreme Court say is now no longer
necessary.