The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-17
Wine It Out.

Under the expressive caption OF com
CHI Lswlessness the Boston Gtooe re-
views BREWSTER CAsERoS's report on the
irregularities Of the Department OF justice
in the south, together with the direct
charges made by the Government exam
liners and quoted by Congressman HER
BERT. of Alabama, in his efforts TO secure
legislation to correct the abuses that exist.
Ard In drawing its conclusions our con-
temporary does not mincc matters At'er
citing some OF the charges, ana ca'nng
particular attention to the fact 'hat tney
are not the random assertions OF pout'-
clans. but the results OF investigations
made BY appointed agents OF the Govern
ment, the Globe says:
at is not surprising that United States
courts have come to be regarded US instru-
ments Of oppression in the South, ana tl,at
the victims OF official rascality detest Fedc-
raj law officers with vehement sincerity.
II il surprising that so few deputy mar
sbaIs have been molcsted by the exaspcra-
ted citizens OF the southern States: That
the administration OF injustice has been so
little tempered by assassination speahs
volumes for the patient forbearance OF Tue
haressed southerners.
..These rcports OF the examiners explain
much Of the sO-called 'lowlessness OF Tue
South. which consists mainly OF opposition
tn dep,,ty marshals and contempt lor
limited States courts. The maladminlsiIa-
ton of laws always engenders contempt
for the law. and the corruption OF persons
in authority naturally proyokes reDe'iioh
against authority ITSELF"
This is pretty strong language, but not
a whit stronger than the facts JUSTIFY. we
do not believe that such Federal "iustice
rs has been metcd out to the South in con-
pection with the intenal-reyenue system
especially would be tolerated in New Eng
land twerty-four hours. a few days since
BREWSTER CAMERON was quoted as saying
"that If the intcrnal-reyenuc officers had
dared to perpetratc such outrages upon us
State. Kansas, as they have done in the
South for years past, the Kansas people
would have rebelled against the Govern
mept." Whether CAMERON was quoteu
correctly or not, such is the fact, and what
Is true OF Kansas is true OF every northern
State. The execution OF the Internal
revenue laws in the South is SIM
ply travesty upon justice aud a DIS
grace to free government. The sys-
TEN is not only used as an engine to OPP
press and blackmail the people, but as
medium OF swindling the Government, ana
this latter fact is winked at because through
the former il secures political power to the
authorities that be. 1t is essentially pro-
yocat!ve Of disorder, and usually, when its
legitimate results are forthcoming in re-
sistancc or evasion, such resistance or eva
sion is mcgnifed into political outrage in
order to fire the northern heart. In short,
the internal.revcnuc iniquity and the Gus
tice" administered in connection there
with constitute thecohesye power OF the
Republican party in the South. The afin-
ity OF corruption. which reaches It's higher
development in the methods OF the internal
revenue spies and informers, holds the
party together. We are glad to see that
such reputable journals in the North as
the Boston Globe are investigating the case
on non-partisan evidence. If fair-minded
men will weigh the conclusions adduced
from that class OF testimony alone, the
doom Of the internal.reyenue system is
inevitable. They must see that common
sense. justice. harmony, good government,
individual and State freedom-eyen hui
manity-deinand its abolition.