The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-11
THE DEFIANCE OF MURDERBRs.

The Atlanta Constitution, without daring
or caring to apologize for or to speak against
political crime in the South, again asks what
the country is going to do about it, even adj
hitting that all that has been charged against
the assassins of Copiah county, Mississippi,
and Danville, Va, is true The Constitution
says:
f'When the committees of investigation con-
clude their labors and make their reports,
what is Congress going to do about it? 1t
may be answered that as one branch Of Con-
gress is composed largely of assassins and
murderers, nothing can lie done; but suppose
that every member of the Senate and House
was gentlemanly Republican, with long hair
and pure heart-in that event, what would
| Congress dol"
Secure in the knowledge that bayonets will
not interfere, the Constitution is emboldened
to make some dangerous admissions not so
much by declaring the charges made against
the assassin Wheeler and his kind, as by failing
| todeny such charges, andnot caring to condemn
murder when done in the interest of the Dem
ocratic party. The purpose of the investiga-
lions is to lay the facts before the general pub
lie, that it may judge. If the verdict rebound
to the benefit of the Republican party it will
only prove that the Republican party has
made out its case, and that assassination is
not yet recognized factor in American poll
tics. The Constitution need be in no doubt
concerning the import of these inquiries. The
ID
kill man for voting in accordance with the
laws of the nation and State. 1t cannot con-
sent to remain quiescent while men
are murdered only because they are not Dem
ocrats. Neither will the people countenance
such outrages upon American citizenship.
The purpose of the party in moving for in
vestigation is to show that Southern Demo
Gratis do not hesitate to murder Republicans
who dare exercise their rights of citizenship
if they deem it necessary to political suprem
acy. This has been shown. And it has been
further shown that prominent Democrats
have testified on oath that murder was re-
solved.on by the Democratic minority in order
that the majority might be terrorized and
overcome 1t has been shown, too, that no
Southern Democrat has dared to condemn
these murderous proceedings; that no Demo
cratic journal has even criticised them, but
rather have defantly asked What are you
going to do about it, admitting the truth of
al that has been chargedR
The Republican party, in behalf of peace
and good order, seeks to remedy this by point
ing out the evil in such way that the pa
irons and benefciaries of the infamy may be
recognized and held under suspicion, just
as all dangerous and desperate classes are.
The man who murders his fellow citizen be-
cause he disagrees with him in politics is not
the man to be sent to Congress, nor is the
party that applauds and is benefited by such
crime fit to be intrusted with the control Of
affairs. Having proved what it set
out to prove, the party will make
just this kind of argument, and
this, for one thing, is what we propose to
do about it. There will be no ''bloody shirt"
about it, except what the Democratic party
has confessed and gloried in. The investiga-
ton ordered, the facts developed, and the
campaign argument that is to follow, will all
fall to the ground if but few of the respecta-
BILE Democratic politicians of the South or
Democratic journals Of that section evince
adherence of such enormities and DISPOSE
ton to put an end to them. The spirit mani
Tested has been exactly the opposite of this
The murders have been admitted exactly as
charged, the murderers elevated to Offices of
trust, the Democratic party has accepted the
fruits of violence, and Democratic papers
blandly ask what are you going to
do about iti The journal and other Repub-
lican papers will cease "classing the Southern
people as blatant bullies murderers and as
sassins" the very hour they cease to counte
nance and encourage such fellows. When the
Atlanta Constitution dares to be Independent
enough and honest enough to cry down the
murder of Southern Republicans by Southe m
Democrats it will have gone far toward restor
ing good-fellowship between the two sections
of the Union, and the Journal will be glad
to bury the 'bloody shirt" in a grave that
could never be found.
THE New York Sun-pretty reliable Demo
cratic authority speaking of last Mondays