The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-03-14

April next, whether the producing
causes Of pauper taxation Ito say moth
ing of the incentives to other evils
shall receive the sanction and support
of an intelligent voting population?
REPU BLICAN GOVERNMENT.
The popular sentiment of the people
of the United States is, that our Re-
publican form of government is the
best in the world. The theory of the
government is grand, but does it fulfil
the obligations of good government by
protecting the rights of the governed?
The late investigation by Senate
Committee OF the barbarous outrages
in Mississippi establishes the fact that
government, nominally Republican,
may be too weak to protect life and
property. Had such murderous def
ance and disregard Of law as in Mis-
sisslppi occurred in any civilized coun-
try of Europe, the power of the nation,
f need be, would have been brought
into requisition to punish the offend
ers. Senator Frye, of Maine, one of
the investigating com mittee who went
to Mississippi, VIXEN he returned to
declared that one half
had not been told. He emph atically
denied that republican government
existed in Mississippi; of this he was
convinced by the sworn testimony be-
fore the committee. He said the situa.
ton was beyond the power of Ian
guage to portray. Said Senator Frye,
/" The pitiful thing is, that this great
government is too weak to protect the
witnesses who were summoned by
United States authority to testify
against the outrages.' The reason the
Senatorial Investigation Committee
did not hold its session in the town
where the chief outrages were COM
mitted was because there would have
been no safety of life in that locality;
therefore the committee held its ses-
sions in New Orleans and the witness
es were summoned to that city. Sena-
tor Frye thinks such of the witnesses
as testified against the accused will go
home at the peril Of their lives.
1t has been said that the election
was held under the regulations of
state laws, and that the United States
government has no authority to inter-
fere. The constitution of the United
States requires that the general govern
ment shall see that each state has re-
publican form of government; the
form without the substance is a mere
sham. The election for President and
members of Congress Is held under
United States law, therefore it is the
imperative duty of Congress to inquirel
into all irregularities in the election Of
these officers. Equally so is it the duty
of Congress to interfere in the matter
of elections in any state, where brute
force and violence are substituted for
law. 1t is becoming question Of ma.
tional Importance in this country,
what can be done for the better en-
forcement of law. Republican govern
ment will lose its charm, if it becomes
apparent that it has no power to assert
its supremacy. 1t is next to imposSi.
BILE for the United States to enforce
the laws in law-defant state through
the ordinary channels of the courts
Persons charged with criminal offences
are entitled to trial by jury. In many
of the Southern states it is difficult to
obtain a jury that will convict for a
crime committed against white or
colored Republican. Of all the muir
ders the past ten years of United
States revenue officers in the South,
not one of the murderers has received
the full penalty of the law. There ap-
pears to be but one method to enforce
the violated election laws in the South
that is, the power of the United
States army. But when q resort to the
army becomes general necessity, then
the government is no longer Republi-
can, but military.