The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-05
AN IMPULSE OF TYRANNY.
Judge Barrett's Emphatic Rebuke of the
American Boycots.

American Boycott,
New York Times.
When the prisoners had been ranged in line
Judge Barrett said:
1.-The moral guilt attaching to the crime of
which you have been convicted is heightened by
the fact that you are not American citizens
Such socialistic crimes as these are breaches of
national hospitality. What would you think of
man who, having sought. an asylum from OPP
preston or poverty in friends house, then pro-
ceeded to violate his domestic rules to disregard
his customs, and to disturb the peace, order and
well being of his household? Yet that is just
what you aud others of your union have been
doing with regard to the national household of
this country-a country that welcomed you and
offered you equal privileges and opportunities
with its own native born citizens. Common
gratitude should have prevented your outragng
public opinion, and bringing into force the
actions and methods of a socialistic character
which you brought with you from abroad
trust that your conviction may incline the
hearts of men of your race and. indeed, of other
races to respect laws both in their spirit and
in their Letter. l trust, too that it may teach
them that their best and truest friend is public
opinion and that they should endeayor to secure
and retain that all-powerful factor in every law
full and righteous effort to ameiorate their con-
dition. Public opinion is stronger than any
union. 1t is alt-powerful foe to evil, and it is
irresistible in lie end when on the side of right
1t is to that that you and such as you should APP
peal and not to your own unbridleG will. The
lesson of these convictions also is to teach that
the taking of money to prevent or stop these So
called boycotts is little better than robbery or
black mail. and also to teach that the peaceful
and orderly pretext by which your agents sought
to evade the criminal law is a transparent sham,
and that all bodies of men who parade in
front or peoples shops distributing often
sive circulars and endeavoring to pre-
vent public patronage present to our
public an attitude of intimidation, and are there
fore consprators, and should be and will be pun
ished. Your action here in this present case
can scarcely believe you considered to be right
1t was simply an impulse of tyranny and an un-
restrained exercise of the dangerous power of
combination, and it was done in cruel, heart
less and unrelenting manner II such conduct
were allowed to pass with impunity we would be
on the high road to savagery. You shall, there
fore be adequately punished. But the law is
not vindictive. Even your evil conduct will not
close its eyes to some ground of extenuation
You were perhaps misled by the erroneous judg-
ment of the police magistrate who, in discharg-
ing your agent, paralyzed the hands OF the police
and certainly assumed grave responsibility
You were perhaps also deceived misled by
bad advice. [ do not know who advised you or
what advice he gave, but ii any counsel hearing
what you were about to do did not rebuke your
action in place of directing it he was criminally
culpabe and unworthy of his honorable profes-
sion"
Passing to the offense for which the prisoners
were convicted Judge Barrett went on, refer
ring to Mr. Thesis: when, having reduced this
man to absolute submission and having COM
PEELED him to sign the most AFFECT document for
an American citizen to sign, you compelled him
to pay for the powder and ball with which you
loaded the boycott pistol which you held at his
head. Let me say right here to the walking
delegate that If he enters the Offices of any mer
camille, manufacturing, or shipping firm he
stands in the extreme penalty of the law if he
dares to exact single penny from his victims
am always glad to be mercful. l apprec ate
the fact that you are workingmen, that you were
deceived. but you must know in your hearts that
you did wrong
There were evidences of excitement in the au-
dience during the charge, and the court officers
had to keep watchful eyes on all parts of the
room. These evidences were redoubled when
Judge Barrett proceeded TO sentence, murmur
of distinct disapproval rising as each man was
allotted his punishment. Judge Barrett see med
GO pay little attention to it. for the court officers
were everywhere and alert.