Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-20
A HOME LESSON.

The REcoRD-UNIoN recently made an
extended quotation from the charge to the
Grand Jury of Conway county, Arkansas,
where Clayton suffered political assassina-
ton. 1t was delivered by Judge Cunning
ham, of the Circuit Court, and was
trenchant and patriotic charge, that must
have impressed the citizens of that section
with the truth, that the American people
more than any other abhor the political
assassin, and that no community can afford
to apologize for the crime or to excuse its
authors. In the same charge, which was
a courageous utterance, when the environ
ment of the Court is taken into account.
We find still other expressions that come
up to us like a voice crying aloud from
wilderness OF intolerance and bitter preiu-
dice. After clearly instructing the jury
that its duty is not only to seek out the
murderers of Clayton, but to uncover the
influential men who stand behind the
assassins, and beyond all question set them
on to their bloody work, the Court pro-
ceeds to look at the matter from the stand
point Of ordinary prudence. Thus-those
who claim the protection of organized
society for their wives, children, pro-
LESSONS and themselves, cannot afford for
an instant to apologize for lawlessness, for
they thereby invite it to assail them
under differing conditions; that where
the political murder is not a violent
shock; where it is excused and its per-
petrators covered by public sympathy,
there all property is most imperiled, and
all life is most at stake. From these re-
Elections the Court proceeded to the ques-
ton of corruption at and defeat of the
purposes of the ballot-box, saying:
You must stop this ballot stealing, this force
and fraud, or soon you will find that the title 10
your property is not worth the paper that ii is
written upon. The organic law and life OF this
great Nation says the colored people have
right to vote, and II they have no right TO vo e.
where did you get your right? II they have no
right to be Republicans, how did you get your
right TO be Democrats would urge on You as
Democrats that the rights of citizenship must
country there should be a free ballot and fair
count Politicians try TO scare you with the
myth and bugaboo Of negro domins ton. Where
have they dominated? No. sirs 1t is merely an
excuse for committing outrages on their rights
which no sensible man should consider. Lem
ocracy means that the people shall rule, and
we are told that II Is undemocraaie to denOunce
tulldozery. ballot stealing. and assassination.
If this be true, then am no Democrat If apol.
ogy or bulldozery, ballot stealing. and asSassi-
nation constitute Democracy, then NAV the
a ms from
such democracy Now, gentlemen don't say
that the people of Conway county are response
bic Tor these crimes as a people; but do say
the consequences are just the same. The world
viii hold you responsible.
This is very plain speaking, but it is
what is needed in sections where political
assassination is possible, and the repression
or suppression of a single ballot that is
entitled TO be cast is even winked at. Judge
Cunningham is not polished in his manner
of addressing a jury; his language is
neither graceful nor finished, but that it is
sincere. and was the outcome of deep feel
ing, cannot be doubted. tits of the higher
value, because it comes from Southern
man, and q member OF the dominant
party VI tic tcOQiiis AZ Stsiiicl NC Charged
that it is the utterance of a carpet-bagger
or Republican, or that it is rebuke from
abroad. 1t cannot be said that some one
without warrant has assumed to put hard
questions to the Southern people, or with
out right to demand from them solution.
The lesson that the Arkansas Court reads
to its people comes from their own, and il
is that the function of government is to
maintain the truth just as it is the func-
ton of science to discover it; that, as be-
tween citizens, government must be color
less and impersonal; that what the South
as well as every other section should do
toward the colored man is that the white
man would wish done to him IL he were