The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-23
Not an Apology.

The other day Senator, Chandler of New
Hampshire. offered a resolution providing
for an Investigation of the assassination Of
Deputy United States Marshal Saunders in
Gadsien county, Fla, and Senator Pasco of
that state. Offered an amendment to 1t, d.
recting the attorney general Of the United
States to inform tine Senate whether any
efforts had been made by the department Of
justice to correct the action Of the officers
of the initial States court for the northern
district Of Florida. by which the juries of
that court had been almost wholly made up
of republicans. Eighteen democratic sena-
tors voted for Senator Pasco's amendment,
and the republican newspapers
are now trying to make it
appears that the intention of Senator
Pasco and those senators who voted for his
amendment was to apologize for the assas-
siuation Of Marshal Saunders. 1t is apparent
to every fair minded man that they had no
such intention. Senators Pasco and Call
stated clearly and emphatically that they
condemned the assassination in the strongest
terms, and tnere is no doubt that all of
those who voted for the Pasco amendment
also condemned the crime. What they in
tended by the Pasco amendment was that
if the attorney general was going to make
an investigation of crimes in Florida he
should investigate others than those which
it would suit the Republican party to make.
The assassination Of Marshal Saunders
was cowardly aud inexcusable, but there is
ss yet nothing TO show that it was politi-
cal crime. All the facts with regard to it
that have been brought to light indicate
that the motive of the crime was a personal
grudge. 1t has not yet appeared that there
was any sentiment in Gadsden county in
favor of treating officers of the United
States court with violence. Until it is
shown that there was such sentiment or
that there had been threats by any consid-
cradle number of citizens of that county
against the United States marshal and his
deputies, it would be conspicuously unfair
to say that the crime was political one
The crime that Senator Pasco and those
who voted for bis amenment wanted inves-
tigated was political in its character. 1t
has never been denied that Marshal Mizell
directed one of his deputies to send to one
Vi IAo COsuIuASSlOuerS Oh IIl9 Ie0eral
court the names of tried and true repub-
licans," nor that the names were sent
There is no reason to doubt that these
names were placed in the box from which
the names of jurors were drawn.
1t is notorious fact that the grand jury
had but one defhocrat upon it, and that
many democrats were indicted for alleg ed
election frauds. The inference is that there
was clearly understood plan to make up
the juries of republicans with the view of in
dieting and convicting democrats of politi-
cal offenses. If this inference is correct are
not the federal court officials of Northern
Florida guilty of great crime
- crime against the liberties
Of the people! Are they to be
permitted to use their power to Cypress
their political opponents, and to crafty
their desire ferlvengence, without any inter
ference from their superiorsa No, Senator
Pasco and the democrats who voted for his
amendment did not intend to apologize
for the assassination of Marshal Saunders,
but they did want such an inquiry made as
would let the whole country know some
thing of the partisan work which the Off
Gals of this administration in Florida are
doing.