The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-21
The Gregg Persecution.

Mr. E. ". Gregg, of Marion county, Fla,
Is to be tried next Monday in the United
States district court at Jacksonville, on the
charge OF violating election laws. Mr..
Gregg was the registration officer Of Marion
county The republican ticket was defeated
in that county, and a few republicans of
the county declare that Mr.. Gregg, by
manipulating the registration books, caused
its defeat.
There are convincing reasons for thinking
that Mr. Gregg is being prosecuted. There
are absolutely no good grounds upon which
to base a Legitimate persecution. A dozen
or more indictments have been found
against him by partisan grand jury. all
except two of which have besn quashed for
one reason or another. 1t is asserted that
the men who are behind the charges against
him are his bitter enemies, and doubtless
they have more reliance upon a partisan
jury for his conviction than upon any evil
dsnce in their possession.
The Ocala Banner, a few days ago, took
the trouble to interview some of the most
prominent Of the republicans of Marion
county on the Gregg persecution, aud they
all said that they regarded Mr.. Gregg as an
honest man, and thought that the charges
in the indictments pending against him had
no foundation whatever. Some time ago
several of the best known republicans in the
county united in letter to United States
District Attorney STRIPPING in Mr.. Gregg's
behalf. They told him that there was no
reason for prosecuting Mr.. Gregg-that as a
registration officer Mr.. Gregg had done his
duty.
One of the republicans interviewed by
the Banner declared that few sorehead
republicans were urging the prosecution of
Of Mr.. Gregg for the reason that he did not
hunt up the black voters who failed to come
to the registration Office aud register. 1t
was no part of Mr.. Gregg's duty to do any
thing of that kind, and these prosecutors of
his know that it isa't. They were on the
republican ticket, however, and they want
to punish somebody for their defeat.
The republicans interviewed by the Ban
ner say that the republican ticket was
defeated because it was one that the re-
spectacle portion of the people would not
support. One of the interviewed repub-
licans said that he was offered place up IN
it, and refused the offer because he did not
want to be In such company.
What remarkable spectacle is presented
by this Gregg easel A citizsn of high
character, who has done no wrong, is
dragged from his home time and time
again at great expense to himself to answer
trumped up charges preferred by a few
political soreheads. Hon. H E. Miller, who
is lawyer of high standing in Ocala and a
republican who has been twice a member of
the legislature, says: 1.-THE prosecution of
Mr.. Gregg is being pushed by few men
who have always been disorganizers in
Marion county"
This Gregg case is sample of the political
prosecutions in Florida. Is it to be wondered
at, therefore, that there is a feeling of hos
tility against the United States district
court? Is it not apparent that the prosecu-
lions are the result of political hate, and
not of desire to have the laws enforced?
And, strange as it may seem. the President
upholds and encourages prosecutions of this
kind.