Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-01-17
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
AN INTERESTING CASE.
what IL Oar Government Likely 10 de
About Itf

About HR
The most recent Southern outrage is de-
scribed in a letter written TO Sir Julian
Pauncefote, the British minister at Wash
ington, by the Rev. Thomas Joiner, reg
ular clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal
church, who happens to be British sub
iect. Mr.. Joiner was assigned last fall, by
Bishop Joyce, to a circuit which includes
Holly Springs, N c., where he preached to
a negro congregation. He was soon warn
ed, in genuine Kuklux style, that this would
not be permitted and as he did not heed
the warning his house was invaded by armed
men and he and his wife we're brutally NAL.
treated. Being unable to get any satisfac
ton in North Carolina, Mr.. Joiner has ap
pealed to the British minister. His British
citizenship furnishes a novel complication
which may lead TO interesting results. The
New York Tribune asks the pertinent ques
ton, when Sir Julian asks an explana-
ton Of our government, what answer will
be made :"
The Boston journal, commenting on the
situation thus created, saws
"lf we understand the theory which is
eXpounded very ably by the New York
Evening Post and the papers which follow
in its wake, it is that such ebullitons of
feeling as this at Greensboro, and others a
good deal more serious, such as the promis
cuous slaughter Of Mississippi negroes some
months ago, are to be treated as merely
local matters with which outsiders have
nothing TO do. They are 10 be left to be
adjusted in some way by local sentiment,
and meanwhile as little es possible is TO he
said about them This is a convenient aud
easy going theory, but it is open to doubt
whether the British government would be
inclined to accept it as a satisfactory ex
PLANTATION. IL strikes us that it is the duty
OF the New York Evening Post to ilumin
ate the situation with its counsel. Would
it have Mr.. Blaine reply to Sir Julian
Pauncefote that our government deeply re.
GREETED that Mr.. Joiner had been inconven-
fenced by the little peasautries of the first
citizens of Greenboro, but the fact was
that that was way they had in North
Carolina and while, indeed it might be-
open to criticism, it was purely matter of
local concern. and the Federal government
declined TO be held responsible And if
Mr. Blaine did write IN this way. does
the Evening Post imagine that Sir Julian
Pauncefote would reply suavely that in that
case II really was OF no consequence, aud
that If Mr.. Joiner did not enjoy the local
customs Of Greensboro, he could try his
luck elsewhere Or would the British
minister with as much plainness as was
consistent with diplomatic courtesy, ask TO
be informed what the Federal government
was good for if it could not protect the
lives and per'ons of unoifending people
The situation is an embarrassing one.
II the Federal government is peculiarly re-
sponsible for such occurrences as this, is it
entirely without power to prevent their
repetition And il the government can be
held responsible for protecting the lives and
property of foreign subjects, has it neither
responsibility nor power as regards the pro
lection of its own citizens These are sug
gestive not to say important, questions"