The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-04-02

began the tragedy of the 18th would |
not have become inevitable. The sto-
~ of the trial, too long for repetition,
is doubtless we'll known to you. During |
its progress rumors of the corruption
of the jury grew louder and louder.
believe that some members were ter
rorized. The whole truth will soon be
known. The demeanor OF Maliey,
who had publicly boosted that no one
who employed him could be con
victed, grew more and more swagger-
ing, until on the evening when a great
community was outraged by the YER
dict, il had become indecently impu-
dent.
DRIVEN TO DESPERATION.
There, then, was the situation. A
people who had long been convinced
of the existence amidst it of murder
society, had striven to destroy it by
legal procedure in vain. Men taken
red handed with each others blood
swore that they were brothers in affec-
tioa. After great effort, as you know,
for you remember the municipal revo-
luton effected by the G. M. D. A. in
1888, that people had succeeded in
putting in place man of sufficient
courage, character, and intelligence to
threaten the life of the society; when
we were awakened to the realization
that the Malta had grown bold enough
to plot and consummate the deep
damnation of his taking off; that
among the members were men OF
pseudo responsibility; of much lntiu-
ence with a certain class, and OF con-
siderable means, and that these men
could and would exert those means
and influence to raise large sums
wherewith to employ the widest and
subtlest criminal counsel to be had tor
money, and the keenest and most reck-
less iury-fixers and procurers of false
evidence to turn away the weapons OF
the law
THE CRISIS COMES.
What was to be done while their
companions we're openly rejoicing at
the verdict? Could any community
turn loose upon itself these victorious
thugs? A crisis had come. That crl-
sis, | can assure you, was met neither
with fear nor with wild excitement,
but each man felt that neither the Off
GERS of the law, should they attempt to
excite it, nor the private citizen, should
he incur the enmity of the Malta, was
henceforth safe. A great detective is
a peculiar product. We had staked
our best with Hennessy and lost.
Every good citizen knew that he had
given his tacit pledge to uphold and
shield this officer in the discharge of
his duty. That pledge had been
trampled upon by the assassins and the
knowledge stung the feelings of honor
able men like a blow. A body of
citizens representing our best classes
gathered together, and, after calm and
earnest debate, determined to call a
mass meeting, and after laying the
whole matter before the people, held
themselves in readiness to execute the
peoples will.
SERIES OF REPUBLICS.
You know the result. These men
were actuated by the belief that our
government consists of a series Of re-
publiCs, the one within the Other-the
Union, the State and the municipality
That the people of each republic is alb
solute sovereign of all matters relating
to its province, and that when the
agents of the people are unable to
carry out its mandates according to
the usual and prescribed forms the
power to declare and execute the law
rebuts to its primal source.
OUTSIDE CRITICISM.
A criticism upon the wisdom or un-
wisdom of this act is, it seems to me,
all that can legitimately come from
outside powers. But in case of neces-
sity we do not discuss questions of ex-
pediency or wisdom. When driven
through fire by fire we do not consider
the wisdom of the act, and clearly here
was necessity of the most uncompro-
missing kind.
No people on earth could, no peo-
pie ever has consented to the uncheck-
ed triumph of such 4 society as the
Malta. 1t is easy in the light of ex
pcrience to criticise the lack of fore
sight which has led a man to stumble
unawares upon viper's nest; but it is
more usual to commend the resolution
and courage that leads him promptly
to exterminate the reptiles, that his
children coming after him may pass in
safety.
THE ITALIAN UPRISINGS.
As to the mass meetings of Italian
citizens elsewhere and the threatened
interference of the Italian Government
they only fill me with amazement.
Any sensible Italian must realize that
it is impossible a whole people should
rise up and'put men to death in this
manner unless the clearest evidence
of their guilt existed, and this being
so | am at loss to understand how
any good Italian citizen can regret,
much less by incorporate and threat
ening speech, hint at satisfaction for
the death Of these desperadoes.
The men who are organizing mass
meetings and delegations have not
paused to reflect that by so doing, they
are proclaiming themselves to the
world as sympathizers of the Malta and
Its methods. This was no attack upon
class or race We have many ex-
ceiient Italian citizens who are pursu-
ing, and. on the day and at the hour
when the ti1fIp0 tool- ,ol,.o .,o.o .>,,-