Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-05-15
Report Upon the New Orleans
Lynchings.

maps week"
Report Upon the New Orleans
Lynchings.
WAsHfSGToN, May S.-The repor,
OF the New Orleans grand jury upon
the killing Of the Italians was fruit
full theme for discussion among the
people at the department of state. 1t
may be said that the finding OF the
grand jury excited no surprise, for
some such conclusion of the case was
expected. The attempt to palliate the
infraction OF the law by offsetting the
alleged attempts of jury fixing is
deprecated at the department. but
there is well defined opinion on the
whole that the outcome of the case will
be beneficial in it's effects upon the
turbulent foreign element in the United
States. inasmuch as it will make clear
to them the fact that they cannot rely
on treaties to evade their responsible
ties TO the great republic for their un-
| lawful acts.
The report of the grand jury will, i,
is expected, reach Secretary Blaine in
the course of time and figure in the
official correspondence between the
United States and Italy. There is
reason to believe that in some details
1t differs from the report made to the
department of justice by District At
torney Grant and notably in the mat
ter of the nationality of the victims.
The grand jury's report found eight of
them naturalized citizens, and that one
had declared his intention to become
naturalized. District Attorney Grant
1t is believed, found one of the victims
of Italian nationality. but he was an
escaped convict, and that another's
nationality was so doubtful as to make
1t unsafe TO hazard an opinion. So at
any rate the Italian com plant will be
narrowed down to at least two persons,
one OF them being an escaped convict,
Although the United States has no nat
uralization treaty with Italy, the last
named nation has invariably. through
comfy, recognized our naturalized citi-
zens as free from amenability to their
native government. When the case of
these two victims was considered the
question Immediately arose whether
treaty stipulations with Italy were
broken. The question is likely to
figure on the correspondence be-
tween the two governments as
soon as the Italian govern
ment is ready to fall reasonably into
the usual diplomatic method of treat
ing subject respecting which they
took issue with another nation. I'm
less 1t appears clearly that this treaty
has been violated, the Italian case falls
to the ground and the leading diplo-
matte minds of the state department
maintain that this fact cannot be made
to appear. 1t is learned that Porter.
our minister to Rome, had applied to
the department of state for leave of
absence before the New Orleans affair
happened. He had been constantly on
duty since March. 1889, more than two
years; moreover the sickly season is
approaching in Rome, so that it is GER
talnly probable his request will be
granted.
Attorney General Miller said he read
the report of the grand jury. but de-
clined absolutely to express any opin-
ion regarding it or to discuss it in any
way.
Secretary Foster. when asked his
opinion on the report said he really
had no time to read it and therefore
was not in a position to express an
opinion regarding it.
PRESS COMMENT ON THE VERDICT.
New YORK. May 8.-The Post saws:
This is not a legal document. 1t is
an apology for an act OF direct revolu-
tionary violence committed by the en-
tire population OF q large city and ex-
pressed in the inflated rhetoric in
which manifestoes are usually couched.
1t is a confession by competent au-
thority that the machinery of criminal
justice has completely broken down in
the slate OF Louisiana and that crimes
of any magnitude have to be punished
by revolutionary tribunal. 1t holds
out no promise of better or more
regular administration of local justice
but it throws some light on the work.
ing OF the jury system in New Orleans
which thu people of other cities. and
particularly those OF New York, will
do well to read. mark, learn and in
wardly digest for, as we remarked
when the news OF the tragedy first
came. we are travelling fast along the
shameful path which has ended in New
Orleans in the erection of mob govern
ment as desperate necessity"
The Herald says: That is the ver-
dict OF the grand jury, which speaks
for the people of New Orleans. 1t will
be the verdict Of the American people
and of the civilized world wherever
the facts are known. 1t is no time to
sermonize about mob violence. An
uprising of the people is not an out
break of mob. 1t is idle to moralize
about law and justice taking their
usual course. Safety of the communi-
ty is the highest law. and when stat
utes and courts fail that higher law
reigns. The Malta instead OF the
community, is now terrorized. The
lives OF law-abiding citizens are safer
there. Justice has been indicated BY
the people. The disease called for the
cure. The end justifies the means"
CINCINNATI May S.--The Times
Star says: 1T is a Saxon judgment
given In Saxon spirit. Far from show
ing Gny grave weakness or defect in
our social or political system, the cpl
sode and its outcome demonstrates the
strength and efficiency of popular gov
eminent in America"