The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-10-26

unoer the 1ourth article OF that IN
strument Under bis orders the
State of Illinois violates the
fourteenth article, which provides
that "no State shall deprive
any person OF life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law,
nor deny to any person within its
jurisdiction the equal protection of
the laws"
Is there no remedy for such an out
rage as this Can nobody right 80
atrocious wrong? There is plain
remedy, under which the wrong can
be righted in day.
Section 5299 of the revised, stat
utes, which was enacted on the 20th
of April, 1871, provides that
Whenever insurrection, domestic
violence, unlawful combinations. or
conspiracies in any State 80 obstructs
or hinders the execution Of the laws
thereof. and of the United States, as
to deprive any portion or class of the
people of such State of any of the
rights. privileges or immuni,ies, or
protection, named in the constitution
and secured by the laws for the pro
lection of such rights. privileges, or
immunities, and the constituted au.
thorities of such State are unable to
protect, or, from any cause, fail in or
refuse protection Of the people in
such rights, such facts shall be deem
ed denial by such State of the equal
protection of the laws to which they
are entitled under the constitution of
the United States, and in all sach ca
ses, or whenever any such insnrrec.
ton, violence, unlawful combination,
or conspiracy. opposes or obstructs
the laws of the United States, or the
due execution thereof. or impedes or
obstructs the due course of justice
under the same, it shall be lawful for
the president, and i: shall be his duty
to take such measures, by the EN-.
ployment of the militia, or the land
and naval forces of the United States,
or Of either, or by other means, as he
may deem necessary, for the suppress
sion of such insurrection, domestic
violence, or combination.
The duty of President Mckinley.
under the constitution of the United
States and section 5299 of the revised
statutes. is so plain that there is no
possible way of escaping from it The
constituted authorities of Illinois re-
fuse protection to citizens of Alabama
in rights secured to them by the con-
stitution In all such cases the
statutes not only make it lawful for
the president to interfere and secure
citizens the rights denied them, but
declare that cit SHALL BE HIS
DUTY" thus to interfere Not only
does his general obligation apply to
take care that the laws be faithfully
executed" but he is expressly en-
Joined that it is his especial duty to
enforce this particular law
Section 5299 was enacted for the
especial purpose of protecting negroes
in the Southern States from outrage at
the hands of the constituted authorities
10 those States during the recoostruc-
tion period, but it applies to all the
States of the Uoion for all time. No
southern governor ever denied negroes
their rights SO openly and shsmelessly
as the governor Of Illinois denies these.
black citizens of Alabama their rights
to-day.
Will President Mckinley do his
duty II he does not. be will be him
self an accessory to the crime commit.
ted By Gov. Tanner, and the sbame
which now attaches to the State of
Illinois will rest upon the nation.
Suppose that be ''take day off, from
celebrating our valor 10 beating weak
and bankrupt nation and our magnani-
nifty 10 treating the Spanish, and re.
establish black citizens of the Uoited
States 10 Abraham Lincoln's old home
in the rights guaranteed them by tee
constitution and laws.