Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-03-23
LATE DECISION
OF WIDE SCOPE
Judge SpOer on Meaning Of Supreme
Courts DiCtum.
DECISION BEARS ON MUNICIPAL LAWS
Georgia Iurist Does Not Hesitate to De-
clare That Enforced Labor on : 10.
cal Chain Gang for Any 0ffense
Not Amounting to Crime is
Involuntary Servitude
and PeOnase in the
Light of the
Courts De-
cision.
DECISION BEARS ON MUNICIPAL LAWS

Savannah, Ga, March 2O.-Judgt
Emory Speer in the United States
Court today confined his charge almost
exclusively to discussion of the peon.
age decision handed down last week by
the Supreme Court of the United States
in the case of Clyatt, from Florida.
Judge Speer said it may be long be-
fore that court will have the opportu-
nifty to render any opinion so vital to
the future of our country. ut is salu-
tary to the black man, but to the white
man it is infinitely more so. AS to the
labor and liberty of every citizen, it
nullifes that vicious principle, Let him
take who has the power, and let him
keep who can
DIFFERENT KINDS OF SLAVERY.
cit is true that 1t spares members of
the negro race from a slavery to the
reckless and the lawless, to the degen-
crate and the INSCRIPTIONS, slavery
which, compared with that of our
fathers, differs so widely as our concep-
tons of paradise after and before the
fall of our first parents.
"But its emancipation of the white
man is not less significant. The man
guilty of peonage, like other slave
catchers, is uot stopped by any princi-
pie of justice to his fellow man, wheth-
er white or black. 1t is noticeably true
that in a number of cases of peonage,
ready and willing witnesses for the gov
eminent are white men who have been
deprived of their servants because the
modern slave-catcher, usually man of
influence and determination, himself
armed and with armed followers, would
invade the domain of the small farmer
and by violence the most cruel and in
timidation the most reckless, take
therefrom the laborers whose services
the witness had engaged"
Judge Speer expressed the opinion
that petty municipal ofFenses like walk
ing on the grass, splitting on the side
walk, or going to sleep in depot or
lettering on the streets, and multitudes
Of other similar offenses are not crimes
for which involuntary servitude can be
imposed. He held that for such an Of
tense, to sentence and hold a man or
child for involuntary servitude is pc
image, and that the penalty of the
statue is applicable to the person en-
gagged in its imposition.
Judge Speer concluded:
CHAIN GANG PUNISHMENT.
"For myself l do not hesitate to de-
.lare that enforced labor on d local
hang gang, for any offense not amount
ng to crime, is involuntary servitude
md peonage in the light of the decision
# the Supreme Court Of the United |
states, no matter what the State law or
ordinance on this subject may
'e. Should the Sultan Of Morocco or
abdul Hamid at Constantinople consign
o an oriental chain gang American citi-
ems for such trivialities as are thus
ally punished here, before the sun went
own the steel-clad battleships of the
Jnion would be speeding o:er mountain
rave or ocean to demand redress for
hurry, or to avenge the wrong. Let
ut peonage be fastened on our system,
nd all may soon, with Rienzi, exclaim:
eve are slaves; the bright sun rises
, its course and lights 9 taee OF slaves;
sets, and its last beam falls on a
aver"