Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-03-21
ROUGH ON SLAVE cATeHFRs
Thinks Principle Enumerated by 5u.
premc Court in clyatt Case salutary
Fer Black Man. But Infinitely More
So For Whitc-No Regard FOR
Rights Of Fellow Men.
H;y Associated prcss.)

o-AS NNNNH' "a. MarCh ID.-~J I,lSG
Emory Spccr. in the United States
court today confined his charge, to the
grand jury almost exclusively 70 dis
cussion Of tho pconage decision Eanu
cd down last week by the Supreme
Court Of the United States in the case
OF Clyatt. from Florida. Judge Sperr
said 1t may be long before that court
will have the opportunity TO render
another opinion So vital to the futur4
OF our country.
1T is salutary to the black man, but
to the white man it is infinitely more
so AS to the labor and liberty of
every citizen it nuliifies that vicious
principle let him take who has the
power. ard let hin. llaep-who can...I is
true that it spares meElbcrs or tho
negro race from a slavery to the rock
loss and the lawless. to the generally
unscruDulous: 4 slavery which, COM
pared with that Of our fathers, differs
as widely as our conceptions CT our
first parents. But its emancipation Of
the white man is not less Significant.
Nc Principles OF Justice.
The man guilty Of peona lie.
6t1ig1 slave cate Is not Ri
by any principle Of Justice to lis fol-
low man. whether white CT black
1T is noticcably true that in J, NUM-
Der Of cases Of pconagc ready ana
willing witnesses for the government
arc white men who have been deprived
OF their servants because the modern
slave catcher. usually a nan Of intlu.
cncc, and determinations. himself arm
ed and with armed followers. would
invade the :]omain Of the small farmer
and. by violence the nest crun; ana
int, nidation the most reckless take
there from the laborers whose services
the Witness had engaged
Judge SDeer expressed the opinion
that petty municipal offcnscs like
walking on the grass. splitting OH The
sidewalk or going to sleep in a depot.
Or lettering on the streets. end multi
tudcs Of other similar offcnscs are MT
crimes for which Involuntary servi.
tudc can be imposed.
Peonage Statute AppIicabI.. ss
He held that for such an offClst. tn
sentence and hold a man or chilli for
Involuntary servtude is necna.r al,t
| that the pcnait; OF the pcoDage statute
is applicable to the person engaged iii
the imposition Of such sentences.
Judge Speer concluded: For my
self 1 do net hesitate K, declare that
enforced labor on local Changing
for any offcnsc. net amounting u
crime. is involuntary servitudc and
peonage in the light of the decision
OF tie Supreme Court, no matter what
the State law or municipal ordinances
on the subject may be.
Should the SultaE OF Morocco or
Abd':l HaE,cd at Constantinoplc. con-
sign to m Oriental chansang Ancri-
| can citizens for such trivialitics: a.,
arc thus daily punished here bc1pr::
the sun wcLt down the steel clad bat
! tiCships OF The U:lion would be speed.
ing DER The uccaE TO demand redress
! for the injury or to avcnse tho wrong
Pconaae Pathway to Slavery.
Let but pecnage be fastened on
oar system and Ill may soun, viii,
lsicnzi. cXclai,n: We are slaves. lh@
bright sur rises TO its course ana
lights 4 race OF slaves: ii sets aut. It's
last beam falls on q slave
| , . 4 K