Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-12-08
TO HE'LL WITH SUCH LAW

address at Chicago. H.. Tuesday.
November 27th. 1906 was all his
bitterest enemy could wish. He
lost his equilibrium and threw away
his temper in manner that left
him a sorry spectacle for the civil
lied world. His abuse Of Mayor
Dunno. the executive head of the
municipality that was affording him
protection showed bad taste and
| poor judgment.
Every reflection upon that distin-
guished gentleman reacted with ter
rife effect upon the Senator max
ing them What must be thought
OF the Chicago Union Hospital Off
cials. who permitted such perform
ances? Certainly, the colored peo-
pie who protested against permit
ting Senator Tillman 20 deliver mis-
address were amply justified.
There was Que feature of the ad-
dress that should not be forgotten.
and that was Senator Tillman's ex-
lclamation when confronted with the
Fifteenth Amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States that
| he is sworn to maintain and sup
port. In a frenzy Of passion. he is
/ said 20 have exclaimed, "The law?
To hell with such law It should
not be forgotten thatif Senator TIL
man did utter such language. ne was
guilty of perjury in IT'S most often
sive sense. If he cannot and viii
not accept the Constitution of the
United States as a whole then ne is
not eligible 20 the Office of United
/ States Senator.
But i'm what sense does the atti-
tude Of Hon. r r. Tuman the
/ Senator differ from that of Hon
/ Theodore Roosevelt. the President?
/ when the Hepburn Rate Bill was
pendinc. the former was admittedly
the spokesman Of the latter by
means OF a third party Senator
Tilmau states boldly his contempt
for the law. while President Roose-
volt Processes To be observing it.
Let ms see.
The law which Senator Tulman
rcnounces and deuounces reads as
follows.
The right OF citizens OF the T.
..-. rfrros to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United
States or by any state, on account
of race. color. or previous cOnditiO"
lof servitude.
To this Senator Tlllman replies,
"The law? To hell with such law"
| The law 20 which white and colored
citizens called the attention OF Pres
! Roosevelt after he had issued the o
der discharging from tho service OF
the United States and forever barring
the colored soldiers of Companies
! b. c.. and ID of the Twenty-nfth In
fantry from holding civil or mill
tary positions in the government
reads as follows:
"Nor shall any person be subject
| for the same offense 90 be twice put
I'm jeopardy of life or limb: nor shall
/ be compelled i'm any criminal case
/ Co be a witness against himself. nor
be deprived of life. liberty or pro
perty. without due process OF law.
"ef''-C Constitution Of the United
States. Article V.
I'm all criminal prosecutions. the
accused shall enjoy the right 20 a
| speedy and public trial. by an i'm
/ partial jury OF the State and Dis
trict wherein the crime had been
committed. which district shall nave
been previously ascertained by law
and be informed OF the nature and
cause Of the accusation, to be con
fronted with witnesses against him
10 have compulsory process for OBJ
tanning witnesses in his favor. and
TO have the assistance of counsel
for his defense Constitution OF
the United States. Article VI.
Were any of these provisions con
piled with in the cases of the col.
ored soldiers? They were presum
ed guilty and the entire mode of lie
gal procedure reversed by attempt
ing 10 make them prove themselves
innocent.
Here is the recommendation o.
Inspector General Darlington, which
recommendation President Roose
welt approved and adopted as his owl
language:
'T recommend that orders be is
sued as soon as practicable discharl
ing without honor every man in Con
panies b, c. and d OF the 25th In
fantry. serving at Fort Brown, Tex
on the night OF August thirteenth
1906, and forever debarring then
from re-enlisting in the army o
} navy OF the United States. as wei
as from employment in any civi
capacity under the government. ."
This language is as drastic a
that used in dealing with the sol
= diers of the Confederacy at the clos
of the Civil War. AT that tim
these men Of the Southland were re
=.