Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-01-19

verdict that this one or that one
came 10 his death at TIE hands Of
persons unknown TO the Jury. Of
ten. incontestable evidence is alduc
ed to prove that the lynohers were
from another adjacent county and
1t would be equally as sensible to
haul into the court every resident of
the county referred TO and make
them prove their innocence. The
law says that it is with the com
monwealth, to prove their guilt.
This is as true in Texas as it is
IN Washington and it may be said
In Senator Culberson's favor that ne
boldly announced that the reason
the soldiers were not held was be-
cause the commonwealth did not
desire 20 punish the innocent We
have always believed, however and
this is merely q matter OF opinion
tnat the War Department and Pres
ijent Roosevelt gave these Texans
assurances that the battalion would
be punished and this accounted for
the alacrity with which the troops
were permitted to leave Texas.
President Roosevelt has adiurged
these colored soldiers guilty and as
far as he was able so to do has pun
ished them. He has publicly libeu-
ed them as murderers. midnight as
assassins and perjurers and this
too upon exparte evidence and in
plain violation of Article VI of the
Constitution Of the United States.
IL is as follows
In all criminal prosecutions. the
accused shall enjoy the right TO "a
speedy and public trial by an inn
partial jury of the State and dis
trict wherein The crime mas been
committed. which district shall
have been previously ascertained
oy law. and to Dee informed OF the
nature and cause of tine accusations
10 be confronted with witnesses a
gainst him; To have compulsory
process for obtaining witnesses i'm
mis- favor. and to have the assis-
lance OF counsel for his defence"
All of these provisions have 0een
violated. The machinery OF the
government that they served so well
has been persistenuy used against
them. They would to-day be with
out counsel I'm the United states
Senate were 70 not for the chivairic
patriotic course of the DISTINGUISHED
Senator from Ohio. who mas taken
the part of the under dog" I'm this
fight. These soldiers nave not beer
confronted by witnesses but amda-
Wits have been made by witnesses
whose regulations for voracity have
not been placed under the merciless
search light of a slduCm cross-ex-
animation and the strenuous Roose-
welt. whose word is law and whose
opinion passes ass gold coin. with the
average citizen of this Republic u.s.
as his great influence and mightv
power TO wipe out the regulations
OF this whole battalion and TO con-
sign their children and their chill
dren's children TO the opurobium
and scorn which go with this kind
of discharge from the army
We feel that we nave been wounj
ed deeply but again. we feel our
selves using the words of the de-
parted Mckinley, cts Gods way.
His Will bee done. not ours"
The time is not far distant. when
the fuming. fretting occupant OF the
White House viii be called TO an
swer for deeds done I'm the body.
Tie viii then Dee made to realize just
now he would feel were ne tine i'm
noceut member OF that same battal-
ion. With au OF his Weaknesses.
with am of his bravado. with am of
his blooj-gultness. with au OF mis-
vaporings. with AN OF his heartless-
utterances. with an of mis- contempt
for sham. Senator b. r.. Tulman of
South Carolina was right when ne
declared that there is NO such pro-
vision I'm our criminal procedure that
provides punishment for "the crime
of silence"
This is new crime of the Roose-
Welt creation and we express our alb
horrence of the doctrine that would
punish men charged with such an
onense.
1t is said that the people or q
great many of them are tired of the
reign of the present Car of Russia
The transfer of the distinguished
occupant of the White House to that
far-away country, with q kingly
crown upon his brow would tend to
awaken dormant energies and real
lie that despotism as 10 is could be
made worse by the importation of
one from abroad
We are opposed to President
| Roosevelt's position on this Browns
Vile bitterly opposed to
il in every sense of the word for we