Year: 1878

a community where those who have
been engaged in vi lating the laws
have honestly and in good faith a..
bandoned their practices. A lenient
course has been pursued in many
districts where tie circumstances
would warrant it, and it would afford
me great pleasure to know that the
violatcrs of the law in the districts to
which you are assigned have return
ed to sense Of their duty to the
general government, to observe the
law, and to pay tax imposed by it
upon their products.


desire that you shall impress
upon citizens general my determina~
tion that the laws shall be enforced
i'll an orderly andi lawful. manner,
avoiding all unnecessary collisions,
and by officers who arc permanent
citizens Of the districts or divisions
to Which they are appointed, and are
men OF respectability, integrity, dis
cretion and courage. I wish you
particularly to inform the people
that this Office is open at all times to
hear the complaint of citizens against
the unlawful acts of ff1cers.


In this connection you should call
attention to the stringent provisions
Of section 8, 169, United States re-
vised statutes, which enact that an
officer who is found guilty of any
extortion or willful oppression under
color of law shall be subject to in
dictment, and, on conviction, shall
be fined not less than one thonsand,
nor more than FIVE thousand dollars.
and imprisoned not less than six
months, nor more than three years
The court is directed to render a
judgment against the officer or agent
tor The amount Of damages sustained
by the party injured, 10 be collected
| by execution.


Under the provisions Of this sec
ton the citizen has an ample remedy,
and l know that the courts of the
United States would be as ready to
afford relief to the citizen against
the unlawful acts IF officers as to
punish the citizen for violations of
law. The laws Of the United States
are enacted by the representatives
of the people, and are designed to
promote the general welfare Of the
whole people. The courts of the
United States are as much the courts
OF the people as the State courts, and
are as ready to protect the rights of
citizens as the Stale courts are.


LII my opinion, it is essential to the
happiness and prosperity of the
country that communities should not
be kept in state of excitement over
the question of a conflict of authority
between the laws and courts OF the
United States and those of State,
and, to avoid this, citizens should be
encouraged to appeal for redress
against the alleged unlawful acts Of
officers Of the United States to the
ceurts of the United States.


You will understand that in writ
ing as 1 do ! do not disparage the
character or jurisdiction Of the State
courts, but wish to point out to you
that the laws Of the United States not
only make provision for levyiug
taxes and collecting them, but also
for the protection of the citizens
| agaiIst The mi. conduct Of it's officers:
that these taxes are to be collected
through the fundamentally of the
officers and courts of the United
States, and that all grievances can
be better redressed in the same man
ner. Respectfully,


GREEN B. RAUM,
..... Commissioner.


Conversation with Col. Chapman
assures US that the administration is