Gov. Lindsay and Judge Busteed

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Florence Times Journal

Publication Place

Florence, AL

Publication Date

06/18/1872

Transcript

Gov. Lindsay and Judge Bus-, teed., On the 18th of March last, in the, county of Elmore, a negro man called, Mobile Jack and his wife, who was a, white woman, were murdered during, the night, and their house set on fire., Circumstances pointed to three or four, men in the neighborhood as the perpetrators of the crime, and three of, them-Smith, Ryland and Bozeman-, were arrested, indicted, and confined, in jail, to await their trial by the Circuit Court of Elmore county., Judge Busteed of the United States, District Court issued his warrant, for, the prisoners, under the Ku-Klux not, of Congress, 'sent his Marshals and, took the prisoners from the custody of, the Sheriff of Elmore county, brought, them to Montgomery, had them indicted in his court, and for the last, week has been going on with a pre-, tended trial., Gov. Lindsay, as the Executive of, the State, in a very polite and dignified letter, addressed Judge Busteed,, remonstrating against such interference with the State authority, and TO-, questing that he would have the prisoners returned to the Sheriff of Elmore to be tried by the Circuit Court, 1, of that county. In reply to Gov. Lind-, say the Judge gives utterance to this, :, sentence, "I cannot regard the State, ,, of Alabama, or any other State of the, t, Union, as possessed of either rights or, t, dignity that are not utterly subordinate, in whole and in part, to the sovereignty and authority of the United, States, their constitution and laws.", These are supreme in Alabama. They are regnant here. Their supremacy, t, has been once vindicated by the conquering sword of governmental power. Is it anticipating too much to say, 1, that, whatever the fate of individuals,, s, their supremacy will be maintained, h, against any renewed effort of treason or rebellion. We think history will be searched, in vain for a sentiment more vindic-, tive, more bloody, and more supreme-, arrogant, than this fulmination of, the Nero of Alabama. He declares, that the Stateshave no reserved rights., They are mere Provinces. The pow-, ers of the general government reigus, supreme, and all the rights and digui-, ty which a State may lay claim to is, ex-gracia. To assert the right of the, State, or of its citizens, its courts or, its officers, as secured by the Consti-, tution, he declares to be treason and, rebellion; and informs the Governor,, that the sword, still red with the blood, of our murdered citizons, is ready to, maintain the power of the conqueror., He denies the right of the State courts, to try these prisoners, and ignores the, authority of the Governor to interfure, in behalf of the citizons of the State., Surroundnd by bayonets in his court, room, he defies the State authorities,, and declares his intention to "reign, supreme. In other words, he saye;, The laws of the United States reign, in Alabama, Andminister those laws., The bayonets at my command shall, enforce my orders. Any interference, therewith is treason and rebellion., We do not remember to have read, n more arrogant assumption of power, but once. Ancient history tells of a, King who carried his arm into neigh-, boring countries, and every where he, went, caused monuments to be set up, with his name written thereon, with, the following inscription, "I am King, (Kings and Lord of Lords, if any, man desires to know who I am let him, excel my deeds." IIc very well knew, that no man who had a heart and soul, within him could excel his deeds of, blood, and, therefore, his name would, stand as the king of everything dark, and bloody. So this puissant Judge, may say, "I am Busleed; my insedixit, law Ireign in Alabama, to ques-, tion my authority Is treason and rebel-, lion. Ifany man desires to know who, I am let him excel my exploits, and, then he may claim the right to enquire, into my actions." We think he will, remain alone in his glory. We hope the Gov. will not cease, his efforts to maintain the rights and, dignity of Alabama, if there be any, way by which they may be asserted., But where will lie go? to whom can, he appeal? what if he Invokes the aid, of the President? is not the enforce-, ment law the pe culiar delight of Grant?, and is not Busteed doing the work, which will most please his government?, what if the Supreme Court of United, States is appealed to? a majority of, the court are political partisans, and, their dicisions are in strict accordance, with their party creed. Still there are, some pure men on the Supreme court, bench and the ir opinions, though in, a manority, are of far more weight, than the decisions of the majority., One consolation remains. The reign, of these creatures of the revolution will not always last. They were, thrown up by the mud and filth of the, civil convulsion. But for the war they, would never have been known in places, of honor and trust. They are only, known now to be detested and abhor-, red., The waves of the terriblo storm are, gradually subsiding, and the monsters, are finding their way back to the dark, caverns whenco they came. A better, day is breaking upon the long night, that has sat like a funeral pall on our, land. The days of Radical rule, bay-, onets, enforcement laws, centraliza-, tion, oppressive trization, plunder, and, the thousand other acts of oppression, which have been piled up on the de-, voted South, are numbered. Grant, and his long train of minions will soon, sink to the dens and caves of ignomi-, ny, "By all their countries wishes,", cursed., The mockery of a trial which these, men have been subjected to by this, Judge, beats anything on record. He, has treated the distinguished counsel, for the defendants, Gov. Watts, Col., Elmore, and JudgeSam Rice, with CY-, ery mark of disrespect. He refuses, to listen to the arguments of men, whose superior learning and wisdom, would exhibit his own ignorance, or, rather his perversion of the law, in, such sharp contrast as to put every, lover of justice in the land, to the, blush. e takes the place of prosecu-, tor, interrogating witnesses, and refu-, sing to allow the counsel to cross ex-, amine as to matters enquired of by, law. In the shape of a ,pretended, charge to the jury, he makes a fierce, speech against the prisoners, arraying, all the strong points of the testimony,, and winds up by telling the jury to, find them guilty. Alas, for the people, whose rights, and liberties, and lives,, are in the hands of such a Judge. will not always last. They were, thrown up by the mud and filth of the, civil convulsion. But for the war they, would never have been known in places, of honor and trust. They are only, known now to be detested and abhor-, red., The waves of the terriblo storm are, gradually subsiding, and the monsters, are finding their way back to the dark, caverns whenco they came. A better, day is breaking upon the long night, that has sat like a funeral pall on our, land. The days of Radical rule, bay-, onets, enforcement laws, centraliza-, tion, oppressive trization, plunder, and, the thousand other acts of oppression, which have been piled up on the de-, voted South, are numbered. Grant, and his long train of minions will soon, sink to the dens and caves of ignomi-, ny, "By all their countries wishes,", cursed., The mockery of a trial which these, men have been subjected to by this, Judge, beats anything on record. He, has treated the distinguished counsel, for the defendants, Gov. Watts, Col., Elmore, and JudgeSam Rice, with CY-, ery mark of disrespect. He refuses, to listen to the arguments of men, whose superior learning and wisdom, would exhibit his own ignorance, or, rather his perversion of the law, in, such sharp contrast as to put every, lover of justice in the land, to the, blush. e takes the place of prosecu-, tor, interrogating witnesses, and refu-, sing to allow the counsel to cross ex-, amine as to matters enquired of by, law. In the shape of a ,pretended, charge to the jury, he makes a fierce, speech against the prisoners, arraying, all the strong points of the testimony,, and winds up by telling the jury to, find them guilty. Alas, for the people, whose rights, and liberties, and lives,, are in the hands of such a Judge.

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