Why Was the 1876 Supreme Court Decision in United States

Why was the 1876 Supreme Court decision in United States v. Cruikshank (which pertained to the Colfax Massacre) significant?

A) It confirmed that the federal government exercised final authority when protecting freed blacks from white terrorists.
B) It placed the responsibility for protecting freed blacks from white terrorists on town and county governments.
C) It decided that states' rights trumped federal authority when it came to protecting freed blacks from white terrorists.
D) It determined the president as commander-in-chief was the only one with the authority to protect freed blacks from white terrorists.
E) It ruled that the judiciary had no role to play in Reconstruction.