Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-04-15
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

Lbf nuhhru' W WianiBhnt Ifom tnd bOnmlteb
on Military Affairs aud the Militia, to whom was
referred the bill entitled, "a bill to prevent Off
GERS of the army ani navy, aud other persons
engaged IN tue military and naval service of the
United States, from Interfering in elections in
The States" The Committee 60 over the whole
ground and discuss the matter 10 q statesman-
like manner, alter which ihey recommend that
the bill DO not pass. ln speaking Of Delaware,
they say;--
The contrast Of the conduo oi ins fnor
Of Delaware aud of the govcrnOa vi Ma yland
will IDLY close this report.
Tue latter treated the order of General Sehenck
as All insult to the loyalty Of Maryland aud an
usurpatiun agains. her laws.
The fOimer accepted the order as the best ex.
preston Of the wishes OF the loyal people, glad
TO receive aid in preserving the ballot box from
rebel votes; and added st Its foot his exhorta.
tion to the good people and officers Of Delaware
to AID in its enforcement, and stamped his APP
probation by fixing the seal Of State.
The legislature Of Delaware, at their session
in March, 1868, under the control of q political
party hostile to the principles on which the PIE
teut administration came into power and acting
under the passions inspired by the report of u
joint committee OF the two houses to take proofs
Of the "inteIference" of the federal military of-
GERS in the election in that State of the proceed
ing year, passed very stringent and penal act
for the punishment Of such interference. The
committee, in their yoluminous report, seem
blind to the fact that state OF things existed iu
Delaware not less deplorable than that which pre-
vailed in Kentucky, and evince the same bitter
hostility to the national administration, its prin-
cpes aud pohcy-a hostility not surpassed in
its style of uenunciation even by the rebel jour.
malls published at Richmond The following ex-
tract will be sufficient TO characterize the wuole
document
"iour committee might perhaps, with pro-
priety here close their report, submitting the
facts elected without further comment to the
general assembly aud people of the State, US con-
elusive Of a deliberate design aud purpose On the
part Of the leading republican politicians of the
State aud an INSCRIPTIONS and despoto admin
istration at Washington, to invade the sovereign
ty Of Delaware, and trample under foot the most
sacred right Of her citizens. The great iudigni-
ty, however, offered to the State by the federal
authorities in tho Invasion Of her soil by federal
soIdery for the purpose Of influencing the result
of an election, will justify the committee in ex-
pressing in conclusion, their unqualified con-
demnation, both Of the action of tue federal ad-
mnistration and the traitorous oonsprators
among our own citizens, who, for partisan pur-
pOses alone, sought to defeat the fair expression
Of the popular will at the polls by the potent in
tuence Of federal bayonets.
"The relations Of State and federal authority
are too plainly defined b. the written Coustitu
tion, that gives to the general government every
power which it can rightfully exercise aud are
too well understood by tie people Of the whole
country to permit yoar tee even in the
exercise Of the most liberal charity, to ascribe
this great outrage to ;he ignorance AMI imbeci-
ty Of the novces at Washington. Influenced by
party considerations alone, the federal admins.
traliOn, disregardlng the limitations upon leder-
al power plainly written in the Constitution of
the country, has been guilty before the whole
country Of invading one Of the smallest States of
the Union, not at the instance and request of the
constituted authorities OF the State, but ut the
solicitation OF corrupt and unsorupulous neigh
boring politicians II this administration had
done no previous wrongful act; If its history
had been marked by str Ct regard for coustitu.
tiOnal obligations; it 1t had not unnecessarily
plunged the whole country in ruinous civil war;
il had built no bastilcs; deprived no man of his
liberty suspended no writs of habeas corpus
muzzled no presses, nor invaded the right of free
thought and free Speech This single act of in
vading one OF the feeblsst States of the Union,
for no other purpose than to determine the re-
suit of her local election, is and ought o be- suf
hcient to brand II with infamy and ,yer,astng
disgrace. Reprehs nsIblo, however, as has oepn
The action Of the powers at Washington, its Grim
inality finds parallel in the disgraoeful, wicked
damning treachery of the migrate conspirntors
in our own midst, who, with malign hearts and
lying lips, assured the administration of the ne.
oessty for it's interference with the domestic
concerns Of Delaware, and by deception and
faleehood gave the excuse to irresponsible DOW
er for the outrage and wrong Of which your com
miitee complain. No language could betray
their baseness. No time can efface their guilt,
or remove the stigma from their memory. Your
committee will, therefore, turn from objects so
loathing. and leave them to the Judgment of
their fellow-men, objects Of contempt and scoru."
II is but another instance of that blind party
rage which has contributed 30 much to embarrass
and protract the war, by giving encouragement
to the insurgents, and strengthening their hopes
that the internal dissensions Of the loyal States
will in the end insure their success and indepen
dence.
The statute Of Delaware, founded upon this
report, aud upon the Joint resolutions of the two
houses Of January 30, falling little short of a
declaration OF war against the United States is
plainly in violation of the federal Constitution.
IL is true 1t assumes to punish only such militia
ry officers as are 'csens and inhabitants" Of that
State, for having soldiers present at any voting
place; but 1t is obvious that the State has no
more authority to control such officers, or to
punish them for acts done in the line Of their
duty, as military officers 10 the service of the
United States, than to do the same thing to others
not citizens or inhabitants Of Delaware. If she
can do it in the one case she may in the other
and il she can dictate what the national militia.
ry forces shall not do on one occasion within her
limits, she may carry her pretensions to the
length Of excluding them entirely from her bor-
dera. 1t was out Of just such claims of State
prerogatve that the principle and practice of se-
oeseion and rebellion spTRng. The government
Of the United States would be weak and con-
temptible indeed should it permit for moment
Its military otcers to be dealt with by any State,
large or small, for acts done in pursuance of
their duty and by the command Of their superb
ors, especially in time of war.
On the 18Th of November, 1868 Gen. Sehenek
then in command Of the 8th army corps and Of
the middle district, embracing Delaware, issued
his proclamations prohibiting all persons from
voting at the ensuing elections who had been en-.
gagged in rebellion against the government, or
who had given aid and comfort OF announcement
to others SO engaged or who did not recognize
their allegiance to the United States
We think this measure was justified not only
by the state OF disatieGtion notoriously existing
in that State, but by tue acts of hostile leeisla-
ton which we have cited. Precisely the same
reasons for il existed as had demanded the like
proclamations of General Schofield in Missouri,
General Burnside in Kentucky, and General
Sohenck in Maryland. And We take pleasure in
adding that Governor Cannon, blessed with
clearer insight into the necessities of the times,
and clearer perception of the demands of pa
triotsm, than the governor of Maryland seemed
10 possess, gave his ready aid to this proclama
ton, represslVe only of traitors and protective of
loyal men.
U. S. SANITARY Commission. report q
the General Superintendent of the Philadelphia
Branch Of the United States Sanitary Commits
sion to the Executive Committee, February lst,
1864, has been received. From it we esp the
following information, which will be touad iu-
teresting to our readers:
The work Of the Womens Branch is conduct