Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-09-12

leges then his course sin: recognizing an officer of
Governor Wells cabinet as the proper authority to
| call out troops is Usurpation. What would have
been said if Congress had requested Attorney
General Speed to call out the troops and perform
the highest executive functions Yet Mr. Speed had
as much right to call out the troops of the United
States as Mr.. Heron had to take command of the
troops in Louisiana
This is a small point in our argument, but it
shows the tendency of the President. His dispatch
recognizes usurpation and proceeds To- defend the
massacre. All E'unlawful assemblies must be sup
pressed Well, this particular assembly was sup
pressed and very efectually, for its leaders were
murdered, and those who escaped murder are either
lying in the prison or the hospital According TO
the President this convention had not obtained the
consent of the people of the State If it at all en-
tered into our argument we might ask him. what
right had the President to determine fact Gov
ernor Wells thought the convention was legal, and
as he Governor what business has President John
son with it Who gives the President of the Uni
ted States power TO traverse the decision of State
executive, or TO decide upon the competency of
State convention? Would he be authorized in
sending dispatch TO General Barlow, declaring
the New York Legislature to be unlawful, and CALI
ing upon General Hooker to dispense its members?
According to the Presidents own theory-the the
DRY that Louisiana is a sovereign State, and her
officers competent TO govern it-he is guilty of a
most fragrant assumption of executive power.
We pass beyond this theory, or indeed any theo-
ry of Presidential prerogative. The facts are that
certain Mon men-conspicuous for their loyalty
during years Of war--have been murdered by reb
els, who were conspicuous for treason in years of
war. The men who did the deed are enabled to
show warrant for their crime from the President of
the United States. When Governor Brownlow ask
ed for troops TO compel obedience to executive
mands and TO protect the Legislature in its legsla
tive power, he was petulantly refused. In Tennes-
see the majority loyal and the President threw
his Inf1upnpn with tho minority n Louisiana tho
majority was rebel, and the President not only
tanned it. but placed in its hands the army of the
United States. If il was right TO refuse aid to
Brownlow in seeing that b" the law and the const-
tuition were sustained, and thereby peace and Or
der" then it was wrong TO refuse aid to Governor
Wells and his convention. If that convention
unlawful there were remedies in theSupreme Court.
We have had dozen Fenian conventions in the
last year-all unlawful-as organizing war upon
friendly power. The President permitted them to
assemble, and sent troops to dispense them. Why
make an exception of loyal men in louisiana, who
at the very worst, and accepting truth the char
ges of the President were no more illegal than the
Senate of the Fenian Brotherhood?
1t is folly to soft phases in speaking of this
appalling crime. The policy of Andrew johnson
engendered the demon fury which has shed blood
in the streets Of the Crescent City. His stateman-
ship has once more raised rebel flags in New Or
leans. His construction Of Pres idential duty has
led him to commit an act of direct usurpation in
louisiana. His oath to protect and defend the
ton finds expression in the unavenged assassination
of men whose loyalty was as conspicuous and self
denying and sorely tried as his own. All that we
have gained by the war comes to this that in Lou
isiana an ilustrious general Of the Union army is
compelled to accept the orders of notorious pun
shcd rebel. The time has come for the people to
speak-and let it be in tones so distinct and unmis
ia kabe that even Andrew johnson will Lot dare to
disobey the warning.