The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-18
Military Rule.

In the Legislature Of South Carolina re-
solutions were introduced one day last
week, and appropriately referred, request
ing the President Of the United States to
inform the military in that State officially
that the war Is at an end.
These resolutions were doubtless intro-
duced In consequence Of some interior.
ence Of the military with the BUSINESS o'
the civil authorities. It seems impossible
10 teach military men that they are no"
stationed in the southern States TOT .he
nnrnose Of rendering assistance to the civil
authorities in the due execution ana ao-
,n,n;stra,ion of the laws, and that they
have NO right and no power to interfere,
except when regularly called upon. The
appearance of the peace proclamation put
an end to the supremacy of the military.
The existence of the civil authorities was
in that proclamation recognized in distinct
and unequivocal terms: "Pcace, order,
and civil authority now exist" said the
President. The military were to be subor-
dinated to the civil powers. Any military
officer who now undertakes to interfere
with the proceedings Of courts, or to inter-
rupt citizens, is liable in hisperson and pro-
perty for any damages that may be done.
He has nothing to do with any citizen ON
any prctext. Men not belonging to the
army are liable to arrest and punishment
only by the civil authorities. 1t is impos-
sible that it can be otherwise if this is a
Government Of laws. The civil rulers must
be supreme wherever liberty is to exist.
But admitting for the moment that the
Radicals arc right, who wish the military
to hold tight rein over the people, it fol-
lows that this tribe of pcstilent mischief
makers ought every one to be arrested.
The President is the highest military Of
ficer in the country; and he has as much
right to put down sedition in the northern
States as in the southern. All the States
arc now in identicyA0he same position
in regard to the MILITARY The President
has precisely the same right to cause For
NEY to be arrested and the Chronicle to be
suppressed which he has to forbid Admiral
SENMEs from qualifying as Judge of the
Probate Court of Mobile. We do not be-
lieve that he has even color of right to
do either one Of these acts. We hold that
Judge SEMMEs may take his Office when he
will, and that the President has no right to
modest him. or even to know that he is
performing its duties. We hold that Mr..
SEMMEs is liable to arrest and punishment
for any crime which he may have COM
mi;tcd: but that that crime must be
proved upon him in q court of competent
jurisdiction ; and that even when so proved,
he will still be the constitutional and law
full Judge Of the Probate Court until, under
the operation of the laws of Alabama, he
shall have been removed from office. But
if this is not the case-if a citizen of
southern State may be prevented from fol-
lowing his usual avocatons or from per-
forming the duties Of any Office to which
he is elected or appointed under the laws
of his State--then the citizens and officers
of the northern States are in precisely the
same condition. FoRSEY and BRowNLow
and Boris may be locked up as disturbers
of the peace of the country, and Chief
Justice CHASE be told that he shall not sit
upon the supreme bench by that high
military officer ANDREW JOHNSON. We
hope the President will consider this mat
ter. lie is too good lawyer to suppose
that since the official proclamation of
peace military officer may do any act in
Alabama which he may not do in Massa-
chusctts; and knowing his rights and his
duties, he will, We trust, exercise all the
powers of his office among the Radicals
which he exercises among the "other
rebels" Let even-handed justice be ad-
ministered to all men. 1t would be
laughable and pleasant spectacle to see
BUTLER, BRowNLow, FoRNEY, and JACK
HAMILTON forbidden to speak i'll Of the
President, and compelled by the strong
arm of military power to respect this "writ
of prohibition"