Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-25
THE TROUBLES IN BALTIMORE
BRIEF STATEMENT OF FACTS-THE
LAW OF THE CASE AND THE DU.
TIES OF THE PRESIDENT.

hANAEE bAAEEmENI OE EACIh-EEE
LAW OF THE CASE AND THE DU.
TIES OF THE PRESIDENT.
The Radicals of Maryland are as desper-
ate as those of Tennessee. They have I'M.
dertaken there, as here, to suppress the
popular voice, and deprive the people Of
their rights and liberties by test oaths and
registration laws with reference to the fran.
chise. In the recent municipal election in
Baltimore, through the ready connivance Of
a set of corrupt Police Commissioners, who
appointed the judges and clerks of the cleo
ton, seven-eights Of the city were not only
denied the privilege of voting, but those Of
the excluded class who presented their bal
lots against the Radical Mayor who was q
candidate for re-electian, were rudely driven
from the polls. Thus, through the machi-
nations of the Police Commissioners, who
are prohibited by the laws of Maryland
from taking an active part in municipal
elections as partisans, the control Of the city
was placed in the hands Of one-eighth of the
voting population, to the great detriment
and dissatisfaction of the people
The people then appealedto the Governor
for redress, so far as it could be obtained
through the removal of the Police Com
missioners, who had been most active and
potent in perpetrating the injustice Of which
they complain. They held primary meet
ings and appointed delegates to City Con-
vention. The Convention met and appoint
ed a committee to await upon the Governor
at Annapolis, and lay before him their
grievances, and ask the removal of the
Commissioners. They did so, and the result
Of the interview was given in these columns
yesterday. The Governor replied that he
would examine into the merits of the case,
and perform his duty under the laws
BY the laws of the State. so far as we are
able to gather them, the Commissioners are
removable by the Legislature for miscon-
duct, and when the Legislature is not in ses-
sion by the Governor. If sworn charges
are made against the Commissioners, the
Governor (the Legislature not being in ses-
sion) cannot refuse to entertain them and,
if they are supported by such primG Gdcie
proofs as give them a reasonable color of
probability, it is his duty to put the accused
officers upon their trial and give them an
opportunity for defense. Charges have been
made; Gov. SWAMI has listened to them,
and he deemed them serious enough to re-
quire examination. He accordingly sum
moned them before him but they deny to
him the authority conferred by the law, and
propose TO resist by force any action he may
take in the premises, and are preparing
arms and enlisting men for the purpose.
The duty Of the President in such a case
If applied to, is pointed out in the following
extract from the Act of Congress, Of 1895:
In case OF an instruction in any State
against the Government thereof il shall be
lawful for the President of the United States,
on application Of the Legislature of such
State, or Of the Executive when the Legis-
lature cannot be convened, tocall forth such
a number Of the militia Of any other State or
States as may be applied for, as he may
judge sufficient to suppress such insurrec-
ton"
And this from the act Of 1907:
In all cases Of instruction, or obstruction
to the laws, either Of the United States, or of
any individual State or Territory, where il
is lawful for the President Of the United
States 10 call forth the militia for the pur-
pose Of suppressing such instruction, or Of
causing the laws 10 be duly executed, it shall
be lawful for him to employ, for the same
purposes, such part of the land or naval
force of the United States as shall be judged
necessary. having first observed all the re-
quisites Of the law in that respect.
The President has ample authority to act,
and it is made his duty to act if applied to
by the Executive Of the State.
Should this call be made, and the law
obeyed, the Radical leaders Of Washington,
Philadelphia and Baltimore, threaten an
II her civil war