The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-23

Toin the premises urged by MI. flke. There
are few Republicans who doubt that the dis
order and confusion which now reign in those
States must be quelled by the strong hand of
military power 4, There are nOre perhaps to
whom the exercise of such power seems like a
step backward. That error Mr. Morrilrs ar
gument will correct. Thus far the Southern
have been left to reorganize
themselves. They have failed to accomplish
any reorganization which could render life
and property secure or pave the way to com
plete leconciliation with the general govern
ment, Mr.. Stevens's bill to establish military
governments for them was an attempt to rem
edy the first of these evils; MIR. Blaine's
to that bill was an attempt to
remedy the second. These two propositions
were before the Senate, when MIR. Morrill,
spoke as follows: -t
This bill is modification of the action oil
this Government in these States for the last
six years, and thank Heaven that we have
come TO the time at last when we can modify
our action. What have we been doing? We
have held these twelve million people at the
absolute control OF the military, have we not
life, property, estate, reputation, everything
In our grasp? By the exercise OF this power
we have subdued them and conquered them,
reduced them as "insurrectionary States . put
down civil war and rebellion. We no longer
levy armies; We no longer plan campaigns in
to that country; We now propose to interpose
the military rule in subdued form to pre-
serve order throughout country where there
is no civil authority. That is ALL This bill
nf fha
which has been exercised since the war be-
gan ; and it proposes to furnish rule, a mill
tary rule, as a article OF war, you please, to
the commander in that region OF country
where now they are without any except such
as arise from the general Articles OF War.
Sir, by the triumph of our arms we have
ioverthrown rebellion and civil war. These
civil and political communities, recently in in
surrection and war are subdued and at our
feet. assume that there are no civil tribu-
nails there, no State governments which we
are bound to respect and trust. What, then,
is to be done?H We are 10 restore those COM
munities, OF course; when? As soon as it is
practicable to do it. In the mean time il is
the duty of Congress to define by law what
the military authorities in that region OF
country shall be bound to do, and that is, by
this proposition, to keep order, preserve order
d in these insurrectionary States, protect the
persons and the property OF the people, and
that is all. III t-.-.-..t.''.., f.,ff. 's-' z
Since these insurrectionary States were
subdued and overthrown the military power
in that region OF the country has been abso-
lutte, and we have sat here since 1865 and wit
messed the military acts of the President OF
the United States unlimited and absolute over
the whole country. We have seen him set
aside States and State constitutions and State
la arrA lafn 4. A
entire country by his absolute military author
4ity. Nobody denies that. L do not stand
here to complain of it. think when tte war
was ended, the instrrection was oyerthrown.
and these States We're subdued: il was the
duty of the President of the United States
without attempting to organize State govern
ments to preserve order, andit becomes neces-
sary now TO interpose the legislative authority
in that direction because he does not preserve
order. IL is because the Presidents of the
United States, when by the power of our
arms this rebellion was overthrown, neglected
to preserve order by military authority, and
give protectlon TO persons and property, and
6lrheu ms attention 10 TIE reconstruction OF
the TTn;ted Sta,as tn'd.,, ;s ".,,n1, ~ "
80. .nn -. e - y y..I - e. upon W VI, =,
those military districts in the way of a militia
ry rule. what shall he dome for the nrotaot;on
of person and for tn, nrotact;on ~ nro,o,,,T
. & mnoh h. g., ~ n p.Pp..y
,rlo Ins,aad ~ ~ ha;,., i,;i,. ~, =. al
iuio. Ahsiedu oi its peiiiS inliitary RUE IN the
,nnmal;6eS md desn,tio - -
a iip;ted ,n;t;aatod ta,n :. o,s,1;anaay aue ~
tbe pxt,aordinsrv stata =, a,i.,;'.s ia S -
H., - ~. 9'a'S ~ a span an III 1nat re
things Temporary. - - - - '''re VI
Well. sir. | NAV persu,le nvse,r 70 voto f,r
the amendment. but that tho H.. =.
any form modifies the osestion' of no;I;ta -
mower nobody will contend m only J,scInsoy,
that the CONGRESS of tbe ITniied Ststss Will
il extends this military rnle over these StaIaS
accompanies il with 4 statement of Tho Con-
eiitiona on which tho mi. mo-, y. aha.oI !.
that is all. and IN that exte,t + ys,con,o !,
and NAV not he nnwiil;na 10 80 w.. +, 4, -
II has no reference wbatavar 10 tha oxta,, or
Iimitat;on of n,iIi,arv ,,nrrer n,o1;daa n .nn
tbe hin. f'S'''> f'o'''N'''' N''''i''eo- ~ :"
What is tle raason ass;,r,,oa Gu. s.,,o os,.,.
tion at the nresent time 20 hi. ,,,;,;,.
er2 n i set forth in III, ,,raa,,p,ia =, r."
.o..., f''"'o ILL 'o'' ''o
'oinss pa
tt
the governments OF certain States which aIe
named .f -.I vea. star rsat
were set up withou the authority of Congress
and without the sanction of the p.ople: and
mneLeas WI eI s.ld pretended governments afforded
cn,ntaqaa ',5 ilie or pfoperty, pus
crime "- i""'o''ne'' anu
-q'lle
or t1a yUu nave .ns reason why the congress
". y. 'ne onleu otates proposes 10 authorize
S ene interference OIL military power In these
otates.
oir, need any one stend here to-day to re-
mhd the Senate OF the United States that
SINCE tne surrender OF the confederate armies
mere mas been no civil authority IN that coun-
n.y. Have we not over and over ae ,in de-
clareu tnat al uhat mas peeh oone thefe IN the
Ieconstr9cIion o' ol1les h mas s, peen usurpa,
tloh ase We hos oeeI .oiu oy constituted
ils s,d .he oIler branch
~ .; ,ne nr,ar or n.aco IN tss .neae = no such
,ru % 5o IS sneh tbna a. nerson AZ sac,i. o.eoun-
cry, ertyp Do we not know that ,aia op'9P-
,hcse sham ooyermman,9 ~ saat s.a. .o-uy under
that ot r,is,Se In ali that o ra s,'e =, .n,hss Is
Dove NOT know to. .dav thar re Pros;doa. al ~ ~
United States. havn9 sci nm tbese char, ,ou1
ernments and faelino hound bv them 55oas
not nropose to execnte the laws wh,cb ,ho
CONGRESS- of tba TTnited Stat.s hos 1870
No we not know that the civil s;o,,ta I,:u =,
ootod -, a., 80. .I - ~ :. o.' o,i Hn
o,,,>r,,o1 ,,oo',i =; wy 70 ~ J",,'oo ~ 1lie
tti PeoP'o 10 oeao ietter Throughout
ZIG oouIh'
Sir, if ever there was measure demanded
of legislative tribunal, this is the one. 1t is