The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-22
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
HpiroRIAL oPNIoEs OF THB LEADING JOURNALS
Upon CURRENT roPIos-CoMPILED EVERY
BAY PoR THE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
The Southern Militia.

From the NJ Y. Times.
The order of Secretary Schofed explanatory
OF his refusal to furnish arms to the militia OF
the Southern States adds greatly to the respon-
sibility Of the President in dealing with the
applications of the new Governors. The COM
mon answer to appeals for military help, like
that of Governor Yarmouth, is that the
local militia should be available for the main
tehanee of order. The enemies OF recOnstruc-
ton have contended that unless the local Gov
erninents be able, with the militia at their
command, to put down disturbance and
enforce the law, they must be considered
failures. The argument is unsound, as we
have more than once attempted to show,
especially in view Of the neglect of Congress
to provide for an adequate distribution of
arms. But there has nevertheless been
conviction that any request for Federal
inter vention should be preceded by the
employment OF all powers at the COM
mand of the local Executives-the militia
included.
The case is made good deal palmer by the
extract from the law which the Secretary OF
War introduces into his order. BY one OF
those unfortunate blunders which have marred
the progress Of reconstruction at almost every
stage, the South is literally without a militia.
Not only have the local Governments no arms
for its use, but the supplying Of arms by the
War Department is forbidden by a clause
which-passed under different circumstances
is vet unrepealed. Congress-, therefore, In
its haste to adjourn, did more than neglect
the distribution of farms which measure
brought forward at = late day rightfully con-
templated. 1t left on the statute book pro-
vision which restraints the War Department
from arming the militia, whatever the
emergency. To this extent the reconstructed
States are powerless. Their authorities are
paralyzed by an order which nothing less
than the action of Congress can set aside.
This fact, in the presence of the disloyal
organizations by which the rights of persons
of Unionists are threatened, will undoubtedly
strengthen the movement for reassemblng
Of Congress in September. That proceeding
is, for many reasons, undesirable, but it may
be made inevitable. Few things are more
likely to make it so than the confessed
inability of the new Governments to employ
a power which is essential to their existence.
Meanwhile the President may prevent mis-
chief, and possibly some trouble, by waking
the fact announced by General Schodeld the
basis of more decided action than might other
wise be expedent. He cannot bid the Gov
ernors employ the militia before calling for
Federal troops. Pending the repeal of the
obstructive provision now brought to light,
they have only Federal soldiers to rely upon
to restrain the lawlsss, and overawe the Rebel
plotters who are at work in every Southern
State. Any hesitation ON Mr.. Johnson's part
or any failure to provide for the emergencies
that may arise will necessitate a September
session. Between that evil and the evil of un-
protected, unsupported authority in the
South at the November election, there can be
no doubt as to the duty to be performed by
the national law makers.