The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-11-18

snyder, trained soldier from the Europesu ar.
miles, VINO earned his American citizenship bv
va'uaoie services In tue south and west and nov
ihs the honorable position of professor of Ian.
guases ana military tactics, in the Illinois In.
dustriai University; pit. Ii. Kohlmsun, of
equai.y .Iiea ss.'lee; Gap. Donegan and his col.
ored men. each OF whom psrticin,t.S =, 49,.
horrors of the mine before Petersbnr., .na.h...s
an honorable discharge from the ,rmv NJ.
all the enlisted men-it nav be ,ja.a y
soldiers of the late war. o''
Then what was the emergency Tho. o,.,,-,
on the 18th to Justify the acts az tha ,osuo.s
the lieutenant general! have no ;pformst;o.
upon that point, except what gather FROM,
Lieut. Zen Sheridans ofncial report He saws
in describing the employment of his f,rcss.
'These troops, both regulars and volunteers
were actively engaged during their service here
In protecting the treasure in the burn district
guarding the unburnt district from d;sordars
and danger by further fire., and in protecting
the store houses depots. and sub.depots Of ann.
plies, established for the relief of suierers from
the fire. These duties were termina ted on the
23d inst, and on the Gath inst the
regulars started TO their respective stations.
and the volunteers were discharged" He does
not, 1t is true, in this report, made on the 25th
day of October, after eneumeratlag these mere
police duties, aliude to the service of COMPANY L..
Of the regiment OF volunteers that az late a. the
night OF the 10th of Oct, at distance of three
miles from the burnt district, while enforcing
military rule by guards and sentiuels, with or.
ders to arrest suspected persons, and shoot such
as refnssd to obey their orders, killed Thomas
w. Grosvenor, but the omission must be account
ed for by surprising that he regarded these oper.
atlons as merely incidental to the urgent dutv
Of protecting the treasures in the burnt district
guarding the unburnt district from disorders
and dangers by further fires, and protsstingIthe
storehouses of supplies.
1t will he seen that in discussing the conduct
OF the mayor and Lit. Gen. Sheridan, l have pre.
ferred to follow the accounts given by themselves
rather than those which have been inverted and
exaggerated to create public sentiment unfa.
vorable 10 fair judicial inves tgation. pre-.
sumo no Instance can be found 10 the history Of
free states where public officers. for Reasons so
tiimsy, have undertaken 70 suspend the laws
On the 18th OF Oct after the militia Of the
state had reached the city under the call of the
mayer, ne decided to call on the military forces
OF the United States, and to authorize 1t Gen.
Sheridan to reject the aid OF the state. In las
brief note TO Gen. S. he said: IF, in your opin-
Ion, the men are not wanted please order their
return" If this right of election and exclusion
By the mayor exists what are the future duties
of the authrities of the state II the condition
force is Inadequate, and Call be made upon the
Governor for support, what would be his duty
fer the right Of election cannot be alone in the
city or the mayor, and even the commander Of
the United states forces mig 1t conclude that he
would not Interfere.
7. seems to rne, thou, to be clear that on, free
institutions rest upon the principle that the
power aud duty OF the state TO preserve oider
and maintain the laws within its own boundaries
are complete and perfect and are not subject 70
tie control or iuterfc-ence of the United States,
any case whatever, nor can the authori.e. Of
any city or county, relieve the state from such
duties ! an not forgetful Of the fact tina, by
the provisions uf sec. 4, art. OF the constitution
Of the United States, the government il bound,
under certain circumstances, 10 protect the state
from domestic violence; but thi. constitutio.
provision Is not in opposition to, bat in accord
with the perfect independence OF the states. The
language of the constitution is: The United
States shall protect each Of them the
states on application o: the legislature or of the
executive when the Legislature canuo: be conven-
ed, against domestic viol.nce' Under the con.
stituion i, is left To the state authorities 10 de.
termine the necessity Of federal aid. snd no off.
Ger OF the army, under any circumstances, is at
their internal affairs.
IL s the language of the constitution that the
supreme executive power shall be- vested in the
governor, who shall take care that the laws be
faithfully executed :" end have in this instance,
as in all others, faithfully and iearessly sttemp.
ted to discharge that duty upon which the visor
OF the laws and the preservation of all that is
precious to the people depends.