The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-03-25
An Eloquent Protest Against the Enforce
ment Act.

army was under consideration, MT.
Salisbury said:
After the rejection Of the amendment
which offered, that no part of the
money appropriated by this bill be ap-
piled to the payment of the transporta-
ton of soldiers or officers to or from
elections in the States, or for their pay
| while there, no circumstance could In
duce me to vote for this bill. would
rather see no army Of the United States
than to see this bill passed with the re-
lection Of that amendment.
The rejection of that amendment is a
solemn proclamation to the people of
the United States, in my judgment and
shall SO treat it on this occasion, that
it is the determination Of the party in
power to employ at the election in the
States the army or any portion of it
which they may choose to employ on
such occasions. Sir, liberty is dearer
to me, and tho rights of the States and
of the people of the States, are dearer
to me than the preservation of the
army. If had it in my power to-day
would strip the epaulettes from the
shoulders Of every officer in the service.
1 would take off the blue coat from
every soldier Of tho United States, and
leave the United States without any
standing army at all. Should any for
eign foe dare to attack us, there is valor
enough and patriotism enough in the
people of the United States to repel the
invaders and to show them that the
spirit which actuated their fathers in
times of old has not forsaken the sons.
We need no army, we need no officers,
we need no soldiers to preserve the
peace at home. We need least of all
officers and soldiers to attend the cleo
tions in the States.
wish the American people to take
note of the fact that the majority of
this body have by solemn vote re-
jected Il proposition, deliberately pre-
sented to them ,forbidding the payment
of expenses of transportation to or from
elections in the States, or the expenses
while. there, Of officers or soldiers mt
those elections.
What is the legitimate inference:
That you mean to do in times of pro-
| found peace what you did under the
pretense Of military necessity in time
OF war; that you intend to invade the
States with your army,to subjugate the
will Of the free people to your party be-
hests; that if you cannot succeed in tho
next Presidential election on an honest
appeal to the voters of the United States,
you intend to WELD the military pow
er of this Government for the accom-
plishment of your political purposes.
At the other end of the avenue there
sits man
| Mr.. Coles rose.
| Mr.. Salisbury-My friend need not
be alarmed. l will not detain the Sen
ate long. But, t,sir, / do not intend that
you or your party shall escape the le-
gitimate inference from your vote on
this occasion. l hold you up, and
hold your actions up, to the American
people, that they may take warning
from your action on this particular
amendment. 1t is time for the free
men Of the United States, if there be
any freemen left in it, take warning;
and mako II note in advance OF what is
your determination in case you cannot
succeed by legitimate proper means ut
the next Presidential election.
was about to remark when saw
the acting chairman of the Committee
on Appropriations rise upon his feet
that at the other end of the avenue
there sits man whom believe my
party has not given credit to for ability
| at least in one respect; n man with
very little reading; Il man who knows
but little of the history of his country
| or the history of free institutions; n
| man, perhaps, regardless of free insti
| tutions, and thoughtless and needless
of the consequences of his action; but
yet Il man of indomitablc villa man
of undOubtcd personal courage. Sir,
when the House of Representatives
shall meet to count the electoral vote,
If it be found that your party has not
succeeded, and by throwing out the
| electoral vote OF three or four of the
SOuthern States upon an allegation of
| fraud, so easily made as it is to get up
the hue and cry of Ku-klux-he will
bc found the willing instrument to en-
plOy this army, to whose support you
are appropriating this money, to aid in
his own establishment for four years to
come in the seat OF power.
| Sir, ! wish to serve notice now upon
our political opponents that if we, by n
fair and legitimate vote of the people
of the United States, succeed in the
next Presidential election, we intend
| to inauguratc the man that we elect.
Though war may blast the country,
though every ncighbOrhood may run
knee-deep in blood, if we succeed, we
intend to inaugurate our President.
| We have got gallant soldiers, too, who
have given evidence of their valor
upon the field Of battle. If you mean
to employ this army for any such pur
pose as that, or to interfere with the
rightful exercise of that suffrage of the
people of the States at the polls, we
serve notice upon you, that that will
| be no war in defense of the flag. You
cannot say then that the flag has been
fired upon, and appeal to Democrats to
fight your battles. No sir; we will