Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-16
CHICAGO.
Correspondence on the Military Occu.
patton.

CHICAGO, Nov. 1.-THE correspond
ence which took place between Gov. Palm
er and Mayor Mason, just before the with
drawal of the troops from the city is pub
lshed. Gov. Palmer in his letter says: 1t
excited the greatest surprise and has occa-
stoned me profoundest modification that
you failed to inform me as could have east
" have been done by telegaphing or
through my confidential Secretary, who
reached Chicago on the 9th of October, of
the necessity in your judgment for the en-
plOyment of military force for the prOtec-
ton of the city; and it has panied me quite
as deeply, that you should have thought it
proper, without consultation with me by
telegraph or otherwise, to have
practically abdicated your functions
as mayor. Happily there is no necessity
either real or imaginary for longer con-
tinuance of this anomalous state of things.
United States troops are now in Chicago in
violation of the law. Every act Of the
officers. and soldiers of the United
States army that operates to restrain
or control the people is illegal, and their
presence in the city except for the purposes
of the United States ought to be no longer
continued. 1t is due to you that ] should
confess that under the circumstances that
! surrounded you on the occasion of the late
disaster, it was natural you should be in
clined to accept aid from any quarter, to
enable YOU to afford protection to persons
and property in your city, but | regret it
did not occur to you that your own powers
under the laws were inadequate TO meet
the emergencies, and you were entitled up
on notice to me to the support Of the whole
power of the State. From information that
| have not been afforded an opportunity to
acquire officially, l have learned that Lieut..
Gen. Sheridan has rendered valuable serv-
ices, for which he deserves the thanks of
the people of Illinois; but it would have
been more satisfactory to them if he, as a
citizen, had given TO you the assistance of
his eminent abilities to organize the people
to act in conjunction with the civil officers
for their own protection.
Mayor Mason in reply to the above letter,
saws: Had your excellency, when in Chi
cago on the 1lth and 18th of this month,
informed me or Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan of
your disapprobatiOn of the course that l
had thought proper to pursue, in having on
the 10th inst. solicited his aid in preserving
the peace and order Of the city, and protect
ing the lives and property of its inhabitants,
satisfactory reasons could have been gwen
your excellency for so doing, many of which
it would even now be unwlse to
make public. In the performance OF my
official duties, | believe that emergency
required me to take the step that / did. l
do not believe, when the lives and property
Of the people, and the peace and good order
Of large city, are in danger, that it is a
time to stop and consider any question of
"policy;" but that if the United States,
by the strong arm Of its military, can give
instantly the required protection of life,
property and order, it is the duty of those in
power to avail themselves of such assistance.
Congressman at Large.
Returns from eighty-nine counties of this
State for Congressman at Large give Beve-
ridge, Republican, a majority of 1852.
The thirteen counties to hear from, in
Guiding Cook [Chicago,l will carry Beve-
ridges majority up to about $4,000.
So necessary is fun to the mind. that
late philosopher said if you should build
schools without Fairgrounds, nobody would
get beyond short division in lifetime.