The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-11-13

l ~.
n. Snindall, j. Cunningham, and j. Il.
Morris, were chosen delegates to the Su-
rremc Council.
4 committee of five were appointed to
employ q state lecturer.
The installation Of the officers Of the
State Council was made public.
After pleasant sud harmonious session.
the Council adjourned Thursday at III 4. NJ.
Governor Palmer and GcneSal shers'
dan.
We cannot hut regard Governor Palmei's
suggestions to The attorney general Of 1ill-
nois and the prosecuting attorney Of Cook
couaty. iii regard to the usdrpatlon by
military officer of the United States OF the
right to levy and call out, organize and COM
mission volunteers in any emergency, or
for any purpose, within the limits of Il State,
as equally timely and salutary. As the &C.
vernon justly observes, General Shcridan's
motives have nothing TO do with the legal
and constitute DUAL question involved. 1t
may be conceded. even. that the generals
motives We're eminenllv benevolent and
humSne, and that the soldier who made q
desert OF the fertile Valley OF Virginia. and
boosted that the very cra"S which flew
over the waste he i.fL behind him would
have to carly their own provisions, and
who, at more recent Gate. authorized
war to be made in such savage fashion upon
the haplcSS Piceaus, was touched to the
very quick by the spectacle or distress and
suffering 1T Chicago, and that what he did
and ordered to be done was done and or
dcred with the best intentions in the
world yet, for al that, it was none the
less an act Of daring, hsgh-1auded usurpl-
ton. The government Of the State Of l!li-
~ i'm, hn
SUITE being in full and uninterrupted ope-
ration, and tacre being 10 preirncc that
the Governor could not be reached, or that
he had not the power to do whatever the
occasion required, General Sheridan, 10y
his own authority, authorized Frank Sbc!-
man to raise regiment and call 1t iuto
active service, and virtually established
marital law in the city Of Chicago. This
General Gheridaa SAYS he Gid ut the ur.eGt
request OF the Mayor. lie might IS we'll
have said that be cid It 1T the request CT
tue bishop of the diocese.
Acting under this authority, and by viz
tue Of General SHeridan's commission,
Colonel Slcrmun raised 4 regiment called
the Chicago Volunteers. Among those
enrolled in the command WAS 4 student 1t
the University, young man tom Wiscon-
sin. named Treat, who was posted rs
SsEtt.cl. with orders TO halt persons pass
ing uea;. lii post, ard ut'pn th"ir refusal IL
answer 10 fire. In obedience To these
or!c,s Treat challenged t0l0uel thomas
G.o>ycnor, Z prominent citizen Of Chicago,
holding IA high official position, 3n0 the
Crl0n.l either not hearing or needing the
challenge. Irc:t fred and shat him dcad,
i c say VIC DO nUt propose t" consider thc
qt.c>!icr rs TO who are legally and cIini-
nal!s Ic.pon>inla tor this homicide. lie
- n
what NaS and would have been Just H.
alarming ana rcprsh"nsibie a u>urpation Of
y.owcr # 10 such shooting had ever taken
riaco.
Whether GolnUel Grosvcror Or anybody
cite had been shot or MOI; General Sll2r!-
dll's action is equally iECcipnsiblc. What
bu.in"s2 urd hC T. i0terleyC ut all? His
Trends plead for him tie reQue>t Of tie
MayUr. aud his own l,utiahlc desire 10 he
useful, and tee urgent Necessity there was
that some one should take upon himself the
task OF restoring ana preserving ORDER ana
Projecting property ant. !ilc. This l. ati
very sell, hat it Is DO Justification: Tie
Mayor could confer H power which he
himself ala not posses. General Sheridan
lad no RICH, TO push his desire TO be useful
10 lie eStr,mc OF setting aside the coGstl-
tuition and settled government OF the state
OF Illinois, which exist Tor all such cmcr-
sence<. Il is 10 meet all such cases, rs
well as those which happen in every day
lie, aud 10 preserve order, prevent crime,
protect the rights Of persons and OF pro
rJcrty. that we have state governments and
Laws, aud PERSONS duly ellcted or appointed
to aim mister them.
Tie fac which swept away The faircst
portion OF Chieugo did not sweep out OF
existence the State government also. l.
didn't burn uD the Con Tuition or suspend
the Laws. General Sheridan was neither
the oniy nan nor the proper man in the
state OF Illinois 10 meet Tie emergency. TO
say what WAS 20 be done, ana TO authorize
il to be done. With 10 much prOpricty, II
a great cou1iagralion was to occur III THIS
civ, might the Mayor send down to the
commandment at Fort McHenry TO come up,
win battery Of artillery, and take charge
of The city and esta blish martial law.
But people will say this was an eX5raor-
diuarv case-t was great emergency-h
within ordinary rules, and therefore not 10
be judged by them.
Ibis is precisely the plea which is to he
made iur every departure from established
lag. for every usurpat!on OF unlawful au-
tnority. Its the old plea of necesSlty-the
fyrau,'s plcg--the robbers plca-the
smooth excuse for every high-handed and
unconstitutional proceeding. AND, be-
sides, Il is shown that Governor Palmer
had himself provided force for protection
aC Chicago.
Governor Z diner deserves credit iof the
protect which he has maue against the dam
aeIous precedent set at Chicago, and lor
reminding the people that tDe civil is ABOVE
the military authority, and that the tune
lions OF the asisvrate and the soldier. OF
the Federal aud of The State government,
are essentially and widely distinct, ana tIat
one cannot trench upon the proVl'ce o. Tue
nthcr Without beng guilty Of uSurpation
and ~ q violation Of law.-Baltimore Sun.