The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-04-20
Gem Grant to be made Military Dictator.

| Gen. urant 10 De maze Military DICTATOR.
IN order to show the absolute powers con-
ferred upon President Grant by the IIu Klux
!, bin, which passed the House of Representa-
tiyes, and has just been amended in the Senate,
we make extracts from recent speeches in Con-
gress, which set forth the dangerous policy
agreed upon by the majority of that body.
Hon. S. .S..Cox, of New York, in discussing
the bill, said :: .It makes him (the President)
an autocrat till June 1, 1872 He is an auto
crat armed and his business having been and
being force, he will use it regardless of all our
ancient maxims as to its subordination to the
civil magistracy. The bill gives him martial
law, and that law is that of the sword. / would
not trust the angels with such irresponsible,
power"
Gen. George w. Morgan, of Ohio, said: "In
resisting this bill ] am not actuated by partisan
feeling, but .by.a sense of duty to the whole
country. That man does not live upon whom,
Iwould be willing to confer the power propos-
ed to be given by this bill. Were George
Washington to-day in the presidential chair
would oppose placing in his hands the powers
asked for by President Grant"
Senator Trumbnll, of Illinois, who Is MEM
Der of the Republican party, has made one of
the strongest legal arguments against the bill of
any member of Congress. He characterized
the effect of the bill as intended to change the
form and theory of the government, and there
fore most dangerous in every feature; but es-
pecially in that which gave almost unlimited
and discretionary power to suspend the writ of
habcas corpus Congress has no right to SUBJ
stitute the Federal for the State Courts. The
latter were nearer the people, and the nearer
tho administration of justice between man and
man was brought to the people themselves, the
safer would be their rights in person and prop
erty.
These extracts give an idea of the attempt
now being made to give President Grant the
power of military dictator, which he has re-
quested for the purpose of adopting policy of
coercion towards thoSouthern people. He has
proven false to professions of peace, and now
seeks, through the agency of his minions con-
tIOllliIS Out CIdlO So'CihAi0n W 6Ooo va oei
people to desperation and madness. Success
in this undertaking will insure his reelection,
as it will enable him to relume the dying en-
bers of hate and prejudice among the Northern
masses, and once again cement their divided
ranks by bitter hostility to "unrepentant reb-
els" May the God of our fathers grant US pa
tience to endure these fresh and vexatious
trials until our oppressors have been swept
frora power and unrighteous dominion.
P.S. Since writing the above, we are graft
fed to. learn that the House of Representatives
has struck out some of the most Objectionable
features Of the Senate amendments. The
amendment conferring power on the President
to suspend the writof ha6eas corpus; that re-
quiring Federal Jurors to take the iron-clad
oath, and the Sherman amendment assessing
damages upon localities where disturbances
may occur, were allrejected by the House. A
committee-o of conference has been ordered, and
we sincerely trust that the efforts of extremists
may go down before an enlightened exposure of
this dangerous legislation. The action of the
House on Saturday is encouraging to that view.