The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-01-13
MAKING UP.

ne employment Vi CHiteu
States troops at elections, without
the consent of the local and State
governments, has recently received
considerable attention and reprehcn-
sion. 1t is regarded as an interfer-
ence with the sovereign rights Of tho
States, which was not contemplated
by the founders of the General Gov
ernment, and if persisted in must
lead TO results disastrous to peace
and harmony. The practice is one
so serious in its character, and so in
furious in its tendencies as to merit
prompt consideration and decisive
action, not only by the General As
sombly, but by Congress. One Of
the complaints of the colonists
against the British King was tho
apprehension growing out of the as
sumption Of this power. They said ::
"He has kept among us in times Of
peace standing armies without the
consent of eur Legislatures And
what is especially pertinent to the
case in point, he has effected to rem
der the military Independent of ard
superior to the civil power.
"The alleged authority for the use
of troops at our State elections is de-
rived from 10th section of an act of
Congress approved May Dist, 1870,
entitled "An act to enforce the right
of citizens of the United States, to
vote in the several States Of the I'm
ion, and for other purposes" which
authorizes United States Marshals to
call to their assistance such portion
of the land and naval forces of the u.
States or Of the militia, as may be
necessary to the performance of the
duty with which they are charged,
and to ensure faithful observance
of the Fifteenth Amendment to the
Constitution of tho United States
But it must be forced construction
of this law that will justify the pres
ence of armed national forces at our
places of election, when no necessity
exists therefor, and their presence is
calculated to provoke collision.
"From a conscientious conviction
Of its Importance ! have called your
attention to the subject. A neglect
to have done so might have been
construed as ind orsement of meas
urc that meets my unqualified disap-
proval.
"The civil authorities Of Pennsyl-
vania have always been and arc istill
competent to protect its citizens IN
the exercise of their elective fran
chise; and the proper and only time
for the United States military force
to intervene, will be when the pow
er of the Commonwealth is exhaust
ed and their aid is lawfully requir-
ed
"With good President, the cxer-
else of the power referred to might
have no injurious result, but in the
hands of bad man, governed by
personal ambition, it might prove
exceedingly calamitous. Uncon-
sciously a good President might be
induced to employ it wrongfully; a
bad one would be almost certain to
use it for his own advanGemcnt.-
Under any circumstances, in my
opinion, it is unsafe and antagonstic
to the principles that should govern
our Republican institutions. AT the
last October election, United States
troops were stationed in Philadelphia
for the avowed purpose of enforcing
the election laws. This was done
without the consent or even the
knowledge of the civil authorities OF
either the city or State, and without
any expressed desire on the part of
citizens, and as far as can be ascer-
tanned, without existing necessity"
Hear again the Illinois radical
Governor who says;
ITO maintain the usefulness of
the State governments, it must be
established that their powers are In
no sense subordinate or dependent,
but that, under our political system,
the grasp of the States upon their
own proper functions is as firm and
uncomfortable as that Of the United
States that each are essential parts
of our admirable political system be-
ing defined, they are each supreme
and alike indestructible."
GEORGIA AT WASHlNGToN.-T