The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-11-22
Governor Palmer and Greeley.

guagcs from the other.
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| Governor Palmer and Greeley.
The protest OF Governor PALMER, Of
Illinois, against the high-handed proceed
ines of General SHERIDAN in Chicago con-
tinues to attract public attention and We
are pleased to see that MIR. GREELEY takes
sides with his ExceIlency. 1t is another
proof, to be sure, Of GREELEY'S cccen-
tricity OF partial blindness that he should
justify Congress in passing an unconstltu'
tional law and General GRANT in executing
1t ut the same time that be ceDsurcs General
SHERIDAN and his agents for an offence GER
tuinly not more henous. SHERlDAN tram
pied the constitution and laws OF Illinois
under foot. GRANT has violated the Con-
stitution because Congress authorized him
to do so. However, we must take GREELEY
| as we find him, and give him credit when
he deserves it, as he does for the following
manly utterances
"Governor Palmer, of Illinois, is law
yer, soldier, and politician. lie is an
excellent lawyer he was Il soldier of such
|
command Of an army uUd Il department.
| But it is the custom with western men and
western papers 10 say That he is bad poll
! tician. II this is true, it is the fault OF
| politics, and not his. 1t means that he
never will sign a bill with Il job in it by
means of which Influential party friends
are to profit. He never uses his appoint
ing power for his own advantage. He will
not sWerve enc hairs breadth from what
! he holds to lie the law TO save his own
popularity or his party's majority. He is
. SO good lawyer that he rarely makes 4
mistake in the law. He is so honest man
| that he never goes false to his CONVICTIONS.
| = His message has excited III CHI
cu9o storm Of pronunciation sinGularly at
| variance with the calm and temperate tone
IN which it is couched. lie meets the usual
fate of men who keep their wits about
| them in times OF general excitement and
! tumult, aud who presume to recall to their
| ieloW-cillzens the memory Of their mis-
| takes and follics.
| "Goyernor Palmer contends that
| This force Of General Shermau'S was raised
| utterly without legal authority, that il had
| no ri.ht to perform any military functions
whatever, and that in inflicting death, even
| III pursuance OF a pretended duty, its officers
render ed themselves liable TO an indictment
| Tor murder. alter tull dcliberation, Gov
eTnor Palmer took the responsibility Of for
| m4liy advising the attorney. general Of The
State and district attorney OF their duty in
| the premises. The anomalous character OF
| these troops is shown in the report Of Gen
eral Sheridan to the War Department.
Under cate of October 10th he says 1T
is proper to mention that these volunteer 8
| were not taken into the service of the
| United States They were certainly never
taken into the service Of the State of llli-
nois, and can therefore only De regarded
in the light of an irregular police force,
raised by General Sheridan under coi0r OF
an authority from the Mayor, which be had
no right either to assume or TO delegate.
at is asserted by some Of Governor
Palmer's excited critics IN Chicago that he
himself had recognized this u,urped ALL
thorty. But the Governors message dis
poses Of thus assertion. Up to the 18th Of
October be was under the impression that
| General Sheridan was acting in strict sub
ordination to the civil authorities, and as
soon as he learned that the Mayor had prac-
| ideally abdlcated and given up the govern
| ment OF the city into the hands Of General
| Sheridan he wrote him letter censuriu 2
| his course in the severest terms, and eX-
| pressing the hope that he would ut once
resume his legal authority. The Mayor an
swered, in a tone rather of peIulance than
| dignity, that he had already decided to dis
| pense with military aid in day or TWO. He
states also, in language which shows his ell
| tire uncoDsciousneSs Of any such thing us
constitutional law, ! do not believe, when
the lives and property of the people-the
peace and order Ola large c.ty-are in dam
ger, that 1t is the time to stop and con-
slider any questions Of policy which is
precisely the sentiment which, if generally
II r fll n orb
impossible upon the earth.
"Good intentions cannot excuse yiola-
Clons OF law. The surrender Of municipal
authorlty into the hands of soldiers is an
act OF desperation. Nothing can Justify
fH-nolnlng can ever excuse it-but an
t oYerpoWerlng necessity which depriyes all
civil magistrates OF their free will 1t does
not appear that at any time there was such
necessity existing in Chicago. There was
no such emergency as required that dan
geFols precedent to be Set-of weakly
Yielding the charge Of the public peace to
the military arm. II is dangerous TO pass
IN silence any infracton Of the princinIes
upon Which our democracy rests. In this
case tnere was no hlrm intended. The
mayor OF Chicago, influenced by the pre-
IulnS excitement, aud unconscious Of the
, luli significance Of his act, surrendered his
authority unnecessarily. General Sheri-
| uah, whose iaults always lean to virtues
: sue, assumed the responsibility which was
, mus offered him with the best intentions,
without 1nquirins, and probably without
caring much, what the law of the case was.
But Governor Palmer could not be per.
mtteu TO look with Indifference upon a
proceeding which cOntravened the flluda.
mental law OF the State and the nation.
lie mas done we'll in making his protest.
even II he accomplishes nothing but de.
nunciation by it.''