The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-01-14
SOUND DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE.

81 H
Gov. Geary's views upon the en-
ployment of Federal troops, at cleo
tons, are thus forcibly expressed in his
recent annual message:
The employment of United States
troops at election, without the consent
Of the local and state governments, has
recently received considerable attention
and apprehension, and is regarded as an
interference with the sovereign rights
of the States, which was not contem-
! plated by the founders OF the general
Government, and if persisted in, must
lead to results disastrous to peace and
harmony. s-,.- r=. r...-.
| The practice is so serious in its char
lacter, and so injurious in its tenden-
cies, as to merit prompt consideration
and decisive action not only by the
general assembly, but by Congress.
[ One of the complaints of the ColOnists
against the British King, was the OPP
preston growing out of the assumption
:. of this power. They said: "He has
kept among us in times Of peace, stand
ing armies, without the consent Of our
Legislatures, and what is especially
pertinent to the case in point, he has
effected to render the military indepen-
dent and superior to the civil power"
1t must be a forced construction Of
law that will justify the presence of
election when no necessity exists there
for and when the presence is calculated
to provoke collision.
/ With Il good President the exercise
of'the power referred to might have no
injurious results, but in the hands of Il
bad man, governed by personal smbi
ton, it might prove exceedingly calam-
itous. UncOnsciously good President
might be induced to employ it wrong
fully; a bad one would be almost certain
to use it for. his own advancement UNI
der any circumstances. In my opinion
it is unsafe and antagonistic to the priv
ileges that should govern our republic
can institutions.
States troops were stationed at Phila-
delphia for the avowed purpose of en-
forcing the election laws. This was
done without the consent or even the
| knowledge of the civil authorities of
either the city or the State, and with
out any expressed desire on the part of
| the citizens, and as far as can be ascer-
tanned, without existing necessity from
conscientious conviction of it's impor-
lance. I have called your attention to
this subject, as a neglect to have done
SO, ullSuC nave DCell construed us an en-
dorsement of Il measure that meets my
unqualified disapproval.
The civil authorities of Pennsylvania
have always been and are still compc-
tent to protect its citizens in the eXer-
else of their elective franchise and the
proper and only time for United States
military forces to interfere will be
when the power of the commonwealth
is exhausted and their aid is lawfully
required.
The Tribune comments thus upon the
Governors views:
"The remarkable passage in the mos
sage of Gov. Geary, of Pennsylvania,
on the subject of the employment OF
troops at elections is mainly remarka-
bic for its resemblance to the kindred
utterancess of Gov. Hoffman. That the
presence Of troops is desirable in Phil
delphia was perhaps a subject for con-
sultation between the Governor and
the President-hardly for discussion in
this message"