Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-22
ReaDing the VVilirIwindI.

murders, unprlSOmnelllS anu 0Lhef outfdSoo
committed by order of military command
ers without having it brought home to
them. 1t was just impossible for the army
officers stationed at the North to see their
brothers i'll arms in the South ignoring the
civil officers and disregarding the civil
laws. without cOveting such powers for
| themselve&.
| Our readers know already how General
| Sheridan took police control of Chicago,
| Just after the late terrible fire, and how a
leading citizen was shot dead in the streets,
by one of his military guards, for not obey
| inc some unimportant and unnecessary Or
der His usurpations did not end with this |
unlawful and bloody murder. 1t appears |
that half-a-dozen timid citizens, fearing |
strike among the labOrers or an onslaught |
rpon the storehouses of the Relief Com |
mittee. asked General Sheridan to take
military possession of the city again, which |
he readily as5Cnted to with the sanction OF
President Grant and General Sherman.
Governor l'llmer knew nothing OF this
| latest military movement until he saw, III
Chicago paper, the announcement OF the ar
rival in that city Of four companies OF the
Eighth Infantry. He Immediately had cor
respondeucc with the President, protesting
against this unlawful usurpation, and as
surfing him that the authorities of Illinois
were abundantly able to protect every in
terest of the people that depends upon its
internal peace and gOod order. In the
course Of the correspondence he protests
that the great fire as little transferred any
of the duties Of the State to the Federal
Government as il rcmitted the duties of that
government to til" State. ''The duty OF
the President III. adds, . is to see that the
laws of the United States are enforced, and
that Of the Governor of Illinois is confined
to the enforcement Of the laws of the State
Neither Obstrtlct> the other, nor aids nor
interferes with his duties. The Governor
! of a State derives none of his powers from
the United States, nor are his duties sub
" Jet in any respect to the consent or dlscre-
: ton of the President, who can i'll no wise en-
large, ablid5e, OF interrupt them, either by
u assuming them himself or by cntrustinG
) them to others.
u In con fusion, IL urges the President to
10 Withdraw the troop. The State OF ILL
=" nois," he says, ''cal,iot accept their ad OF
% permit their interference i'll its affairs, with
I out a sacrifice Of the confidence OF its cltl
l. zens, nor with ,ltt giving rotinten;tnce to {
i" dangerous example.
u His protests are unhecdrd. The milital J
NJ still rem Tin doing police duty in Chicago
l. ready to execute the orders of their com
III mander. even to the taking of life. The
1t powerlcss but undiSmayrd Governor sub
D. mits his correspondence With the Prcsiden
d. to the Leg Stature, now in session. Blu
rs to What end, That body dare not act. 1t
IS, protests will avail as little as those of thu
lie Governor. even if it dare to object to tlli
military outrage. The South is too pen
i't up to contract the power of the bayOnet.-
le 1t has begun its march nortlward, ant
no taken possession of one OF the most pOpu
~ lous cities in one Of the most populou
OF States of the northwest. H. Is entrcnched il
or the consent ofthe citizens in the coward
Ell approval of the grand jury, i'll the helpless
ness of the Governor and in the partisan
,ss shin Of the legislature. 1t will rot cOntin
49,. itself to the slnOudcring ruins of Chicago
~ nor to the limits OF Illinois. Its march is OF
IL ward.
Governor Palmer, in transmitting to til
lat Legislature his correspondence with tn
>,+ President, COnCludeS
'"' 1t seems to me, from the letters of til
'p- Presidents and the papers laid before I'll
eet General Assembly, that Gen. Sherman an
of Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan entertain the bell,
that under our system of government, 1t
''o a part Of the duty of the officers of til
!? army of the United States to superinten
e." the adminstra ion of local government
lid and that if they are not satisfied with II
= measure of protection afforded by tn
~ States to The persons and property OF the
ace own citizens. the officers OF the army haV
ing the right, It their own discretion, to intr
oct duce a part of the army, and through
agency afford such al itional protection
the people as they may think necessary
proper, and that their right to intcrpOsc Il
that purpose does not depend upon IL
ability of the States to discharge their d'
to ties.
tho There is 40 other ground upon which IL
conduct of Generals Sherman and SheI
Io dan can be placed. No one will prefer
OF that the State Of Illinois is not able to e
force its own laws and protect every perSC
and all poperty within its limits but &c
CcF eral Sheridan. iii the exercise of his Supc
hat intendence of its affairs, was not Statistic
of with the provisions made by the State f
n
h. is pleased to call - he turbulent el
anu ment'' in Chicago. and he therefore /
bill informed the Adiutant General that, Il a
.eD- satisfied Of the necessity of the L four COZ
oco / DaneS of infantry presence here, and a
09 the authority Of the Secretary OF War
Ell bring them :" and General Sherman, actil
Wg upon the same principle, promptly imorm
him by telegraph, that 9 four companies
- the Eighth infantry ordered 70 Chica
lie to act as police, under your letter Of t
is 29th.'
I'VE. The President it is true, in his letter
t1,o me of the 9th of November, informed Il
''that the only thing thought Of i'll orderi
IN these troops TO Chicago was how to benc
an people stricken by calamity greater tn;
ity. had ever befalien I, community OF the san
80 number before in this country The a
was ola like nature with that given on al
ign emergency requiring imme late act Oh
ING. 1t is to be remembered that Chicago is
to part Of one OF the mCst wealthy and POI
erttll States of the Union, that the Sta
III government is i'll full vigor, and its LAY
eNt everywhere enforced, and that its reSOurc
st /? are ample for the discharge Of all its dutie
,cb- 1t will surprise no one, then that prOte
:. that no emergency has existed at any til
III in the history OF the State of Illinois
S Is which it was unable to provide, and not
dis inc in the constitution OF the laws to 81
,1o the President or his military sub0rdinat
the right to determine when it is neceSsa
au- or proper for the authorities Of the Unit
Col. States to interfere i'll the internal affairs
for the States.
o.