New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-24

laws, to which they are entitled under the
| constitution of the United States; and in all
| such cases, or wherever any such insurrec.
| ton, violence, unlawful combination or con-
| spiracy shall oppose or obstruct the laws of
the United States, or due execution thereof,
or impede or obstruct the due course Of
justice under the same, it shall be lawful
| for the President, and it shall be his duty,
to take such measures, by the employment
of the militia, land and naval forces of the
United States, or of either, or by other
means, as he may deem necessary, for the
suppression of such instruction, domestic
violence or combinations, and any person
who shall be arrested under the provisions
OF this and the preceding section, shall be
delivered to the marshal Of the proper dis
trict, to be dealt with according to law"
Applause.
Not to be held as prisoner of war; not
to be tried by cOurtmartial; not to be incar-
cerated in military prisons, but at once to
be delivered over to the civil officer-the
marshal of the district-tO be dealt with
according to law. Yet Mr.. Groesbeck told
the people that the bill did not look to ar
rests, but to open fragrant ways to kill and
to slay. As have before remarked. every
portion Of this bill looks to judicial proceed
ings, and the President is authorized to use
the army and navy to suppress violence and
instruction, where the State is powerless
to do it, or fails or refuses to do it, and
after the parties have been arrested. they
are to be handed over for trial. (Cheers.]
Why, if there is a riot in this city, and the
mayor turns out with his posse. and if the
police are not sufficient, he calls upon the
militia, and they make arrests without war
rants. They do not wait for that when there
Is riot going on, and there is burning, kill
ing and destroying. They arrest the viO-
lators of law without warrant. and then
hand them over for trial to the regularly
constituted authorities. And that is what
the President is authorized to do in case of
insurrectiOn. violence and unlawful COM
binatiOn. when the State fails. refuses, or
ls unable to suppress them by her own
power. The President is simply authorized
to do IN these cases what the Governor Of
New York did the other day. The Governor
OF New York called out the militia Of that
city, and, without waiting for warrants or
writs, they were directed to fire upon the
mob, and blood flowed in the streets
lCheers.1 Hundreds of men were arrested
in that case. The governor used the militia
as posse cOmitatus, and those arrested were
handed over to the civil authority. The ku-
klux bill authorizes the President to do
what the governor of that State recently
did in New York.
The authorizing of the President to use
the army and navy as posse cOmitdtus is
not new thing. The President would have
had that power if not named in this bill. 1t
was first given to the President by act OF
Congress IN 1907, authorizing him by that
act to employ the army and navy as posse
c0mitdtuS to enforce any law, no difference
what it might be, and under the authority
of that old act Of Congress- about a year
ago. the army was employed in Brooklyn to
enforce the revenue law against illicit dis
tillers. where the civil powers were unable
to. And this is the whole of it. This bill
simply empowers the President to do what
the Mayor of Cincinnati may do in
this city, what the Governor of Ohio may
do throughout the State. and what the
Democratic governor did in the city of New
York. But because this power is conferred
upon the President. the Republican party is
aSsailed as having authorized the President
to make war. lie is no more authorized to
make war than ia the Mayor of Cincinnati
to make war. or the Governor of
Ohio, when he may call upon the militia to
enforce the aws of the State of Ohio So
much for Mr.. Gcoesbeck's speech upon this !
subject.
have not time to dwell upon all his argu-
ment in regard to this subject. but want to
saw to you that this bill has exercised most |
beneficial influence. 1t is dangerous only to |
Of rebels. murders and thieve |
1t may also be dangerous to Democratic |
politicians, who want. by the instrumental |
ty of the ku-klux, to carry ali the Southern |
States. tApplause and laughter.] But it is
rot dangerous to good men, North or South, |
Of any State. Its moral influence already |
has been remarkable. The very passage Of |
hat bill has saved the lives of hundreds of |
people. 1t has saved thousands of men
rom being whipped and scourged, and has
prevented nameless crimes and Outrages. 1t |
has given peace to sections where there was
10 security for life or property before that
Dill was passed. And can say in regard to
hat bill that it was fully discussed in Con
,ress. The arguments against it fell fiat in
he Senate of the United States. Every OBJ
ectlOn to 1t was answered, and l thought
hat the objections to this bill were more
thoroughly and completely vapquishcd than
we're the objections to any project ever pro-
'Oeed il the Congress of the United States
While l was there.
I want to say that if the government has
10 power to protect the people Of the United
'tates, when the States fail to do it, the
government is a failure, and ought to be re-
modelled. Applause The greatest dan
ers that have come to this government, in
Is past history, have arisen from denying
ts just powers. Does any one suppose that
he refusal OF government to prevent life
nd liberty is more advantageous to that
Overnment than the exercise Of mere con-
titutiOnal powers! The refusal of the
resident aud Congress in the winter of
o6O-6l to exercise their just constitutional
overs to snuff out rebellion, then Just kind
ng into flame, was almost the greatest
rime of modern times, the consequences Of
,hich will not be expiated during this cen
Try. [Applause.]
HOME GOVERNMENTS.
Now, Mr.. Groesbeck has something to say
bout home governments and fireside gov
and he exhOrts vou to protect and
lerish your State governments. agree
18th him. believe the preservation of the =,
tate governments is essential to our pO- !
teal system. / would not take from them ,
single power that belongs to them II
gree with him in regard to the necessity of
cal domestic home governments: and |
yree with Mr.. GrOesbeck on another point, I
I'd that is the vital point in whole case.
I'd honor him for his opinion upon it, and !
want the Democratic party of the whole !
'untry to take notice Of what Mr.. Groes- I
eek has said. and that is, that the govern
emit Of the United States is not created by
le States; that it is not compact of the d
,ates; that he scouts the idea of State G
'verelgnty entirely. He saws that the
'vereignty does not reside in the people of t
state, but resides in all the people of the b
nlttd States. and | agree with him there. L
.Ppianse-J This Is the most important q
ing, MI. '5roesbeck said in his whole I
'eeGn' ana want to read it now, to show Z
'u don't misrepresent him. He saws: e
'Our federal government and our State
under the constitution. make e
gether one complex system. Each is t
nited, and neither complete enough to do n
we need to have done. The federal GOV o
nment is to have the charge Of interests
at are common to all; the State govern.
ents OF interests that are special. each a
ate taxing charge OF its own interests. II
10 State shaI1 not do tba worI- % IL. |