The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-05-10
e XIV Ashland Ohio Wednesday Morning


force, and not of law? ?"
So, in the fourth section of the bill,
! the President is authorized, at his
, own discretion, of his own will and
option. to suspend the writ of habeas
corpus in time of peace, and establish
martial law in any district. in any
State or States of the Union, either
North or South, at his sole discretion.
Now sir, for. the third allegation in
the Presidents message. He says
there is danger in the collection of the
revenues. Sir, 1 hold in my hand
the official reports of Major General
Halleck, commanding the military di-
vision of the South, for the year 1869.
He says:
"Afel a careful examination of all the
evidence I have been able to collect from
official reports aud the statements ofofhcers
and citizens, unbiased by partisan feelings,
l am forced to the conclusion that the amt
of crime committed in several States of the
division is very little greater tnan before
the rebellion, and certainly no greater than
was reasonably to be expected at the close
of an embittered and prolonged civil war,
when large numbers of lawless and des-
perate characters, both at the-North and in
the South, were turned loose upon society
without any legitimate means of support
Certain districts of country may, and prob
ably do, form exceptions to this general re-
mark but even of these exceptional cases
veryfew have any partisan character or po-
liticaI significance. Those who murder and
rob do SO simply as murderers and robbers,
influenced by the motives which ordinarily
incite men to commit these crimes. One
of the worst desperadoes in Kentucky SER
we'd in the Union Army during the war; ;
but he and his band nuw rob and murder
rebels and loyalists alike, as may best suit
their purposes, and one time claiming to be
Ku-Klux, and at another to be anti-ku-
Klux. Although there may be special or
ganizatioEs of outlaws in particular locali-
ties under the name of Ku-Klux, 1 am of
the opinion that no such general organiza-
ton now exists in the Southern States. 1t
is probable, however. that outlaws not un-
frequently assume this name in order to in
timidate the weak and credulous, especially
when calculated to increase their own i'm
portance.
sin regard to the interference of military
officers in local difficulties, under the pleas
OF maintaining peace and good order, l
think that no such military interference
should be permitted except on the requisi-
ton of the Governor of State, and by or
der of the President, as provided by law
The principal occupation Of the troops in
certain localities has been in assisting reve-
nue. officers to execute the revenue laws
II is very natural that these officers should
call for the assistance of troops Whenever
they can get it. for by this means they avoid
danger and trouble, and increase their own
emo1uments at the expense of military ap-
preparations"
In his report Of 1870, the last he
has made, Gen. Halleck further says: ::
"It may be proper to remark, in this place,
that have been assured by Federal civil
officers that the use of troops in executing
judicial process and enforcing the revenue
and other civil laws seems to increase rath-
er than diminish the apparent necessity dt
resorting to such force in civil matte rs
The i'll disposed become more and more ex-
asperated 1T being coerced by force which
they think has been unconstitutionally en-
ployed against them, and the better disposed
relax their efforts to punish local crimes on
the plea that this duty now devolves on the
military. Hence. in case of a robbery or a
murder, there is a call or Federal troops
to arrest and guard the criminals. 1t is
therefore a question well worthy of consid-
Grafton whether the military, in civil mat
tiers. should not be limited to few well-de-
fined cases, such as riots and insurrections
| which cannot be suppressed by local and
State authorities"
He has before said that such mill
tary aid should be rendered only on
, the call of the Governor or of the
Legislator of the State. -,... ....,.-. .-
Here, sir, is the official testimony
Of General HaIleck. who for more
than two wears had been in command
of the military division of the South.
These are his reports. officially made
to the War Department from his
headquarters in the South. He is no
partisan; he is no candidate for Of
| flee there is no second term to which
he aspires AS the commander Of the
South, he officially states that there is
no Ku. Klux organization in the South
of q political character that these
armed desperadoes are alike composed
of lawless men of the Union or of the
Confederate army, as the case may
be.
Mr.. Speaker, no gentleman upon
this floor will deny that one month
after IL close of the war peace and
security existed from Maine to the
Rio Grande. 1 wait for a reply. No
gentleman consradicts my statement
bnt will produce my authority, a let
ter written May 25th, 1865, by Gen
eral Sherman to Colonel Bowman.-
He says:
az do want peace and security, and the
return to law and justice from Maine to the
Rio Grande; and if it does not exist now.
substantially, it is for state reasons beyond
my comprehension"
I hold in my hand another authori-
ty, for which my friends on the other
side will have respect. 1t is a report
made on the 22d of July, 1865, and
signed "U. S. Grant, Lieutenant
General" General Grant says:
General Lees great influence through
out the whole South caused his example to
be followed, and to-day the result is that
the armies lately under his leadership are
at their homes, desiring peace and quiet,
and their arms are-in the hands of our ord
nance officers" @
He says that the armies Of the Con-
federacy were at their homes, desiring
"peace and quiet" and ''their arms
are in the hands of our ordnance Off
GERS"
But, sir, I do not stop here. 1 hold
in my hand another official report
made by General Grant, in December,
1865, after he had made a tour
through the Southern States, and what
does he say
'A1y observations lead me to the conclu-
sion that the citizens of the southern States
are anxious to return to self-goyernment,
within the Union, az soon as possible; that
while reconstructing they want and require
protection from the Government; that they
are in earnest in wishing to do what they