Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-24
VOORHEES, APOLOGIsING FOR
GRANT

Mr.. VOORHEES,, in his personal explana-
ton speech, made an effort to vindicate
Grant from all responsibility for the enact
ment of what is known as the Ku-Klux
Law, and he even went further than this
in attempting to create the impression that
the President, in enforcing that act, was
only discharging an unpleasant duty that
was unwillingly forced upon him. Mr..
voorhees, said:
al am told that this administration has
been cruel to the South. Sir, it has simply
executed the laws which the Cincinnati
nominee asked this Congress to enact.
That is the simple difference between them.
The one is an Executive officer, bound by
his oath to execute the laws of his country.
He has merely executed bad laws which
another man, who had no oath on lbs con-
science, demanded" ...,t,
Why this unseeInly effort on the part
ofMr. VOORHEES, to excuse Mr.. Grant from
all responsibility for an infamous law, apol-
ogizing for him in fact with the peculiar
rhetoric that has given him the fame of a
great orator? Here is the part that the
President played in the enactment Of a
measure aptly stated by Mr.. VOORHEES, to
be "cruel to the South"
To the Senate and House of Representatives,:
A condition of affairs now exists in some
of the States of the Union rendering life and
properly insecure, and the. carrying Of the
mails and the collection of the revenue dan
gerous. The proof that such condition
OF affairs exists in some localities is now be-
fore the Senate. That the power to correct
these evils is beyond the control of the
Safe authorities, do not doubt. That
tie power of the executive of the
United States, acting within the limits of
existing laws, is sufficient for the present
emergencies is not clear. Therefore, ur-
gently recommend such legislation as in the
Judgment ofCongress shall ei8ectually secure
life, liberty and property in all parts Of the
United States. 1t may be, expedient to
provide that such law as shall be passed in
pursuance ofthis recommendation shall eX
pire at the end of the next session of Con-
gress. There is no other subject on which
would recommend legislation during the
present session. u. s.. GRANT.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March %, 1871.
1t thus appears that President Grant, in
a special message to Congress, ''urgently
recommended" the enactment Of the Ku-
Klux law, but Mr.. VOORHEES,, in the face Of
this recommendation, says the President
sshas simply executed the laws which the
Cincinnati eominee asked this Congress to
enact" In this effort to exonerate the
President from all responsibility for a
measure that Mr.. VOORHEES, denounced in a
recent speech in Congress as most infa-
nous in its conception and execution, he
seems to think, says the indianapolis Sen
tirlel, that his simple rhetoric viii cloud or
wipe out the record Of the President
md his responsibility for the enactment of
war upon the South for partizan purposes.
No, Mr.. Voorhees, misrepresents history of
too recent date to be forgotten by the peo-
pie, TO apologize for the acts of the man
who, with an oath upon his conscience,
Gureently recommended" the enactment of
a bad law, which he has cheerfuIly executed
so as to make it as cruel and oppressive
upon a helpless people as he well could, and
which, in the language of Mr.. Voorhees,,
has paralyzed and Frustrated them. And
vet, in carefully prepared speech, Mr.
voorhees, had the "cheek'' to use a homely
but expressive term, TO compliment the
President as the friend Of the people whom
he has "paralyzed and Frustrated" by ur-
gently recommending and diligently execut.
ing an infamous law,