The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-06-19
kellogg Turn, states Evidence.

We do not know whether the bogus
Governor of louisiana has some new
grievance against President Grant, or
whether he is making bid for white
support at home, or whether, in
sudden fit of uncaleulating frankness,
he has told the truth merely because
it as the truth. Be the motive what it
may, he has made the astounding con-
fession that his application for federal
troops to put down domestic violence
in Louisiana was made against his
wishes and Judgment, and without
any belief in its necessity. He ac-
knoWledges that there was no domes-
tic violence to justify such an appliea-
tion, and that he was oVer-persuaded
to make it by President Grant and
President Grants friends, The pur-
pose, as Kellogg explains it, was not
to protect Louisiana against domestic
violence, but to protect the President
against damaging criticism. The
country will not be surprised TO learn
that this is true. 1t viii only be sur
prised that a truth so disgraceful is
confessed by one of the leading ac-
tors. 1t is as disgraceful to Kellogg
himself as to Grant, for a man who
lends himself to be a conscious tool
in violation of the Constitution is as
bad as the officer who makes this base
use of him. A New Orleans cores
pondent of the Tribune, fresh from an
interview with kellogg, makes the
following report of his language on
this point in a letter dated June 2:
referring to the Presidents proclamation,
told Mr.. Kellogg that had seen no evidences of
disturbance anywhere in the state, and had not
heard that any had occurred for several weeks
before the proclamation was issueds and asked
him oni what ground he made his requisition
upon the President. He said that tt aods not Ais
idea at all, but the people Of the North thought
that there was civil war down here. The As
sociated Press dispatches from here -exagger-,
ated every little occurrence; great posters were
stuck up about the streets during the st. Mar
tinsyiIle affair, exciting the people with reports
that the citizens were being murderods and the
reports sent north were of the same character
His friends IN Rassfagtoss urged him 70 eaH uDon
tie President for help; Ar. Packard acGs iP Jacor
of IL. The use of United States troops as a
posse conaitatus was slow and awkward way.
The law under which they were used was sure
to be abused; that had been the history of it in
North and South Carolina and everywhere else
it was resorted to. In the desire to get the
troops men were apt to strain appoint in making
the ahldayit, and when the case came to trial it
| generally turned out at the triar0f DR.. Blanc
the other day--that there was no cnse. -A1 these
things, and the constant reports sent NORTH Of dis
order, q0srs 4ased to iaissrs The President and
he finally. .coHsentel.t to atge the lPresidenfan OPP
porsunity TO to- place tie troops at his direetdi
posal and stop al mis- 4zfe qnd ery-''. lsf53 81.
1t thus appears from the testimony
of the most competent and best-in-
formed witness the case admits OF,
that the application fer Federal troops
to support the, Kellogg government
was as egregious sham as the kel-
l-logg government itself. Gen. Grant,
4 through his tool, DHrell, was the au-
thor of the bogus government; and
! Grant, through his tool, Kellogg, was
the author of the bogus application
for military force to pat down do
mestic violence, when there were no
facts to warrant such an application.
President Gronts Louisiana procla-
nation was one of the absurdest
farces ever acted on an official stage.
He solemnly commanded the insur-
gents to .disperse and return to their
homes, when, in point of fact, there
was no snch body assembled in arms
anywhere within the boundaries of
the state. Why did the President
thus make himself an object Of deFis-
/ ion? 1t was because the law does not
permit him. to employ military force
without such proclamation. The
language of the statute is: @When-
lever it may be necessary, in the judg-
ment of the President; to use the mil
itary force hereby directed to be called
forth, the President shall forthwith,
by proclamation, command such in
snrgents to. disperse, and retire peace
ably to their respective abodes within
a limited time" s a 5a5f
| Nothing can be clearer than the in
tention of the law that such procla-
nation shall not issue, and conse-
qpently that the President shall not
interfere at all, unless there be an ac-
tual uprising of assembled insusgen
Against an apprehended insurrection;
or prospective insuFreetipn, or fic-
titious insurrection, he has no author,
ity whatever, 1t is spreposterous, it is
ridiculous, q to command body of
] men, to . disperse, when there is no
body of men assembled; to order
them to retire to their homes, when
there, are no insurgents who have left
! their homes, This is what Grant cid
on sham application, of which he
was himself the author, and Kellogg
n
The law requires tie President to
exercise his Judgment as to the neces-
sity of giving military aid, even when
the insufrection is real, and the appli-
cation is made in good faith from the
Governor of the State. 1oIt is his duty.
to. ascertain whether the application
is made in good faith; and whether
body of insurgents is actually assem-
bled in resistance to the state govern
ment. If there be no proof of either;
| then there isin0 case for the President
Ito. consider; I; nothing on which there
| is any scope for the exercise of judg-
ment. But seYenif there be aninsur-
rection, and proper application, the
| President is not bound to interfere,
nay, he has no right to interfere, un-
less the insurgents have assembled in
such numbers, and with such formid-
! able support, that valid and proper
i1y authorized state goxernment1migh
entertain just fears asot0 its ability to
l.copeywith thelinsurFection by employ
ing its own militia. General Grant
| has disgracefully violated every rule
which ought ito, govern the action of
the Presidenttin in such a case. Isd 8 as
We do not suppose that GEM Grant
intendsstoi overthrow the government
and make himself apermanent dicta-'
| tor. We do not credit him with the
abilities and reach of foresight which
would qnalify him to play such part
! But If he had the intellectual capacity
! of B. Cromwell or q. Napoleon, he
could not pursue method better cal
culated TO 0YerthPowiour liberties and
erect q despotism on their ruins. If "a
President can acreate State govern
meRts, and then by an abuse of the
| constitutional power to suppress do
mestic violence, employ the military
force of the United States to uphold
such governments against the will of
the people 5if he can procure bogus
applications for assistance to putdown
fictitions instructions, he can absorb
in his. own person Iall the political
rsnrual. of ffn M; a. in I, a Z, u