The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-22


that State by the military authorities
there. that the whole truth had not
been told. either by tue teIegrams or
correspondence furnished the Eastern
Journals. The charges OF military
usurpation and overriding the rights
OF u State are shown by this report to
be utterly gronndless. 1t is plain
provision of Constitutional law that
the military shall be subordinate to
the civil authority; and that the u. s.
military forces III Louisiana kept with
in the pale of this provision of the
Constitution during the recent troubles
in Louisiana Is clearly and undeniably
proven by Gen. Seridan's report.
That this provision of the Constitution
was violated in Louisiana, was. upon
the imperfect Information at first re-
ceived. ASSUMED ny every person and
Journal In the Union antayonistie TO
the present, Administration and the
hope that Grant had at last been
guilty of an act that would entirely
and completely wreck his adtninistra-
ton and the party that placed him in
power. added additional inspiration
to the speeches from the rostrum and
the columns of Accommodation that came
teerning from the press. But this re-
port clears away the charge of un-
warranted military Interference, and
shows conclusively that it only acted
as requested by the proper civil au-
tllorify. Gen. DeTrobriand used his
troops not only at the instance of the
civil authorities, but at the request of
the Democratic portion of the Legisla-
tive Assembly. A resolution was
passed by that body, asking the Cen
eral to preserve the peace, and five
Democrats were appointed as COM
mittee to wait upon him and make
known the action of the Assembly.
When Gen. DeTrobriand made his
appeara nee in the House, he was
greeted with loud applause from the
Democratic side of the House. He
then asked the Speaker {Wiltz) il he
could not maintain order without ap-
peaiing to the U. $. army officers,
and the Speaker declared that he could
not. The General then proceeded to
the lobby, made brief speech, and
onler was restored. Then, on motion
OF Mr.. Dupree IA Democratl. the Spea-
ker thanked the General tor his prompt
action in behalf of law and order, and
the General withdrew. From this
simple narration of facts, so far at
least, the assertion that the military
had usurped authority and overridden
civil law is false and without u shadow
of truth to relieve its bFazen effrontery.
But now the affair assumes another
shape. and Gen. De'rrobriand is again
called upon to exercise his authority.
The first call came from Democratic
minority OF the Legislature. acting
without any authority OF law. but de-
termined to force M Illegal organiza-
| ton. The second call comes from
tifty-two regularly elected members of
the Legislature. whose certificates of
election had been regularly made ont
by the Returning Board. who, under
| the sanction of the Governor of the
| State and the Secretary--the legally
| authorized organizers of the Legisla-
| ture-asked the interference Of the
military to secure q legal and lawful
organization of that body. The Gen.
erai, as in duty bound. did so inter
tere. and the legally elected members.
under a legally elected Governor.
were thus enabled to complete an or
ganization. And this was simply an
act of the military in snbortlination to
legally constituted authority.
Gen. Sheridan, upon whom the
fiercest invectiyes have been hurled by
the Democratic press all over the CONN.,
try, was not in command of the mill
tary forces of Louisiana at the time,
but with the fearlessness that has al
ways characterized the man and SOL
dier he endorses the action of Gen.
DeTrobriand. He says that the very,air
of New Orleans was filed with threats
of murder and assassination. and that
U. S. troops were only used to pre-
vent violence AMI the shedding Of
blood. The city was actually in a
state Of revolution the Metropolitan
police were powerless, and the State
Militia would have disregaried the
call Of the Governor, and the Federal
authority was the only force that
would be respected or prove effectnal
in ayerting reign of terror and blood
shed at that time. And this seems
to have been precisely the view taken
by the Democratic side of the House
when the motion was made, and car
ried to call on the military authorities.
When the military iDterfered at the
call OF the Democracy, in the person
of Gen. DeTrobrIand. it was applaudel
and clleered by the Democracy but
when the military bull gored the Dem
ocratic OK, fearful bellowingis is heard
from one end of the continent to the
other.
"A recent telegram received from
Gen. Sheridan says that more than
twelve hundred murders have been
committed In Louisiana; and he gives
the number slain In each parish, show
ing that lynchlngs and asasssinations
have been Of daily and almost hourly
occurrence for years. and TINT the
fendish perpetrators yet 60 lnwhip-