The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-12
The Senate Hauling Maj.
Merrill over the Goals.
Carpet-Bagger West afraid
of Assassination.
Senator Thurman Extin-
guishes him amidst
Great Laughter.
Great Speech Of Carl Schurz
on Louisiana Affairs.
Terrible Arraignment of
the Administration.
Mr.. Cox introduces a Reso-
Mr.. Cox introduces a ResO.
luton ON Louisiana
Affairs.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1l.-SENATE. Mr..
Clayton moved that the senate proceed to
the consideration OF the resolution calling |
upon the secretary Of war for the report of |
Maj Lewis Merrill, etc. Agreed to.
Mr.. Davis inquired if this was the same
Maj. Merrill who was on duty in South |
Carolina, where he committed outrages on
inoffensive citizens and was afterwards |
transferred to Louisiana, where he hand |
cuffed citizens, cut the telegraph wires and
committed sundry other otfenses for which !
he was now under arrest he Davis would |
like to have Gen. Emory to report on the |
conduct of this same officer
Mr. Clayton said he had known Maj
Merrill for years, and all he knew about
him led him to believe that he was an hon
orable man and a true soldier,a soldier who
Jared d. his duty in thu face of all abuse
levelled at every soldier who dared do his
duty in the Southern states.
Mr. Clayton moved to amend the resolu-
ton by making the words in reference to
the Coushatta troubles relate to certain
disorders in Louisiana.
Mr. Merriman submitted an amendment
requesting the secretary OF war to lay be-
| fore the senate the documents and letters
of Gen. Emery on the subject.
Mr. Clayton opposed it, saying the sena-
tor was endeavoring to suppress informa-
ton.
Mr.. West said that while considering
events occurring in Louisiana the senate
might give some attention to events nearer
home. ln w ashington-in the Capital
an article of yesterday was a direct propo-
sition for the assassination of the Presi-
dent.
Mr.. West then read, by clerk, the arti-
Gle referred to- 1t comments on the re-
cent anonymous letters threatening assas-
slnation and says such a course would be
deplorable, but lawless violence is dan
gerous game and sometimes ends in the
destruction of its instigators. He also
read threatening communication publish
ed in the New York Tribune. Assassina-
ton stalked about in Washington and yet
the senator was facetious oyer it.
Mr.. Thurman said that when the Sena-
| tor asked if any senator here defended as
sassination he put an i'm mDertinent and in
solent question. This is not the country
for assassination There never was an as
sassnation in America which the whole
American people did not condemn. The
attempt OF Senator West to create the i'm
preston here that assassination was in the
air was about the ARREST bubble ever tounC
in an empty head (Great laughter.)
Mr.. Cayton's amendment was agreed to
also Merriman's.
i sCHURZS S SPEECH.
At the expiration of the morning hour
Mr. Schurz called up the resolution sub
United by him on Friday directing the ju
O dietary committee to inquire what legisla
y tlon is necessary to secure to the people c
Louisiana their rights OF self government
and report with the least possible delay
He then addressed the senate upon Louis
ana affairs at length in the presence {
J. crowded galleries. A large number {
members Of the house and others occupie
seats in the rear of the senator desks an
the cloak rooms were filled with ladies'
, Mr.. Schurz said he approached tt
subject IN no party spirit. Being about
" retire to private life, no party would ben
fit him nor injure him. The subject d.
e. mauded an unprejudiced, passionless di
cussion He thought the senators hi
!, possession of all the facts He then r
. viewed the scenes Of Monday at,endir
ills the organization of the legislature and as
aa,s ed /: What laws are there on the statu
ork book furnishing a warrant for such pr
ceedings? The question was not Wheth
the members elected by the military VIC
use legally elected, but whether the law a
and thoriZes United States soldiers to dete
eth mine who is legally elected. The out
tion is not whether there was two les
methods of organization, but where
rm, the warrant for the use of United Sta
8 of bayonets to decide points Of parliame
ary law. If the governor request
troops to purge the legislature where
lair, the law that tells them to obey the g
l.. ernor OF a state, even if trouble v
0"' threatened? Where is the law that
= thorizes the national government to
,or wade legislative body in armed TO
nier and drag out men seated as members d
bes install others? 1t was his deliberate ju
rhrr iHr ment, conscientiously formed, that
the deed done on the 4th of Januaryln Lo
nave lana constitutes gross and manifest Vi
!. re ton of the constitution aud laws.
and have case before US which shows t
pun pun the government either ignores the law
bust SO interprets them that they cease to
and safeguard, and the spirit shows itself II
SL,, rign,, alarming in the instrument which
and President has chosen to carry out his '
nish, Ali citizees must read with profound
once gret Sheridan dispatch proposing to
what law numerous class of citizens as ban'
dress dress and deliver them over to the militar!
y II. Presidential proclamation. Nobody
spects Gen. Sheridan more for his
m liant deeds in battle than he tSchurzl,
~ every one must regret to see the hel
q the Winchester ride stain his name b
Il attempt to override the laws, 1t is
other illustration of how great man
be as soldier and how consciously uu
to understand what ci'il law and a CO
n tuition mean. If such things can be
- in Louisiana how long before they ca
a. done iu Massachusetts? How long b,
the constitutional rights OF all viii
trampled under foot? How long bef'
W general of the army may sit in the
you occupy to decide contested electio
. ! order to make majority IN the senat
MIR. Schurz said he contemplated
d. d., . present crisis with grave apprehen
W. Web, b. that our etime- honored constitutional
hus re- ciples will be gradually obliterated
onmsct nns peated abuses of power, establi
M Of sus- s. themselves as precedents, aud the
- chinery of the administration be
Gs ston. gradually mere instrument of ring