The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-04-14
MILITARY USURPATION.
SPEECH
HON. E. ST. JULIEN COX.
DELIVERED IN THE MINNESOTA STATE
SENATE, ON THE 9TH DAY
OF MARCH, rs.

Just before the close of the Legis-
lative Session Senator Drake, of Ram
sey County, offered the following:
WHEREAS, Under the Constitution of
the United States each State is tho equal
of and entitled to all the rights and pow
ers belonging to each and every other
State /; and
WHEREAS, Each State is supreme in all
matters of government, except where 9th
erwise provided by the Constitution of the
United States and
WHEREAS, The use of military force in
controlling the organization Of State
Legislature is snbversive of every princi-
pie of free representative government; and
WHEREAS, 1t is asserted that the consti-
tutional rights Of the Legislature and the
people Of the State of Louisiana have been
invaded and disregarded by officers and
soldiers OF the army of the United States /;
Therefore, be it resolved by the Senate
and House of Representative Of the State
OF Minnesota, That the great principles of
constitutional government would be plain
ly violated by the intrusion of soldiers of
the army Of the United States upon the
Legislature of State, by the order of a
military commander, who should presume
to judge of the qualifications of its men,
bers or of those claiming to be members,
and any attempt to enforce such Judgment
would be usurpatton of power, and be a
precedent against which all the other
States should solemnly protest,
Upon these resolutions Hon. E. St.
Julien Cox, Of Nicollet, spoke as
follows:
MIR. PRESIDENT: But little remains
to be said upon this question after
the eloquent remarks of the Senator
from Blue Earth, to which we all lis
tened with so m UGH qualification.
There are, however, some views
which have not been touched upon in
this Louisiana question by the Sena-
tor from Steel and Blue Earth. Ide-
sire at this time to occupy the Sen
ate for brief period and which is
the apology I offer for trespassing on
your patience and time. The Sena-
tor from Blue Earth has most ably
exhibited to the Senate the great
perils to which the union Of the
States is exposed by frequent and
unrebuked infractions of the Federal
constitution, danger which all must
agree is paramount and to the con-
sideration of which all well wishers
to our nation must be forcibly at
tracted. But recent events, trans
piring since the expulsion Of the
persons legally claiming seats in the
Legislature of that most unfortunate
State of Louisiana, and since the re-
marks Of the Honorable Senator
from Blue Earth, have arisen and
which to me are causes Of the gravest
apprehension, and we'll calculated to
fill the minds Of our people with
stern forebodings ofill to come. The
state of the case, standing as it
does, is: That a body Of men, peace
ably assembled, lawfully elected, rep
resenting the sovereign, law-making
power Of State, is violently dis
rupted by soldiers Of the United
States, acting under the approval of
the President and the Secretary of
War The question is not that the
military were requested to interfere.
Officers, in the military service of the
United States must, and Il believe
the education Of this branch of the
public service can leave no doubt of
the fact) do fully understand that
they cannot legally interfere, at the
request Of any person or officer, with
the civil affairs of any State, unless
in case Of rebellion, instruction, in
vasion or inability to preserve the
laws. They know full well in time
of peace that a'ns0 cedaat togae; that
the military shall be subservient and
not paramount to the civil authority,
land no mans request, nay, no mans