Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1875-03-07
THE FORCE BILL.

H A.AAAWA MHN
Since this Infamous measure passed
the House of Representatives, several
days ago, and "a sent to the Senate,
if any steps has been taken by the lat
ter body our dispatches have failed to
acquaint us with the fact. 1t passed
the House by q small majority, receiv.
ing the united opposition of the Demo-
cratic members, besides a goodly num-
Der Of the best and most influential
Republicans, who have heretofore sup
ported the Administration in all of its
measures. Whatever has been or may
be It's lot in the Senate, is a matter of
doubt, although there are strong
hopes that the greater degree of con
servatism prevailing among the Re-
publican members of that branch Of
the national legislature may secure its
defeat. In the event of its passage,
however, its approval by the President
does not admit Of a question, as its pro-
visions are IN consonance with Grants
expressed policy, anu the bill was evil
IDENTIFY gotten up at his dictation and
for the purpose of comforting upon
him arbitrary powers. which would
better befit the Russian Car that the
President of a free republic. In
open disregard of the Constitution, it
clothes him with power to suspend the
writ of habeas corpus at pleasure,
when there is neither rebellion nor in
vasion, aud when the public
safety does not require it, and
enables him to imprison whom
soever he pleases without assign
ing any reason for the act, and the per-
Vol so imprisoned has M redress. No
color of excuse can be assigned for
such a now, and we can i'm
agine no lower depths of polit-
ical degradation than that which
the measure represents. 1t hae
been said, in attenuation, that
the President will not exercise his ar
bitrary power except under the pres
sure ofsthe most urgent necessity.
He may not; but judging from his
former acts, we have but little reason
I'd A06ethat bis W personal and po-
litical ambition will not in his mind be
deemed sufficient to constitute that
/" urgent necessity" AT all events, he
Is made the Judge of that necessity
without responsibility to any one, and
shat constitutes one Of the most seri-
Gus objections to the bill. Harper's
Weekly, at all, times q stanch Republi-
can journal, and until recently one of
the most ardent as well as able sup
porters of the Administration, de-
nounces the measure in the strongest
terms, and concludes an able article
upon the subject with tho following
comprehensive paragraph:
If there are unlawful combinations
In any State SO numerous and power
~Qverturning, or threaten to <overturn
SA3V 0utAAVA AtSCSs VyEyAVtGtiSc WiIICH ttioy
Gan not control, then let those author
hies, . the Constitution prcvi les, APP
ply for assistance, which should he
and would lie promptly rendered. But
upon what conceivable ground can a
people jealous OF the safeguards of lib
erty authorize the Chief Magistrate to
suspend the great writ OF freedom at
his pleasure, because "two or more
persons" interfere in an "unlawful
manner with the due execution of the
laws Of a State or of the United
States 2" The country can not be at
peace and at wal ut the same time. II
there Is rebellion or domestic violence
in Louisiana or in any other State, the
Constitution points out how it is to be
dealt with, and the country will sus-
tain the suppression of the rebellion;
but II there Is not rebellion,
there be no reason for resorting to
war measures. while q general grant
OF power to the President to proclaim
. rebellion and to suspend the writ al
his pleasure, at y time when his own
personal and political ambition might
strongly tempt him to the exercise oI
SO extraordinary a power, would be
one u the most fatal precedsnts in our
history for the overthrow of constitu.
tional freedom.
HA@ ~. 90