Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-04-07
NEW SERIES--V0L. l6, NO. IA.


$ the other side Of this Chamber, in my
f accusation that this was void order
Q and that the McEncry government
D was the rightful government and was
! supplanled by the void order of Judge
G Darell, enforced by Federal bayonots
+ Durell has been condemned and driven
, from office he is no longer there in
J control Of the administration of the
Z law and yet the Senate of the United
! States and the American people arc
, asked TO endorse the power that in.
yitcd, sustained, and enforced this
breach of the law. Am ! not justified,
am not warranted in the proposition
| make, that this is an endorsement
Of blind obedience 10 or completely
with void order made at midnight
by Federal Judge?
! Fourth, denial Of the right ofpetition.
: This may seem to be ti-ifing matter.
Trifling though il is, !. one of those es-
scntial matters which were put Into
the amendments to the Constitution of
the United States as vital and i'm
portant right, and il is found in the
first article of the amendments:
Congress shall make no law representing an
establishment Of religion. or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging The freedom
Of speech, or VI the pross or the right OF the
people reaceably to assemble, and to petition the
government for a redress Of grievances.
Who is "the government that is to
be pctitioneds Congress, when the
subiect-matter relates to the action of
Congress; the judiciary, when the
subiect-matter relates to the control of
the judiciary; the President of the
United States, when the matter relates
to subject upon which he is author
lied to act. This is 'the government"
for by this construction only can we
find what 'tho government means.
Whom the subject is to be acted upon
by Congress, we petition Congress for
redress Of grievances. lfit is controll-
ed by the judiciary, we petition the
Judiciary Whom il is the President
that has the right to act or assumes
to act, we petition the President. IN
this case the Executive claimed the
right to act and did act. On the 18th
Of December 1872, Thomas A. Adams,
chairman Of committee Of citizens upon
the authority of a mass meeting then
recently held in New Orleans. tele-
graphed to the President
New ORLEANS, December I2, lsT2.
/ Sin As chairman Of a committee Of citizens
appointed under authority Of mass meeting re-
Gently held in the city, am instructed to inform
you that the committee Is about to leave here Tor
Washington to lay before you and the Congrcss
Of the United States the facts Of the political df
heultics at present existing in thissae, and fur
thcr earnestly to request you to delay executive
action in the premises aE;.l sftes The arrival and
hearing Of said committee, which is composed Of
business and professional men without regard to
past political affiliations
TH0s. a. ADAMS.
Chairman.
Ills Excellency U. S. GnANT,
President ef NE DATED States.
John McEnery on the same day
telegraphed
NEW onLrAss,
Deeenter ~, 1879.
Ills Exeelleney u.s.GRANr
President rniicd States;
Claiming to be Goyernor-clect Of this State, |
pend recognition Of either Of the dual govern
ments now in operation here until there can be
laid before you all facts and both sides, touching
lbe lexjJimssx 81. sithnr gnvsro n'ri rlss 80.
through committee of many Of our best citizens
on eve Of departure for Washington, before you
recognize the one or the other Of said govern
mcnts. / do not believe we will be condemned
' JNo. McESERY.
And the memorial of one hundred
citizens of the State of Louisiana was
forwarded and is found in the report of
these proceedings, dated the 18th of
December. Here was petition, a
paryer to be heard and yet on that
very day, the 18th of December, the
Department of Justice tclegraphcd to
John McEncry as follows
Hon. JSo. McEsKRr,
Nep Orleans, La;
Your visit with hundred citizens will be una
valing so far as the President is concerned. His
decision Is mado aud will NOT BE- changed and the
sooner 1t Is ncquicsccd in the sooner good order
and peace will be restored.
GEO, II. WILLIAMS,
Attorney General.
Here was refusal to hear. Hero
was Telegram from the petitioners
couched in decorous language; here
was = cvn,ui'V.i cvnui'iV.i ~ mugs ~ una. ola,e
III "nicn 'po ,isn' oi po''',Vi, was o,'e
They come with decorous language
and lay their petition at the feet of him
VINO uas po"er W ae' anu "no uovS
"c'i anu yc' superc','ousness ana "o,
solute dehlal come 10 thls petltlon OF
these citizens almost immediately upon
The announcement that they ask
nearing OF thelr petlhon, ana they are
denied the right to be heard ana they
were turned away NO government
under heaven, not even the most des-
potc government that exists either in
Europe or IN ASIA, has ever denied the
right OF petition. IL IS constitu-
tlonal right IT Is primitive a natural
right rs right which Is the result
OF free speech and dellberation. I'll
belongs TO us as ireemen and citizens
who 1--we III government OF civil
liberty and of law. The creature may
petition the Creator and 1t Is the
medium OF advancing christianity 1t
gives information Of rights and OF
wrongs and is a safcty-valve that in
a government of law may very fire.
quently, while the petition be not
granted, be made to be n means of
escape for manifold evils And yet,
sir, he who occupies the place that
John Quincy Adams occupied, who IN
his day was almost a martyr to his de-
manu ior the right oil petition IN tne
other branch OIL Congress, ulrecis ms
suooralnatcs 70 reply WIN suporclllous
uoDi"i' iio ''iusos " ',"' WV, Pi"y