The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-03-25

the United States such power l do not I'M
derstand him to be the United States. Does
that provision authorize the Executive upon
his own volition, 10 go and take
charge in person, or ty his agent-some
man selected from the army-ot the govern
ment Of State No, sir there is 10
such thing IN the Constitution, and in
terterng IN the State of Louisiana,
IN the taking of that government, is a
palpable violation of the Constitution
OF the United States. If this course is to
be practiced, and the Federal Government
IS gong 10 be partner to disappointed can
dldates to the Office of Governor of State. |
sea we have lnaugur ted a state of things
which viii result Is the overthrow of the Con-
stlutlon, which binds the nation together,
and in the found ttion of the government.
| Why, the time has been in this country, and
III my recollection, too, that if an act like
this, If an usurpatlon like this, had been at
tempted, it We uld have produced a shock
| throughout the nation The nation would
have been indignant frl III one extreme to the
other, and would have been ready to hurl
from power the perpetrators of such an act
bnt now we see things differently. We can
see men come into power and exercise power
not authorized by the organic law of the land
| We have gone outside of the Constitution in a
way that will bring this government to an
nd or change its character SO that its present
features and present structure Will all be lost,
The Senator here referred to the orders sent
Sheridan to proceed to New Orleans, and
said: Here is general of the army who is
sent back to the people who repudiated
nm, with authority to go and lcok over
the country and to mark himself out an
empire prescribe the limits OF his govern
ment, or what he shall take under control.
He marks out an area. He describes the
points and limits of his command. His pow
er Is as abso ute as that of an emperor Look
at the growth of power; look at the advances
which usurpation is making: and when we
come to consider calmly and deliberately, |
without party bias or prejudice. We find that
these acts are none other than usurpation
and tyranny Where does all this power |
come from And | might ask, upon what |
meat does this our Caesar feed that he hath |
grown SO great that he can prescribe and lay |
down empires, and place commanders over |
them :? 1t Is time the country was awakened |
and considered these things. If the excite.
ment has been so high III times gone by that
many things have been overlooked | think
the time has arrived, and | trust that the ex-
element has gone down, and that the Areri-
can people can return to the organic law of
the land. 1t is time that the people had be.
gun to consider and weigh well these things.
Senator johnson desired the organization
OF the louisiana Legislature, and continued
L cannot regard the action OF the military or
OF the President as IN accordance with the
Constitution | cannot record my vote for the
resolution | will not vote against the resolu
ton because this resolution is a Republican
but | viii vote against it on prin.
rlple. This resolution calls on the Senate to
express an opinion favoring the practices
which | think are unauthorized ard unwar.
II if
he Presidents interference what ara we to
10 III other cases: Why single out this par t
lcuiar act, and n principle sanction it and |
lot sanction all the hgh hlnded measures ,
which preceded. The action OF the Presi- ,
lent in the Arkansas Affairs was denounced
~ Senator Johnson, who referred to the 5
growth Of Federal power as follows We |
ee how this power travels IA en- (
'ire laid off in the South commanded :
y military scheme. Then We come along to d
he Force bill: then we come along to the in b
orsement by Congress, and looking over
hese things We inquire what lies behind all O
his Don't we the change of opinion? 9
hat change opposition must be for some rea- k
on. There must be something behind all h
bis actor of the President. There must be II
omething to explain his inconsistency. r
here must be something that underlies all .
his. The Force bill, with authority to take b
way the government, an arbitrary military IL
mpire laid off in the South and placed under n
ne control OF o dictator, must mean some
ming. We can only look at in the light of
vents that will transpire in the approaching
residential election. When we have a CON fo
ueror and usurper installed in the govern II
lent, and he has gone on extending his mill =
ry power until he has accomplished pl
us purpose. The time may come when N
'me member in the other hall may introduce ki
resolution like this: "Whereas, great dis
lrbances and dissatisfactions exist in the 7'
'untry, and for the sake of preserving peace nc
I'd harmony IN the country, be it resolved
at A, or i. is hereby declared President - Ia
don care whether YOU call him monarch. or
ng, or president for the next presidential Is
rm, or the next eight years. What woad sh
u do then: Where is the power to prevent
Where is the army: Where is the navy?
hat could you do? The impot+ncy and
eakness OF an unarmed people when
ought IN contact with armed we we'll know.
e would be powerless and here to-day. in n
e presence OF this Senate, warn the people
alnst the approaching danger tell
: conntrymen, Mr. President that the
lpire is ahead. and that instead of
wing free and republican govern
emit We have stratocracv, that is nc
military government where the country
ruled by a military chieftain, and where 81"
g army Is IN power That is the govern ms
mt you have got now; the army is IN power ella
, have got stratocracy: we have not got a III,
mocracy: we have not got republican
N of government. That IS all the govern
mt you have got. How far off is the inG
plre: How far Oft is military despotism ran
warn the people Of my native country ove
sinst the dangers which are coming. Don't =,
US talk about party, but let the people, 'he
Q compose the government, run it for He
lie. Let us bring the hearts of the people res
to the government and arouse them ore
inst corruption, against prohigacy. against
usurpatlons OF this Administr .tlon The caa
is trying to overthrow the Cor
'ernment. Let every effort be made to iur,
tain the government and eject from power
corrupt and usurping ruler Instead of
resolution now before the Senate, would
to the President with the language, if was
mltted to prepare the resolution that Cato y
d to the ambassador of Go sar, when the of t